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Welcome to the latest blog from Beech Hill Consultancy. We look as some of the interesting, key and sometimes underreported news from communications, media and leadership. But this edition is different – it’s a single story.

One at Beech Hill we feel strongly about and is vitally important for our democracy. The availability of bias free, fact checked news on every platform for every citizen.

Chris Davis from BHC takes up the story:

This is a major wake-up call to us all, I believe…

Want to be scared ? …read this research (sample size 3000) and see what is shows – this is from a Royal Television Society/ Channel 4 event presented by Alex Mahon, the CEO of C4.

The key facts for me were:
* 52% of 13 to 27-year-olds think the UK “would be a better place if a strong leader was in charge who does not have to bother with parliament or election” versus 40% of 40 to 65-year-olds

* Fewer young people think democracy is a “very” or “fairly good” way of governing the UK (73% versus just under 90% for older generations)

* Young people are more likely to think the UK would be a better place if the army was in charge (33% versus 18%)

* Young people are more likely to think “the entire way our society is organised must be radically changed through revolution” (47% versus 33%)

* And they are more likely to have an “individualistic view of the world” where one person’s success means another’s loss.

The full event is linked to below – and the evidence should be a wake up call to the news industry (and others) that it needs to do much much more to engage, inform, build trust and truly understand the #GenZaudience that doesn’t relate to the news via papers/TV and uses a social feed for info.

What’s very clear is that GenZ is interested in the news – unlike many in the news industry who say they are “switched off”, no they are not…they are just “switching-off” because they find traditional / legacy media and how it’s delivered irrelevant.

The video is 90 minutes long and covers many angles of this debate.

Advanced Television looked at the subject of regulation of news online  in its coverage:

C4 CEO calls for regulation to protect Gen Z from false news

“Channel 4 CEO Alex Mahon has called for urgent joint industry action and new regulation to ensure young people can find verified, independent news easily on social media. The call to action follows new Channel 4 research revealing the scale of the challenges facing Gen Z in an era where platforms have “publicly announced a wanton abandonment of the pursuit of truth”.”

The article goes on to describe a “trust mark” for bona fide news orgs producing content which has basic editorial standards.

And this was Deadline’s take:

https://deadline.com/2025/01/channel-4-alex-mahon-gen-z-news-american-swamp-1236272728/

The majored on the angle of Mahon’s comments about a news-swamp.

As an industry news is struggling – big tech has taken advertising and eyeballs but given little back. It amplifies conflict and suppresses legacy media.

And on the subject of legacy media Sky News announced a new, digital premium future…more here:

Sky News considers move to premium to face off linear decline

In the UK as Reuters have shown in their annual news survey – the audience is very resistant to paying for news. This is one digital transformation to watch closely.

More next time from the BHC Bulletin – and for all your business comms, newsroom development, corporate thought leadership issues, please contact Beech Hill Consultancy. 

www.beechhillconsultancy.com

Welcome to the latest update on the less reported media and communication news from Beech Hill Consultancy. 

We hope you find something of interest in the stories we’ve chosen including the possible end of linear TV in the UK, after streaming wars comes streaming arguments, and the how culture is being lost in kids tv.

One of Beech Hill Consultancy’s current projects is with a team looking to launch a kids streaming service out of Europe. They wants to ensure that content from domestic cultures are delivered to kids rather than US cultures, characters and accents. 

And clearly it’s a good solid business plan as research from Ampere Analysis shows that households with children are less likely to cancel streaming service subscriptions than those without them. 

Olivia Deane, Research Manager at Ampere Analysis, stated in her paper: “As a result, streamers are scooping up kids’ titles to appease this influential audience… with streamers nearing market saturation in Western markets, retaining subscribers is more important than ever.”

The difference in churn in households with kids as opposed to not having kids is only 8% – but look at that over 10s of millions of subscribers and the commercial difference is obvious.

Report Highlights:

• Children & Family titles are among the most affected by the global slowdown in commissioning experienced between 2022 and 2023. The number of Children & Family TV titles announced during that time fell by 15 per cent globally
• Most of the Western European commissioners (29 per cent) that saw growth in Children’s commissioning between 2022 and 2023 were public broadcasters
• Children’s content based on existing ideas has also proven to be more robust during the global slowdown. Children’s book adaptations fell by just 9 per cent between 2022 and 2023 versus a 15 per cent decline in all global Children’s TV content over the same period

There’s more from Ampere Analysis here:

https://www.ampereanalysis.com/insight/children-reduce-churn-for-streaming-services

I like research that maybe states the obvious – but sometimes by stating the obvious it points out an issue that needs a solution.

One such piece of research is from EE and it reveals the average UK household has 18 TV arguments a week, as families row over the remote, debate what the kids can watch, and bash heads over bad viewing habits.

EE’s study reveals that the average British households are spending two-and-a-half hours a week arguing over what to watch 

This amounts to five-and-a-half days per year.

According to EE, TV is now a bigger bone of contention in many households than other common arguments. 

As quoted in the EE media release:

Psychologist and TV presenter, Emma Kenny, commented: “Disagreements over TV choices stem from the differing needs and preferences of each individual. Television is a shared activity, yet each family member may seek something unique from it, whether it’s relaxation, excitement, or intellectual stimulation. These differences can create tension when everyone’s needs aren’t met simultaneously.” 

And

Kelly Engstrom, Brand and Demand Generation Communications Director at EE, added: “Our research into the nation’s viewing habits has shown just how difficult it now is to navigate countless streaming services and settle on something to watch, especially in busy households where viewing needs are so changeable. For most people in the UK, TV is a passion not a pastime, so switching on the box should always feel a bit special, and help to dissolve household tension, not create it.” 

