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Industry changes are common as the new year takes hold, and the first quarter of 2014 was no exception for the media industry. As usual, there were cuts and there were launches, but there was also innovation and flux. Take a look at what has been going on by medium:
Newspapers
Digital launches are dominating growth in the newspaper industry, with 15 of the 21 launches in the first quarter being online. Twelve of the online launches were HamletHub sites, a series of hyperlocal sites based out of Connecticut that have begun to expand into New York. Also of note was The Cannabist in Colorado, which was launched to cover news generated by the legalization of marijuana in the state. In print, the weekly Triad City Beat, an alternative newspaper in Greensboro, Conn., was launched, and three editions of a paper called Advantage News were launched in the Illinois communities of Alton, Edwardsville and Granite City.
Meanwhile, there were 20 papers that folded in all, including four dailies, 12 weeklies, two biweeklies and two online. One online newspaper to fold was TucsonCitizen.com. Gannett folded the Citizen’s print edition in 2009 and sent it online-only as an open blogging site, which came to an end in February. Massachusetts lost its North Adams Transcript when it was merged into the Berkshire Eagle, and Tennessee’s Review Appeal also folded.
Noticeably absent is Patch.com in these numbers, which in past years had dominated launches, and in later years, closures. But since AOL sold Patch to Hale Global, a New York investment firm, matters have been strangely quiet on that front.
“The first quarter of 2014 in the newspaper business appears to be the slow prelude that is building up to a grand crescendo in the second quarter,” said David Coates, managing editor of newspaper content at Vocus Media Research Group. “In the second quarter, we will see the launching of the Los Angeles Register as well as the launching of NJ Advance Media, which will see the contraction of the staff at the Star-Ledger in Newark, N.J., over the next several months.”
Magazines
There were 17 magazine launches in all the past quarter, with five being online and 12 in print, including Nanny Magazine, Dr. Oz The Good Life, Capital New York Magazine and the relaunch of Newsweek, which was brought back after spending more than a year as an online-only entity. Online sites that launched included The Dodo, which covers scientific discoveries related to the study of animals, and FiveThirtyEight, a sports website covering politics, economics and science.
Around 20 magazines folded in all, with 18 in print and two online. Several print magazines to go were IronWorks, Sea Kayaker and Inside Triathlon, while online closures included My Daily Find Chicago and Dane101, a regional news site in Wisconsin. Meanwhile, three publications went online-only: Fresh Juice, ABPNews and Kit Car Builder.
An increasingly common trend in the magazine industry is for titles and publishers to expand their brands by joining the retail and restaurants industries. GQ, Glamour and Self have all launched extensions offering a service outside of editorial.
Television
In Q1, 15 shows were cancelled. Half were local newscasts, and the others were national news programs. The national shows that were lost included “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon,” “The Kudlow Report” and “Piers Morgan Live.”
There were 10 programs launched, with only one being a local newscast and the rest being national. Launches included “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” “The Reid Report,” and “Ronan Farrow Daily.”
Julie Holley, managing editor of television content at Vocus Media Research Group, said she spotted a new trend over the last quarter. “We have noticed a few dozen TV journalists (about 40) leave TV completely and move to radio. We are not yet sure of the reason, but we do know they are a mix of on-air talent and behind-the-scenes staff such as producers,” she said. “We do sometimes see on-air talent move back and forth because reporting and hosting require the same skills for both mediums. However, to see technical staff move is a little more surprising, and to see this many all of sudden is thought-provoking.”
Change may also be coming to the way television ratings are measured. Nielsen has begun to work with a company to more accurately measure TV viewership on mobile and tablet devices, Holley noted. The new measurement model could potentially allow for these viewership numbers to be included in the overall ratings of a particular show. “If this continues to develop and becomes part of Nielsen’s measuring process, stations will have much more of an incentive to stream their content live to smartphones and tablets,” she said.
Television stations that have shared service agreements with other broadcasters and newspapers took a hit when the FCC made a ruling against them, as previously reported by inVocus. However, Holley said this ruling is expected to be challenged in court.
Radio
In March, Nielsen released its March 2014 RADAR 120 National Listening Report and found that the U.S. radio audience increased by more than 1.2 million listeners since March last year, noted Kyle Johnson, managing editor of radio content at Vocus Media Research Group. “Radio now reaches 244.4 million listeners on a weekly basis, which is 92 percent of the population of those 12 years of age and older,” he said.
Clear Channel and MediaVest released a study in Q1 that looked at consumers’ behavior when using various audio platforms. According to Johnson, the report showed that audio platforms are used most from 3 to 7 p.m., with the car being the most popular location for listening. AM/FM radio is still the most popular platform, and other platforms like online streaming services exist to fit more specific needs, such as customizing the listening experience.
Other findings in the first quarter showed that 84 percent of listeners would be upset if their radio station changed format, with listeners in the 35- to 44-year-old range being the most upset. “Listeners between the ages of 18 and 24 would be the least upset. Still, 70 percent of those 18- to 24-year-olds would be upset with the format change, showing how much listeners, even millennials, care about radio,” said Johnson.
Conclusion:
It’s been a busy first quarter for the four once-traditional mediums as changes, for good or bad, continue to grip the industry. Subsequent quarters will no doubt allow us to glean what new directions the industry will be taking in the search for sustainable models.
