The Traditional Media in 2017: Predictions in an age of upsets

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Why this is the year your business needs to stay relevant – how our PR agency in Edinburgh can help

PR agency in Edinburgh Traditional media in 2017

AMONG the many lessons offered to us in the past 12 months, perhaps one that stands out is that predictions themselves have become something of a fool’s game.

Yet, despite a year of political shocks leading many pollsters to reflect incredulously at their once proud profession, we’re a headstrong bunch here at Holyrood PR.

So we’re going to march on regardless – and attempt to suss out the biggest upcoming changes to our ‘traditional’ media – and what it could mean for your business.

There are reasons behind the confidence – and it’s partly down to the success of our predictions for 2016 – in which we foresaw the evisceration of paywalls and even the disappearance of a print paper.

The Constants

Before we start with the bold predictions it is worth paying heed to three major constants within the media landscape: national paper circulation figures are on the decline; papers are still struggling to make online pay and journalists face increasing pressure to meet deadlines for both papers and websites.

Here is the crux of it for your business. Never before have good communicators been needed to this extent in order to get your story valuable editorial space.

Despite the decline in print sales, the insatiable appetite for content means fewer journalists have to fill more space. To do it they require the help of trusted communicators and proven agencies.

We’re increasingly getting feedback from journalists – who tell us that our agency style can be easily incorporated within a paper – saving the journalist time and rewarding our clients with bumper coverage.

Faking It

With post-truth becoming the Oxford Dictionary ‘word of the year’ and ‘fake news’ stories being held partly accountable for the election of The Donald, something big is happening across the Atlantic.

Yet, like Hallowe’en and Coca-Cola, what starts in the States so often reaches our shores.


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While we don’t have quite such a partisan press – fuelling the sensational real headlines that light the fire of fake news stories, should the debate on Brexit or Scottish independence continue to reach fever pitch it may swiftly become a possibility – as news sites pander to either side in order to generate revenue from click-throughs.

Businesses that need – or want to engage politically should carefully straddle a fine line, with smart use of language to avoid following the Pepsico CEO and becoming the victim of a fake news smear campaign.

While we don’t foresee fake news becoming a regular concern for Scottish business, at least in the next year, we expect at least a household UK brand caught up in this growing trend – as well as increased dialogue surrounding the issue.  

The traditional press must take up the challenge and ensure quality journalism prevails – not providing the conditions apparent in the States, where a clickbait culture provided the conditions that make sensationalist fake news stories catch on.


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Is it Scotland’s turn?

The Independent was quick to get out the print game after realising there was no remedy to its declining reach. With a strong online formula it has now made that full transition online.

We may be jumping the gun, but we feel that we’ll see a Scottish title follow suit – if not this year certainly by the end of the decade.

The challenge posed to the Scottish press is establishing a bona fide destination website.  At present not one news institution north of the border can genuinely lay claim to a site reaching the relevant levels of success of either Mail Online or The Guardian.

Until this happens that leap into a purely digital title may be unlikely – but expect to see further investments in news sites as the old titles see audience tastes continue to switch towards digital.

Local Is Getting Hyper

We’re unashamed fans of local newspapers. As we said last year, they serve an irreplaceable service in the community, reaching all generations.

What’s more they are generally trusted, popular and despite some closures, have seen little decline in recent years compared to their national counterparts.

Yet ‘hyperlocal’ sites, swifter on social media and untethered by a print edition are set to once again enter the fray in a big way in 2017 having long been mooted as a potential disruptor – and we expect them to have a contribution towards a fall in regional paper circulations next year.

The tab is proving it can be successful – using journalism undergrads to update engaging content designed to be shareable within a community.

The value to businesses in hyper local coverage is comparable to local media. Studies  show that people trust the news from local sources, like the 2013 survey which showed that two thirds of people trust what they read in their local paper, while fewer than a fifth trust what they read on Facebook.

The challenge for hyperlocal sites is maintaining that sense of authority, while reaching the broad local audience required to make them relevant.

Make 2017 Your Year of Effective Storytelling – with the help of our PR agency in Edinburgh

Just like last year we are predicting major changes in the traditional media landscape in 2017 – whether or not the trends we have spotted come true, all aspects of the traditional media industry is susceptible to sweeping changes.

If you’re from a business looking to engage in media relations it can be difficult to keep up to speed. Thankfully our team of media experts can take care of it so that you don’t have to.

By telling your stories to the right audience, we believe we can help grow your bottom line while making the business a better place to work.

Get in touch with us by calling 0131 561 2244 or by using the handy form below:

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