There’s more on this as reported by Advanced Television:

Research: Brits spend over 2 hours per week arguing about TV

and as Chris Davis from Beech Hill Consultancy suggests there may be more rows as the UK Government makes plans for the possible switch of linear / traditional television.

“ The UK government is to scrutinise the future of linear TV broadcasting, as new research shows that some viewers could be excluded from the general shift towards online viewership.

Senior representatives from Ofcom, TV broadcasters, infrastructure operators and organisations representing audiences will form a new working group, convened by Media Minister Stephanie Peacock MP. It will consider how all viewers, including older people and those without Internet connectivity on their TV, can continue to access world-class British content as consumer habits continue to change.”

More from The Media Leader here: https://uk.themedialeader.com/government-to-scrutinise-future-of-linear-tv-amid-shift-to-digital/

And finally, one that made us smile in the office – as media companies spend billions on new and innovative content – the UK commercial broadcaster  ITV has gone back to the future with a format first rolled out in 1981 and based on the “sport” darts.

The channel is recommissioning the show Bullseye which gained a cult status for terrible prizes and (often) terrible players…

More here from ITV press office: www.itv.com/presscentre/media-releases/freddie-flintoff-hits-bullseye-itv

More media news soon – and for all your communications, leadership and content advice – just head to www.beechhillconsultancy.com

Until the next edition…

Are we heading towards a society that can’t tell real information from fake news and disinformation? Beech Hill Consultancy looks at this month’s Reuters Global News Report

In a world inundated with information, the latest Reuters News report out yesterday, reveals a growing phenomenon: news avoidance. This trend, highlighted in their comprehensive global news survey, shows how and why increasing numbers of people are turning away from traditional news broadcasts and outlets. 

The report, explains some of the complex reasons behind this shift and its implications for the media industry and wider society. It also give a few pointers to how to reengage with the audience.

The Rise of News Avoidance – more than a third of people avaoid news!

News avoidance isn’t just about skipping the morning paper or turning off the evening news. It represents a significant change in how people engage with the world around them. According to Reuters’ survey, a staggering 38% of the global population now actively avoids the news, up from 29% in 2017. Younger generations and those in high-stress professions are the most prominent groups that are simply disengaged.

Emotional and Psychological Factors

One of the primary reasons for news avoidance is described as the “emotional toll” it can take on news consumers. Constant exposure to negative news: covering wars like Ukraine of the Gaza conflict, natural disasters, political turmoil – election anyone(!), and economic crises, when we are all struggling with cost of living issues, can lead to feelings of anxiety, helplessness, and even depression. And most of us have experience of this when consuming news – even as a news professional I sometimes say enough is enough and skip a bulletin or two.

The Reuters report indicates that 41% of respondents avoid news because it negatively impacts their mood. This is especially true in the context of the 24/7 news cycle and the constant presence of news alerts on out phones and social media.

Trust and Credibility Issues- a real issue for the industry.

Trust in the media has also been a significant factor driving news avoidance. The Reuters report points out that 29% of people avoid the news because they do not trust it. 

This skepticism is often fueled by the rise of fake news and the polarizing nature of many news outlets. In countries where the media is seen as heavily politicized, such as the United States and Brazil, this number is even higher, with over 40% of respondents citing distrust as a reason for news avoidance.

The digital age has brought an almost limitless amount of information to our fingertips. For some, this leads to information fatigue—a state where the sheer volume of news becomes too much to process. The Reuters report shows that 35% of individuals prefer to tune out rather than be constantly bombarded with updates, which they often find repetitive or irrelevant to their daily lives.

But while social media has made news more accessible, it has also contributed to selective exposure, where people choose to engage only with news that aligns with their views. 

The Reuters survey highlights that algorithms on platforms like Facebook and Twitter often create echo chambers, reinforcing existing beliefs and reducing exposure to diverse perspectives. Approximately 28% of respondents reported that they avoid news because it causes arguments they would rather avoid.

We are not all the same – Regional Variations in News Avoidance

In countries experiencing political unrest or economic instability, news avoidance is particularly pronounced. For instance, in parts of Latin America and Southeast Asia, over 50% of respondents reported avoiding news. In more stable regions like Scandinavia, news avoidance is less prevalent but still present due to factors like trust issues and information overload.

Major Implications for the Media Industry – some ideas to fight back

The trend of news avoidance presents both challenges and opportunities for the media industry. Traditional news outlets face the daunting task of rebuilding trust and finding ways to present news that engages rather than alienates their audience. 

The Reuters report suggests several strategies media companies might adopt:

1. Diversifying Content: Providing a mix of news that includes positive stories and solutions-focused journalism can help balance the often negative tone of mainstream news. This could address the 41% of people avoiding news due to its negative impact on their mood.

2. Improving Trust: Transparency about journalistic processes and a commitment to impartiality can help restore public trust in news organizations. This is crucial given that 29% of respondents avoid news due to distrust.

3. Tailored News: Offering personalized news experiences through apps and websites can cater to individual preferences and reduce information overload, which affects 35% of news avoiders.

4. Engagement and Interaction: Encouraging more interactive and participatory news formats, such as discussions, Q&As, and live chats, can make news consumption a more engaging experience. This could also help mitigate the effects of social media-induced selective exposure.

Is tech the saviour???

Technology plays a dual role in the trend of news avoidance. On one hand, the constant notifications and instant access to information contribute to fatigue and avoidance. On the other, technological solutions like AI and machine learning can help curate and personalize news, making it more relevant and less overwhelming for users. The Reuters report suggests that leveraging technology to better understand and serve audiences could be key to reversing the trend of news avoidance.

