Emerging new media brands look set to benefit from a growing consumer backlash against ‘traditional’ media outlets in the wake of the NOTW hacking scandal and subsequent closure of the publication, according to research released today by online publisher, Populis.
Populis interviewed 2,025 UK consumers via pollsters Opinium and found that 44% said their trust in traditional media in general had been ‘significantly undermined’ by the continuing scandal 35% said they were more likely to explore newer publishers as a result of the scandal.
Just under 1 in 5 (18%) said this was likely to permanently affect the media they choose to consumer on a regular basis.
Luca Ascani, Co-Founder and Chairman, Populis, said: “Rightly or wrongly, we’re clearly seeing the broader traditional media establishment being tarred with the same brush as the NOTW on this issue and, even with the announcement of the closure of the NOTW, we expect to see a lasting impact on the authority of many media brands that have been around for decades, or even hundreds of years.
“Conversely, the authority of new media outlets has been growing for some time, with consumers welcoming the fresh voices and a broader range of specialist content that bloggers and independent publishers can provide.
“We’re not predicting the death of media as we know it – there will always be a role for established players to report breaking news – but I do think we’re reaching a tipping point where more and more people begin to explore a wider media diet, especially when it comes to feature content.”
He continues: “As media consumption continues to fragment across a wider range of smaller independent publishers, we’re seeing the advertising money follow too. This has got to be good news as it stimulates new publishing ideas and gives consumers more choice, more voices, and a healthy plurality of media.”
Source: http://www.populis.com
