Mumbai, 21st December, 2019: The Indian digital news industry enters a new phase from 2020 as big media brands begin junking the free model and ignoring google trends to create original content. GoBisbo Broadcasting Network has shared a set of upcoming trends which will shape news delivery, coverage and consumption over the coming year.
“2020 will be the year when the lines between news and entertainment will blur, as entertainment companies encroach into traditional media space in innovative ways.” said Shakir Ebrahim Founder of GoBisbo Broadcasting Network Pvt. Ltd. and Creator, Bisbo.
- The Blurring lines of News & Entertainment
In a bid to attract more audiences and increase engagement, 2020 on will see a marked rise in mixed communication from streaming companies like Netflix and Amazon at one end pushing out ‘entertaining documentaries’, to big brands in Indian media industry who will begin to produce original news content in the form of investigative reports, much like BBC and AL-Jazeera. - The rise of audio
There is a growing tendency towards longer discussions in the form of podcasts and audiobooks which can be listened to when multi-tasking – be it on a commute, at the gym or taking a morning walk. Spotify seems to be taking the bat on from existing platforms like SoundCloud, fueling more content creators and consumers. Amazon’s Audible is set to launch a range of talk-shows and books voiced by celebrities. Knowledgeable podcasts from a diverse range of speakers are welcome, prime-time cat-fights are not! - Viewers first: Content led by interest patterns
These alternate news platforms are fuelled by the interest patterns of their regular users. They allow news and events which are not normally covered on regular media and determine what’s working realistically, on user likes, views and engagement. They are user-first, as these users are also paying for their operations, either by subscribing or through Patreon contributions.
Subscribers and Members, who’re paying for their news, determine which events are covered and how they are presented.
- Membership only
Already begun by streaming and music giants, the trend towards paid subscription will spread among big media brands, creating a fierce battle space that will over a few years see consolidation as consumer saturation for paid content sets in. - The new news: Taut explainer videos
On presentation, one way is interactive, animated explainers. And it works! The passion and details a taut, 5-7-min explainer can cover over complex issues like the Pulwama attack, Article 370 or the NRC, is mind-boggling. Short, crisp and yet detailed, these animated explainers work far better than hour-long or day-long coverage pieces. They also fit nicely within the small attention span news consumers have these days. - Little Media: Bigger than Big Media?
A role reversal in the places that big media and new media occupy, will be the biggest change in the news industry in the coming year. As users continue to flock to smaller platforms for their kind of news, Ibrahim hopes that it will cue news channels into why people don’t prefer to watch news on big media anymore.
It’s high time that big media starts listening to what the viewer needs and wants from them. Users know that there is better content available and have figured out their ways to it. It’s the time when media publications should listen, adapt and change, or they’ll lose their viewers.