The Reuters News report on news avoidance offers a crucial insight into the ever changing landscape of news consumption. As more people choose to disengage from traditional news, media organizations must adapt to address the underlying causes of this trend. 

By building trust, diversifying content, and leveraging technology, the media industry can find new ways to reconnect with audiences. Ultimately, understanding and addressing news avoidance is essential not only for the survival of traditional news outlets but also for maintaining an informed and engaged public. With major elections around the world this year – a poorly informed audience and electorate is not a great vote for democracy. 

Beech Hill Consultancy works with news organisations of all sizes to develop audiences and channels to deliver impact, revenue and engagement.

Why now contact us to discuss your news project….

You won’t believe the hours we waste searching…

This is latest BHC Bulletin…

Hello and welcome to the May Beech Hill Consultancy Bulletin, a short digest of the more interesting (and often under-reported) media stories and research.

This time we look at the hours we all waste finding something to watch, the deep frustrations of streaming viewers, and how European audience choice continues to be provided by the US media giants.

So first one of those pieces of research that makes you really think…Brits spend 182hrs per year searching for content, get ready for the new name “choice paralysis’!

Using multiple streaming services and debating what to watch can be time-consuming. A study by Currys uncovered how much time people spend choosing a programme or movie to watch and asked 2,018 people to understand their challenges and difficulties in selecting content.

Out of those asked, 10 percent admitted they spend up to 2 hours trying to find something to watch, with the average time spent, across all respondents, on this decision dilemma being 30 minutes a day.

For those who find themselves watching TV daily, this 30 minutes per day translates to 182.5 hours per year dedicated to the task of deciding what to watch.

Brits only give shows 34 minutes to impress them.

The study also revealed that UK viewers take a surprisingly short time to figure out if they want to continue watching a show or not, with the average decision time being 34 minutes to decide on whether to keep going.

A fascinating read with more details here:

https://www.currys.co.uk/techtalk/tv-advice/no-you-choose.html

Similar data is thrown up by professional services company Accenture Media Thrive Index which assesses the impact of reinvention strategies on media and entertainment companies’ ability to succeed financially and strategically in an increasingly challenging industry.

Key findings:

Tired of Browsing – More than a third of consumers (36 percent) say they struggle to find something entertaining to watch while 52 percent say recommended content does not match their interests.

Serial Churners – Nearly 60 percent of consumers are canceling and resubscribing to services based on the availability of desirable content. In 2023, 47 percent of consumers canceled more subscriptions than the previous year.

Shifting Preferences – Two-thirds of consumers consider user-generated content to be as entertaining as traditional forms of media. In all scenarios presented to consumers, such as “when I want something funny” or “when I want to relax,” social media and social video platforms were consistently picked over streaming video services as the media of choice.

More details on Accenture’s own website:

https://www.accenture.com/us-en/insights/communications-media/reinvent-for-growth

And finally for this month – policy makers in Europe need to sit up and take note but 85 percent of viewing time on Vod services is generated by only three services (Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+).

Of that viewing, 30 percent is of European (including UK) content. So culturally 70% of the content is non-European, much of it American.

These are the main takeaways from two new reports SVOD Usage in the European Union and Film and TV content in TVOD, SVOD and FOD catalogues – 2023 Edition published by the European Audiovisual Observatory, which is part of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg.

Even more detail from the report at Advanced Television:

Report: Netflix, Prime, Disney take 85% of European VoD

And that’s it for this BHC Bulletin – for any media, comms and leadership challenges why not ask Beech Hill Consultancy for advice?

The BHC Bulletin – for March.

Well Spring has sprung – although where I live it feels more like monsoon season….welcome to the March edit of the BHC Bulletin.

This month, we are looking at changes in the broadcast content world – what I once might have called TV, but now covers so many types of content and access points.

We focus on You Tube’s next battleground, where Gen Z is watching and consuming news and bad news for Pay-TV companies.

So first – joining Netflix, Disney and your national broadcasters – You Tube sees its next “big win” as the main household tv set.

YouTube CEO Neal Mohan has laid out the platform’s next major goals as taking an even greater share of overall television viewing time and expanding its subscription business.

“YouTube’s next frontier is the living room and subscriptions,” wrote the head of the Google-owned platform in a blog post titled Letter from the YouTube CEO: 4 Big bets for 2024.

“Viewers want everything in one place, from a live sports game to the BBC to Khan Academy and Nikki Tutorials. And they’re watching YouTube the way we used to sit down together for traditional TV shows – on the biggest screen in the home with friends and family.”

The rise of YouTube as a powerhouse of living-room content consumption has been a growing talking point in recent months, with media commentator Evan Shapiro last week saying it “poses a truly existential threat” to the traditional TV ecosystem as a competitor for eyeballs.

In the UK, too, brand marketing agency Essence Mediacom recently predicted that YouTube will “leapfrog” Netflix this year in terms of viewership on big screens.

C21 Media reports more on the letter and reaction here: 

YouTube CEO says firm’s ‘next frontier’ is living-room viewership, subscriptions

For almost my entire career I’ve sat in meetings where the question has been “how do we get the next generation watch”, well recent research may point some of the way…

The next generations of consumers want to “feel a connection” with brands and creators.

News publishers should not assume young people will gravitate towards them as they get older but should act now, according to research from FT Strategies.

