“Digital media has changed the nature of media products and the ways in which we consume them”
Who do you think benefits most- audience or producers?

The nature of media has changed significantly over the last ten years or so due to technological advances, and also due to the increase of media consumers on a whole and their involvement in the media.

Another reason why digital media has changed the way in which we consume the media over the years could be due to the ever increasing popularity and usage of Smart Phones. Smart Phones completely changed the way in which people consume products available on the internet because audiences can now consume products wherever there is internet access. Audiences can read or watch the news, socialise on social networks such as Facebook or Twitter and also watch videos on a small rectangular device which fits in a pocket.

In terms of print, newspapers seem to be aware of the popularity of e-media over print due to the growing internet users and decline of the print industry. That is why some newspapers such The Guardian and The Times have both launched websites where audience can consume the news. This has subsequently changed the nature of media products and how we consume them, because now audiences that choose to go online do not have to go the shops and for some newspapers such as The Guardian – you do not have to pay. This outcome will therefore benefit the audience since they can consume the new without going to the shops and buy the newspaper.

However newspapers such as Rupert Murdoch’s The Times have introduced a paywall which will subsequently benefit the producers and also the consumer since they can consume the news available for them online without the process of going to the shops. Moreover Murdoch will also be introducing a new online newspaper which will only be available online and not in shops or news agents which will be name ‘The Daily’ that will also have a paywall. This shows that digital media has definitely experienced a change and especially how audience consume media.

The fact that now audience can consume the news online could be very problem for the middle men of this industry. Retailers will lose out on sales if the more and more people begin to go online to read or watch the news. So the producers in the print industry will suffer hugely if the online newspaper take off and become really popular. However an Ipsos survery has revealed that 63% of 501 online adults said they would prefer to access their newspaper of choice by buying the printed copy – while only 11% would choose to access it digitally, which shows that maybe audiences are not ready for the change of consuming digital media.

Digital media has introduced the mutualisation of the news, because now journalist can write on online blogs and also social networks such as Facebook and Twitter, where journalists and audiences can join and create news stories and other new related products. An example of the mutualisation of news was the Ian Tomlinson incident, where journalist Paul Lewis used the footage recorded by a member of the public to write an article.

In terms of Broadcast, there is more of a choice for audiences to consume products that are available for them, specifically in terms of the scheduling. For example the introduction of plus one channels such as ITV+1 and E4+1 allow audiences to watch programmes an hour later after the original scheduling time. Also services such as BBC i Player and 4od allow audiences to catch up on any programmes which have been broadcasted- usually within a two week period. These choices for the audiences show that a pluralistic model exists as the media is offering audiences choices to suit their audiences.