Surprise! Nielsen Data Shows Earned Media Opportunity with Younger Audiences

Local news viewership has seen a dramatic increase since quarantines began last March. With professionals working from home and students learning remotely, they are spending more time with the TV and news on each day, especially as we all try to make sense of current events. We've already noticed how this is impacting the journalism landscape, such as when it comes to pitching. There has been one distinct, unexpected change in local news audiences that is surprising, though: an uptick in viewership among a younger generation.

Typically, local news has been targeted towards an older audience, one already established in their careers with families, homes, etc. However, among the many surprises of 2020, Nielsen recently reported, “Consumers 18-34 increased their total news consumption by 134% between 2019 and 2020. And what's more, news viewers are growing increasingly diverse, with Hispanic, Black and Asian viewers driving significant gains over the past two years.” They added, “Audiences as young as 12-17 have seen a 30% increase in viewing local news.”

With this change, it is prudent for marcomms strategists to expand their plans beyond more inefficient methods to reach this demographic such as social media. While owned social channels are still a valuable tool [don't give up on this tactic!], they are not the only solution – especially when wanting to connect with an audience where they are consuming content. Now we can streamline any marcomms strategies, expanding reach, building trust, and leaving an authentic impact.

Expanding Your Brand's Reach

This new information provides your brand with the opportunity to radically streamline your marcomms strategy – and expand your reach while you're at it! The same demographics that once required a multitude of channels and unique content are now engaging with local news more than ever before – putting them in the same category as other target audiences. Your strategy can now focus on finetuning your messaging and leveraging this new avenue for reaching a wider, more diverse audience.

For instance, Media Tours (Virtual, Satellite, and Radio) are specifically designed to connect your messaging with news viewers/listeners in local, targeted areas. A Media Tour consists of live and pre-recorded interviews featuring a spokesperson who delivers your relevant messaging during an interview with a local news anchor. That news is then broadcast or sent to stations in desired markets to zero-in on your target audiences. With this new information, these younger audiences can be included in that group.

“Our local communities depend on and trust their newscasters for up-to-date, relevant and meaningful information that's top of mind for the communities they serve,” Nielsen reports. By targeting these markets, you will be setting yourself up for a long-lasting, authentic relationship with a younger demographic.

Building Trust (Locally)

A younger demographic means the opportunity to build a relationship with this consumer group and get to know them better. ‘Trust and the media' is a hot-button issue as of late, and local news is a way to heal the relationship between businesses, media, and consumers. By targeting smaller, key demographics in specific markets, your analytics will be more detail-oriented, enabling you to identify and better support as many markets as you can, while taking their nuances into account.

Leaving an Impact

This past year has shown us the importance of authenticity and meaning when it comes to a genuinely successful marcomms strategy. Understanding your local news viewership audience and the younger demographic's newfound interest is vital to maximizing the scope of your mission and providing something of value for your consumers.

ABOUT THE EXPERT: Charlee Rae Bender

Charlee Rae Bender is a Product Marketing Assistant for MultiVu. She is currently finishing her undergraduate degrees in Communications and Sports Management at Pepperdine University. Upon graduation, she plans to move to New York and pursue a degree in sports law.