Researchers interviewed 45 news consumers aged between 18 and 24 in India, Nigeria and the US and identified six approaches publishers can take to attract younger audiences:

• build direct relationships with audiences “by partnering with creators, empowering editorial talent to share their stories and elevating young journalists”
• add personalised and customised experiences with filtering and algorithmic tools
• produce more social-first content
• use accessible language and less formal tones
• create content in new formats
• and make greater use of solutions journalism.
•  

The 2023’s Reuters Institute Digital News Report found that 18 to 24-year-olds are going to social media rather than publisher websites for news, and the FT Strategies report said it was wrong to assume they will change their habits as they get older.

More here from Press Gazettes coverage:

https://pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/digital-journalism/ft-strategies-medill-young-news-audiences/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

Back to You Tube and Gen Alpha audiences – see what I did there, linking the top two stories…..?

Precise TV, the contextual video company, and Giraffe Insights, a kids and family research agency, have released their latest Precise Advertiser Report: Kids (PARK). 

The report unpacks the media consumption habits and purchase decisions of parents and kids aged two to 12 years old, aka Generation Alpha.

The Key findings are:

• The average child aged 2-12 years old watches 106 minutes of YouTube daily.
• 95 per cent of family’s co-view and nearly 50 per cent co-view every day.
• 7 in 10 co-view when watching YouTube on CTV and more than 35 per cent watch with 2 or more people.
• Paramount has achieved high ad recall rates against popular children’s shows such as Paw Patrol and SpongeBob SquarePants.  
• Kids prefer mobile and tablet gaming over console gaming – 60 per cent of kids play mobile or tablet games, with Roblox, Lego and Super Mario topping the list of mobile and tablet games that kids play.

To read more: 

Research: Kids watching 106min of YouTube daily

And finally, some sobering news for those in the Pay-TV world…

Millions in Western Europe are turning off their Pay-TV subscriptions. Western Europe will lose nearly 9 million Pay-TV subscribers between 2023 and 2029 to reach 93 million – down by 8 per cent, according to the Western Europe Pay-TV Forecasts report from analyst firm Digital TV Research. This is nowhere near as bad as the US as Pay-TV penetration will still be 53 per cent by 2029 – down from 58 per cent in 2023.

More at:

Forecast: Cord-cutting to hit W Europe pay-TV

That’s it for the March BHC Bulletin – more next month. And for all your media, comms and leadership challenges, why not contact Beech Hill Consultancy to see if our insight and experience can help.

Until next time.

The latest Beech Hill Consultancy Bulletin…

How’s it mid-February already – the BHC Bulletin managed to skip January, but here are some of the more relevant – and less reported – insights from media-ville…

The cost of living crisis is far from over – while there may be some signs of a downwards next step for interest rates….the timing isn’t yet clear…

So, it no surprise that Global pay-tv penetration will see its first-ever yearly decline in 2024, according to research by Ampere Analysis. The drop will follow pay-tv penetration peaking at 60.3 percent in Q4 2023 according to the research, which forecasts that by 2028 global pay-tv penetration will have fallen by almost four percentage points.

Advanced TV has much more here:

Report: Pay-TV penetration peaks

This isn’t the only report showing streaming slowdown – According to Omdia, there has been a significant change in the way consumers are subscribing to multiple streaming services. Previously, consumers would often stack multiple subscriptions to gain access to a wider range of content. However, the new data suggests that there has been a shift in this behaviour, indicating that consumers are becoming more selective in their choices and opting for a more focused approach to their streaming subscriptions.

The number of SVoD subscriptions per household in the US was approaching 3.5 in April 2023, but Omdia’s research has found that number fell more than 10 percent to under three services by November 2023.

Maria Rua Aguete, Omdia Senior Research Director revealed that the countries where the growth of streaming and studio services (AVoD and SVoD) are showing signs of slowing down are the US, and Brazil.

“After over half a decade of steady growth, we’re observing a shift in how paid video services are consumed. The traditional model of stacking multiple paid services is losing ground. This is partly driven by the increasing popularity of free ad-supported television (FAST) channels, which are becoming a preferred choice for supplementary viewing,” 

More on Omdia research here: https://advanced-television.com/2024/01/25/research-svod-stacking-falling-fast-viewership-rising/

Many clients of BHC want to talk about “digital transformation” – so what’s a digital first company look like – well at CNN, Sir Mark Thompson, previously director general of the BBC and CEO at The New York Times, has been appointed Chairman, CEO and Editor in Chief at CNN.

In his 100 days in the job email he outlined to staff at the global news broadcaster where he thought the business had to move:

Some key elements include:

· Combining all CNN’s various news-gathering groups into one entity
· Combining broadcast newsgathering with its digital and streaming activity
· Improving CNN’s video offering on Smartphones
· Expanding CNN’s efforts in Smartphones
· Exploring a Digital subscription model for Smartphones
· Maintaining the central proposition of CNN’s news offering

Totally agree – in BHC’s work on moving “analogy” businesses into a digital world – the key thing is joined up teams and tech….but most importantly is the leadership mindset. Everyone must understand how, why, and to where the journey leads.

One thing Thompson nailed was this:

“For many people today, the Smartphone is a more important device for consuming news than the TV,” he wrote in the memo. “Their news prime time is in the morning, not the evening.” 

I still think it’s amazing that key broadcasters – and I could name many of you here – but the big guns and the serious money behind evenings. Bad move!

More on the CNN plans from the Wall St Journal – 

https://www.wsj.com/business/media/new-cnn-boss-shakes-up-news-operations-explores-digital-subscription-model-db12e796?mod=e2tw

Worryingly the UK has dropped to last place in the Edelman survey of 28 nations in their annual survey asking how much people trust the media “to do what is right”.

The UK saw the biggest drop in trust in the media and was the least-trusted out of 28 countries surveyed for the latest Edelman Trust Barometer.

