The media landscape is ever-changing, we come to question what the future of traditional media is? As we enter a new decade, the world of broadcast is bigger and bolder than ever.
The change in the media landscape means journalists have easier access to news that happens in real-time, sources are easier to get hold of through social media. Therefore, before an agency pitches, they need to know what will work and what stories won’t work.
Across the world, undeniably news desks are shrinking, printed publications are closing down and journalists are being made redundant, but this does not necessarily mean traditional media is outdated in the movement towards a digital age. It also does not change the importance of traditional media in the role of public relations.
Journalists now work across a range of publications, over print and online news outlets. Some work remotely or freelance and are on the move throughout the day. This means the old method of calling the news desk or the journalist extension is outdated.
But this is only part of the story. Traditional media is still delivering in spades when it comes to awareness. And traditional media is still critical for brand advertising. You can pick any chart to see that traditional channels are more likely to produce large brand effects, drive long-term sales growth, and deliver on creativity and boost emotion and fame — all of which perform on business metrics.
It’s great to use the latest thing in media and as an industry we are now driven by technology and innovation. But many of the latest platforms are entirely focused on close targeting based on an individual’s interest, consumption, behaviour and so on; and as a result can come at a higher cost. And in doing this they often remove what we used to call ‘quality wastage’.
Sometimes it’s important to use media that delivers bigger, less closely targeted audiences. If you are only targeting an audience with an immediate need, you are not addressing future potential audiences. This is what car brands have always done, on a large scale. So let’s look at some key areas of traditional media that are moving with the times, being given a new lease of life or simply still perform exceptionally well.
Radio is still powerful
Unlike TV, radio is the one broadcast medium which still continues to deliver relatively big numbers across age groups. Yes, it’s digitised but it still performs and delivers as a traditional platform.
While home based listenership may have dropped, mobile listenership has significantly improved with the number of motor vehicles increasing by several folds over the past decade. And when brands want to be more specific in their audio targeting, streaming services offer much more granular targeting based on demographics, geography, interest, and content genres.
While audiences have migrated to online content, print ads in newspapers and magazines still deliver on engagement. We have seen the emergence of a few newspapers by large business oriented organisations proving popular notions wrong.
However, print usually accounts for a small percentage of a news or magazine brand’s total reach. So while other forms of traditional media are bedrocks for broad reach awareness, print is great for niche, interest-led audiences. And this is then combined with digital to build audience scale.
All of this goes to show the value of traditional media. It is still incredibly important for reach, awareness and engagement. But in a world where digital is rightly king, it’s about how you use traditional and analogue media in combination with digital that’s so important. It’s about taking a smart, real-world approach to media.
Trust and credibility
Unlike digital advertisements, traditional media provides a tangible experience. People can physically hold a newspaper, magazine, or book, flip through its pages, and engage with the content. This tactile experience creates a deeper connection with the audience and increases the chances of them remembering the advertisement, making traditional media an effective tool for engaging with the target audience.
Here in Sri Lanka, traditional media holds a significant level of trust among the population, with the majority relying on it as their primary source of information.
In contrast, social media platforms face a lower level of trust. While the reach is good most consider them reliable sources of information. These findings emphasize the continued importance of traditional media in shaping public opinion and providing reliable news and information.
Traditional media is still the most credible news source in Sri Lanka, it’s essential for conveying brand messaging as it is instantly recognisable. Newspapers, magazines, Radio and Television will always be recognisable to anyone at any age, as it has been established for decades and newspapers even date back centuries.
Traditional media and social media are both equal components when it comes to a successful mix of campaign channels. Over the past five years, there has been a resurgence of audio due to the rise of the podcast.
There should not, however, be a misconception alluding to a hierarchy of platforms when it comes to defining which medium is the best to spread brand awareness. Both mediums work most productively when used together to achieve brand communication objectives.
The key to a successful campaign is to reach out to all types of media; broadcast, traditional and digital platforms. The most successful brand communication strategies use a combination of media and platforms to amplify their client messages.
Social media is an incredible counterpart. While digital now accounts for a sizable percentage of spend, traditional media still remains very important and highly effective.
In some cases, traditional platforms have been digitised, such as TV and radio. In others, analogue mediums have been reinvented by being combined with digital platforms. And sometimes it’s the original analogue medium that is still performing well against key deliverables.
Digital platforms
Digital platforms and innovative tech-enabled media are great for precise targeting and measurement. They have become the bedrock of demand generation and product advertising. In the current economic climate, with budgets as they are, it really makes sense for clients to be increasingly targeted in their media campaigns.
Tangibility: Traditional media is tangible, which means that people can touch it, feel it, and even smell it.
Credibility: Traditional media has long existed, meaning people trust it more than digital media.
Reach: Traditional media has a wide reach with the older demographic.