Press gazette looked at the information in more detail here:

https://pressgazette.co.uk/media-audience-and-business-data/trust-in-media-uk-edelman-barometer-2024/

Making the headlines since the start of the year have been the global pressure on news and PSB organisations – whether papers or even digital news outlets. They year has started with job losses and profit warnings…so maybe some news from the EU could show the future of PSB and partnership.

Eight European public broadcasters have unveiled a proposal that will see them unite on eight new drama series every year.

The broadcasters are ZDF (Germany), NPO (The Netherlands), VRT (Belgium), SVT (Sweden), DR (Denmark), YLE (Finland), RÚV (Iceland) and NRK (Norway). They have joined forces for the “historic” collaboration known as the New8.

Broadcasters in the Nordics will deliver four projects a year, while the group will also share two from Germany, one from VRT and one from NPO.

No series are off limits, but the group will seek to appeal to 18-45s and try to attract a younger audience in particular.

“With this collaboration, we help each other in financing,” Vervloet said. “It’s a predictable model; there’s a set price we invest in each other’s series and help the producers to finance the series. We also get access to high-quality drama, which is very difficult in this competitive landscape. We also agreed on a set of rights we need to serve our audiences. It’s a win-win.”

The fill details are on C21 here – https://www.c21media.net/news/eight-european-pubcasters-team-up-to-jointly-commission-drama-slate/

While it’s a big jump – maybe we will see collaboration gathering a wider audience and also looking at other (expensive) genres…

That’s it for this time – for all your comms / leadership and content issues – why not ask Beech Hill Communications. See you next time…

The October BHC Bulletin

Welcome to the BHC Bulletin for October – where we cover media, comms and leadership stories that you may have missed or the team here think is interesting or important.

This month we discuss the future of TV as UK broadcasters’ team up for a new internet only service, how politicians are worried about AI and kids screen time plus how long do we spend deciding what to watch on TV – new research has a scary result.

So first this month, Britain’s major public-service broadcasters (PSBs) will launch a free, Internet-only TV service next year for broadband-only homes.

It’s going to be called Freely – which I like – and will be built into built-in to the next generation of smart TVs in the UK upon launch in 2024 and feature a line-up of PSB content and other free-to-air channels.

Freely is being developed by Everyone TV, the organisation which runs free TV services Freeview and Freesat in the UK and is jointly owned by the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5.

It’s the first time that British viewers will be able to browse and watch live TV channels together with on-demand content streamed to their smart TV via the Internet for free. This breaks down many of the access barriers and having to jump around on apps – which can be really annoying and take time. Breaking down these barriers is key to making sure viewers stay with high quality UK originated content.

One thing that’s important is the role of the regional and nations content – the BBC and ITV which are the UK’s suppliers of regional news and programming – do make it hard to find some local content online. So, it’s important that with increased tech – regional content doesn’t get left behind. There is a huge value to this programming and relevant news.

Freely has pledged that viewers will be able to “seamlessly” browse channels through a “modern and intuitive” programme guide and use functions that are designed to make it easier to find and explore new shows directly from live TV.

The Media Leader has much more here:

https://the-media-leader.com/uk-psbs-to-launch-online-freeview-in-2024

This appears important to the UK Culture Secretary who has said that viewers of free-to-air terrestrial TV should not be “left behind” amid shifting viewing habits towards streaming services, 

Lucy Frazer was speaking  in  a keynote speech at the Royal Television Society Cambridge Conference where she outlined her plan to maximise the potential of the TV industry to capitalise on the endless choice new technology now offers to audiences.

In her speech, Frazer said: “As we focus on the future, our attention must also be on making sure people are not left behind. Because new ways of consuming TV should not come at the expense of those who still enjoy terrestrial television.

“This government wants to encourage the sector to keep embracing innovation and technological development. But we’re not going to pull the rug from under the devoted audiences of Freeview channels. We want terrestrial television to remain accessible for the foreseeable future.”

Advanced Television has the full story:

Culture Secretary: ‘We’ll protect terrestrial TV’

Since the speech the UK Communications Regulator. Ofcom, (Declaration: The Founder of BHC is an Advisor to Ofcom) has launched a Call for Evidence into the Future of TV Distribution

Ofcom states:

Large numbers of people still rely on traditional, scheduled broadcast TV – known as ‘linear’ TV – particularly for its ability to inform us about what is happening in the world and its power to bring the nation together in moments of national importance or celebration. And it is there for all of us, with free-to-view TV services available universally. 

However, the way in which TV audiences watch content has changed radically. Vast libraries of video content are widely available from online streaming services, offering viewers greater choice while creating a much more fragmented viewing experience.  

In support of its own research study, the Government asked Ofcom to undertake an early review of market changes that may affect the future of content distribution on Digital Terrestrial TV and other distribution platforms.  

The full consultation paper is here:

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/consultations-and-statements/category-1/call-for-evidence-future-of-tv-distribution

At BHC we talk a lot about screen time and its effects on children (and adults!)

The Education Committee of the UK House of Commons is launching a new inquiry into the effects of screen time on education and wellbeing.

MPs will look into how apps, the Internet and access to smart phones and tablets can impact children’s education and wellbeing, from the early years to the start of adulthood.

“Over the last decade, teenagers’ access to the Internet has become almost ubiquitous, and it is becoming ever more prevalent among young children,” commented Education Committee Chair Robin Walker MP. “Whilst learning how to safely navigate the online world is an important skill, the Committee has already heard some deeply concerning evidence about the risks to children of too much screen time or of unsupervised access to online platforms.”

Advanced Television has the story and terms of reference here:

MPs to probe kids’ screen time

At the same time their colleagues on the Culture, Media and Sport Committee have set out the twelve essential challenges that AI governance must meet if public safety and confidence in AI are to be secured. These are: 

1. The Bias challenge: AI can introduce or perpetuate biases that society finds unacceptable.
2. The Privacy challenge: AI can allow individuals to be identified and personal information about them to be used in ways beyond what the public wants.
3. The Misrepresentation challenge: AI can allow the generation of material that deliberately misrepresents someone’s behaviour, opinions or character.
4. The Access to Data challenge: The most powerful AI needs very large datasets, which are held by few organisations.
5. The Access to Compute challenge: The development of powerful AI requires significant compute power, access to which is limited to a few organisations.
6. The Black Box challenge: Some AI models and tools cannot explain why they produce a particular result, which is a challenge to transparency requirements.
7. The Open-Source challenge: Requiring code to be openly available may promote transparency and innovation; allowing it to be proprietary may concentrate market power but allow more dependable regulation of harms.
8. The Intellectual Property and Copyright Challenge: Some AI models and tools make use of other people’s content: policy must establish the rights of the originators of this content, and these rights must be enforced.
9. The Liability challenge: If AI models and tools are used by third parties to do harm, policy must establish whether developers or providers of the technology bear any liability for harms done.
10. The Employment challenge: AI will disrupt the jobs that people do and that are available to be done. Policy makers must anticipate and manage the disruption.
11. The International Coordination challenge: AI is a global technology, and the development of governance frameworks to regulate its uses must be an international undertaking.
12. The Existential challenge: Some people think that AI is a major threat to human life. If that is a possibility, governance needs to provide protections for national security.

Rt Hon Greg Clark MP, Chair of the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee commented:

“Artificial Intelligence is already transforming the way we live our lives and seems certain to undergo explosive growth in its impact on our society and economy. AI is full of opportunities, but also contains many important risks to long-established and cherished rights – ranging from personal privacy to national security – that people will expect policymakers to guard against.”

More from the select committee here:

https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/135/science-innovation-and-technology-committee/news/197236/ai-offers-significant-opportunities-but-twelve-governance-challenges-must-be-addressed-says-science-innovation-and-technology-committee/

And finally…how long does it take your household to decide what to watch on tv? 

Well in the Nielsen / Gracenote‘s, 2023 State of Play report it claims viewers now spend 10.5 minutes per session deciding what to watch.

10 and a half minutes just to decide what to watch!!!!!!

According to Gracenote data analysis, there were 1.9 million video titles available to viewers in the US, UK, Canada, Mexico and Germany in July 2021. 

This number had ballooned to 2.7 million titles by June 2023. 

That’s a lot of content to wade through and decide what to view….

More details here:

https://www.nielsen.com/news-center/2023/nielsens-state-of-play-report-delivers-new-insights-as-streamings-next-evolution-brings-content-discovery-challenges-for-viewers

That’s it from the very long BHC Bulletin for now – have a great Autumn, and for all your comms, leadership, media and news issues why not get in touch. www.beechhillconsultancy.com

Kids and screens, diversity and business, news and social, plus taxing the streamers – all featured

Welcome to the BHC Bulletin for September – we hope you had a great summer and ready for the uphill run to the end of the year.

Here are a few of the top media / leadership and comms stories from the summer you may have missed. We’ll be covering kids and screens and how parents are really worried about what they are consuming, Ofcom’s latest research on news consumption, reinforcing why diversity matters, and why in one US state life could be a little more taxing for the streamers.

So firstly, one close to my heart – kids’ online safety and the suitability of the content they are watching….and I appear to be not alone….

A survey by BBC Children’s and Education has shown that the vast majority of parents in the UK are concerned about their children’s screen time – 67 per cent of parents feel concerned about what their child is watching although 65 per cent agree that screens/devices have the ability to foster creativity and communication. 

Advanced Television reports “The survey, of 2000 parents highlights that parental concerns around screens stem from the presence of violence (35 per cent), the addictive nature of certain content (26 per cent), and the use of foul language (21 per cent).”

More details here: 

www.advanced-television.com/2023/07/24/survey-uk-parents-concerned-over-kids-screen-time/

A small declaration of interest in the next story – it’s from Ofcom, the UK Communications regulator, and I serve on one of their Advisory Council’s…

Online news sources – particularly social media sites and apps – are now the dominant means by which younger people in the UK access news, meaning their direct relationships with traditional news brands are weakening, Ofcom has found in their News Consumption in the UK report.

Key findings are:

• Young social news scrollers less likely to head to news websites direct.
• Celebrity, sports and music news dominates teens’ social media news diet.
• BBC One remains most-used news source overall among adults, but gradual decline continues.
• Reach of print newspapers is stable this year after long-term decline.

Ofcom’s report reveals that older teens and young adults aged 16-24 are much more likely to consume news online than adults generally (83% vs 68%). And usually, it’s via social media on their mobile phones (63% vs 39%).

Social media platforms dominate the top five most popular news sources among 16-24s. Instagram (44%) is the most-used single news source, followed by Facebook 33%, Twitter 31%, and TikTok, 29%. Coming in joint second, BBC One (33%) is the only traditional media source to feature in their top five.

Ofcom’s annual report also looks more broadly at the news habits of UK adults across TV, radio, print, social media, podcasts, other websites and apps and magazines.

The Ofcom website states….

Broadcast TV news maintains its position as the most popular source, used by 70% of UK adults. This increases to 75% when broadcast video on-demand news content is included. The public service broadcasters remain a dominant force in news delivery, collectively reaching 94% of television news audiences. Outside of the PSBs and Sky News, no other TV channel offering news reaches more than 8% of UK TV audiences.

Following a long-term decline in the use of print newspapers – with the overall reach of these news brands being supplemented by their digital platforms – Ofcom’s most recent data shows that print newspaper reach was consistent between 2022 and 2023.

Just over a quarter of adults (26%) now access news via print newspapers, increasing to 39% when including their online platforms.

The full report is at:

 www.ofcom.org.uk/news-centre/2023/light-hearted-news-social-media-drawing-gen-z

Diversity matters – all types of diversity, from race and disability to geography and demographics, yet the media is continuing to fail to represent the audiences it serves.

Research called Creative Access Thrive Report, from diversity and inclusion social enterprise Creative Access confirms a dip in optimism about career futures in individuals from under-represented groups in the creative industries.

The findings make pretty stark reading – the report from Advanced Television is here:

Report: Need for diverse talent in broadcast

And one final item – as we all know there is an existential threat to public service journalism. In Massachusetts policy makers are considering a tax on streaming companies to pay for it.

The “Act to Modernize Funding For Community Media Programming” is proposing a 5% fee on digital streaming providers, based on a company’s gross annual revenue in the state. A portion of the fee would be distributed to municipalities for the support of their community media centres — colloquially known as public access television.

The proposed legislation, which is in the early stages of committee review in the state legislature, is aimed at supplementing decreasing cable revenue fees, which make up a large portion of community media budgets.

In much of Europe as well as the US broadcaster, papers and community media is struggling because of the strength of the international streamers and social media platforms and these platforms taking revenue from these territories without themselves investing in public service content. This is a clever way to continue to find high quality journalism and preserve democracy.

More on the story at Nieman Labs,

www.niemanlab.org/2023/07/massachusetts-lawmakers-consider-a-tax-on-streaming-services-to-fund-public-access-media/

That’s it from the BHC Bulletin, if we can help with leadership, comms, media and content strategy issues, then get in touch. www.beechhillconsultancy.com

Welcome to the June BHC Bulletin, the latest update on fascinating but underreported stories from media-ville.

Today it’s about local news and why it remains totally relevant in both the UK and the US, how even the big media players think consolidation of the streamers is going to happen, plus maybe a new button coming to your TV remote control and the closure of linear television channels continues.

First….the value of local, the value of relevance – its an audience driver

Name a programme that is almost always in the top ten shows of the day – every day – Coronation Street, yep, Eastenders, yep, News at Ten, yep – but also the local news….that show on at 6pm on ITV or 6.30 on the Beeb…whether Look North in Yorkshire, Spotlight in the South West or Granada reports in the North West. They deliver big audience…and the cumulative total of all the shows makes it a top ten watch every day.

This shows that relevant, friendly and local (well regional really) is a core driver for viewers.

And it’s the same in the US, the trade association of America’s local broadcast television industry TVB, has published research comparing local TV news and subscription streaming audiences.

TVB compared one-day viewing of local broadcast news to streaming services, which included Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, Apple TV+, Disney+ and HBO Max. 

Because of the different methodologies that Nielsen uses to accumulate SVoD audiences and linear audiences, the only way to have an apples-to-apples comparison is to look at one day of SVoD audiences versus the same one day of linear broadcast TV audiences – claim TVB – but the data is fascinating.

The “…analysis comparing localbroadcast TV news audiences in five geographically diverse markets and streaming service viewing in those same markets.” said Hadassa Gerber, Chief Research Officer, TVB, told Advance Television

“In each market, local broadcast TV news had 8-12 times more adult 18+ viewers than the streaming platforms combined.”

The key issue here is the narrative – anyone in broadcast tv knows that on any given day they get a much larger audience than the streamers – but the marketing team often fail to deliver that message.

Much more about the research and more data here:

Study: Local US TV news 10x larger audience than SVoD

The problem of course is that linear audiences are falling – the figures above would have been far higher if the research as carried out a decade ago.

The future of content distribution – both for entertainment and corporate – is streaming.

Is Linear TV dying – it’s certainly beginning to look that way.

Hence news from Germany that Sky Deutschland is closing – or discontinuing as they say(!) –  three linear channels, Sky Comedy, Spiegel Geschichte and Curiosity TV, 

Sky says viewing habits of its viewers, particularly for comedy, had switched primarily to streaming and on-demand via Sky Q or Wow.

Just as an aside – industry insiders think Sky Deutschland is on the market because of its weak position in the market. C21 Media speculated “ProSiebenSat.1 Group is thought to be a potential buyer.”

Here is more on channels closures: www.c21media.net/news/sky-deutschland-to-drop-linear-channels-sky-comedy-spiegel-geschichte-curiosity-tv/

The closure of linear channels will see major acceleration in the months to come – already Disney and ITV have closed or announced closure of Kids channels. 

If you want to migrate your content – either as a producer or business to a streaming platform – Beech Hill Consultancy has the experience to lead your journey. Just get in touch.

Streamers set to merge – consolidation inevitable

There aren’t many in the media with more experience thank Liberty Global’s Mike Fries

And at SeriesFest in Denver recently  the headline “Handful of major streamers will survive as rest ‘swallowed up,’ kind of sums up his presentation!

Fries thinks only between three and five large, general entertainment platforms will emerge victorious in the streaming wars while the remainder will be acquired.

His view – they winners will be Disney, Warner Bros Discovery, Netflix and YouTube TV.

“There will be four or five that try to rush to the middle and the rest will get swallowed up,” he said during a panel “Streamers and studios without that level of scale will struggle to survive as standalone entities”.

A full report of Fries comments – including on AI can be found here:

Handful of major streamers will survive as rest ‘swallowed up,’ says Liberty Global CEO

The remote to get a new button?

And on the subject of streamers – when you pick up any remote control device these days there is a button for Netflix, or YouTube or Amazon Prime – now the BBC is demanding one for public service broadcasters.

It’s basically a redefinition of  PSB “due prominence” for the digital age. 

In the “old world” PSBs are “gifted” the top slots on the programme guides/menus on Freeview, Sky and Virgin Media etc.

As Media Leader reported, “…in a submission to a Commons cross-party select committee, the BBC has called for TV manufacturers to be forced to add a dedicated on-demand button to their remote controls that takes viewers to the PSBs streaming services.”

Nick Swimer who is an entertainment & media partner at Reed Smith LLP wrote a fascinating comment about this and the new draft Media Bill The Media Leader. The full article is here : https://the-media-leader.com/the-draft-media-bill-transforming-the-prominence-of-public-service-broadcasting

That’s it from this BHC Bulletin, we hope you enjoyed the review of just a few key issues right now – for all your comms / leadership and media issues – try Beech Hill Consultancy for solutions. And we’d love to hear from you regarding feedback to this Bulletin, its six months old now – so keen to learn if you like the contents.

He’s well respected in the broadcast industry, married to a tv presenter and former tv correspondent, presenter and Editor of some of UK’s most popular breakfast and daytime television – but boy oh boy this week Martin Frizzell showed exactly how not to handle being doorstepped.

Why was Frizzell in the news – well he’s the Editor of ITV show This Morning – and leads the team that feel lied to by Philip Schofield, and has been in the public eye since Schofield’s resignation and where there have been accusations of a “toxic culture”

(What’s a doorstep??? Well, it’s the less than glorious journalistic practice of throwing questions when an interviewee is heading out from their home (on their doorstep) to try and achieve – and it almost always doesn’t – new lines for the story of the day).

I’ve sent producers and journalists to doorstep politicians, celebrities and those unfortunate to be found in the centre of the storm hundreds of times over the years – and the results are mixed to say the least.

For the “doorstepped” it’s unpleasant and not easy to look relaxed, in control and make comment (or not) while still keeping dignity while often being blocked on their way to the car to the office.

For the “doorstepper” it’s also a grind – knowing you are heading somewhere to throw questions, that probably won’t get an answer and at best will provide some pictures for a report that might add a little theatre to the package, but very little with any editorial integrity.

But let’s not deny it, dealing with ‘doorstep’ questions from journalists is difficult.

A clear example of how not to handle such an approach came this week – surprisingly – from a man who should be one of the smoothest media operators of all.

When Martin Frizzell was asked if there was “a toxic work environment at This Morning”, his response even reached the UK Parliament this week Frizzell responded with:

“I’ll tell you what’s toxic; I’ve always found toxic: aubergine. Do you like aubergine? Do you?”

A second question was fired at him, and the response:

“Do you like aubergine? Because I don’t like aubergine. It’s just a personal thing.”

Later in the day, an SNP MP lambasted Frizell’s approach when questioning a Director at ITV in a Select Committee and then writing on Twitter “This is a deeply inappropriate and disrespectful way to respond to questions about safeguarding vulnerable staff and bullying in the workplace at ITV.”

So how should it have gone…Frizzell knew the cameras were there, so he had some time to gather his thoughts. (Staggeringly I sense he did gather his thoughts, and the “Aubergine” line was planned!)

Anyone not used to the media can feel that being caught off guard by a television crew or journalist on your doorstep is a daunting experience. However, with a little preparation and a friendly demeanour, you can effectively navigate these situations. 

From years as an editor here are a few practical tips to help you handle tough questions gracefully and maintain control over your message and indeed these can be used in any situation, not just a “doorstepping”.

1. Stay Calm and Collected: The first stage in dealing with an unexpected media encounter is to remain calm and composed. Take a deep breath, gather your thoughts, and remind yourself that you have the power to shape the conversation. 

Panicking or becoming defensive can hinder your ability to handle tough questions effectively. Stay focused, maintain a friendly demeanour, and remember that you are in control of how you respond.

• Buy Time with a Smile: When faced with a difficult question, it’s okay to pause momentarily before answering. Use this moment to your advantage by offering a warm smile and a brief acknowledgment of the question. 

This will help defuse tension and buy you a few seconds to gather your thoughts and formulate a well-crafted response. Remember, taking a brief pause shows thoughtfulness, not weakness.

• Bridge to Your Key Messages: To avoid getting trapped in a line of questioning that may not serve your interests, skilfully bridge to your key messages. Acknowledge the question briefly (but don’t amplify any negatives in the question), then pivot to a related topic that aligns with your intended message. 

For example, you might say, “That’s an interesting perspective, but what’s important to remember is…” or “I appreciate your question, but what people really need to know is…”

In the Frizzell doorstep he repeats the negative word “toxic” from the question in his answer – not just once, but twice.  This is a basic from the first page of the Media Training Handbook – don’t reinforce the negative by using the same ‘toxic’ (see what I did there?) word in your response – even if you are using it to refute the suggestion.

• Use Redirecting Techniques: Sometimes, journalists may persistently press for answers you prefer not to give. In these cases, it’s crucial to use redirecting techniques to steer the conversation back to your preferred topics. 

Skilfully acknowledge the question, but then redirect the focus by saying something like, “I understand your curiosity, but I think it’s more relevant to discuss…” or “While I can’t speak to that specifically, what’s crucial to address is…”

Remember, your voice matters, your tone matters, your reaction matters -you have the power to shape the narrative. At Beech Hill Consultancy we can build on your already extensive experience as a leader to help you manage the most difficult communications and leadership issues. Please get in touch…..