Thursday 1st September: Where we’re spending our screen time, in three charts

September 01, 2022

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This piece in Vox tries to avoid seeing current digital habits in the US through the lens of the pandemic. Instead, Peter Kafka and Rani Molla make the point that, whether digital screen time went up during the pandemic and has stayed up since, it's more relevant how much time the US population devotes to their screens and where they spend that time.

"We’re still glued to our digital devices, only more so", they write, showing how screen attention is shared across platforms in three charts. In a trend defining moment, cable TV has lost its viewing lead to streaming services for the first time. And in podcast land, listening is up 50% since 2019.

But the most interesting chart in this triptych is the social media chart showing the sharp decline of Facebook among teens from 2014-15 through 2022. Way behind YouTube, TikTok and even Snapchat, The Social Network is on a steep and slippery slope, down from a 70% share in teen usage to just over 30% in seven or eight years. No wonder those Mark in the metaverse graphics look so sad.

Chris, writing for DCN, says live sports have been the jewel in broadcast companies’ crowns for decades. The allure of a live and hugely engaged audience has long proved to be an effective draw for advertisers. But the rise of social media and streaming platforms has changed the game and, combined with the growing cost of sports content, the space is ripe for disruption.

Post rival The New York Times is quoting unnamed sources saying the publication has fewer than the 3 million paying digital subscribers it boasted of internally near the end of 2020. With digital ad revenue down by 15% in the first half of 2022, Fred Ryan, the Post’s chief executive and publisher, has floated the idea of cutting 100 positions.

This is the fascinating story of how Allyson Marino bootstrapped and sold her own podcast company, Lipstick & Vinyl, a network built around strong female voices. It all ends well, but the rollecoaster ride she went on should be a warning to anyone that thinks podcasting will make them rich overnight.

New podcast:

In this teaser episode, Chris, Peter and Esther discuss their plans for the day, and which sessions they’re most looking forward to. The Publisher Podcast Summit is designed for publishers of all shapes and sizes, whether you’re contemplating launching your first podcast, or have a whole stable and want to know how to take your strategy to the next level.

Here at Media Voices we're constantly bouncing between projects, from our reports to the podcast to the Summit production. We know that you understand what that's like - so if you feel like kicking us a few quid to keep us in coffee and tea, please do!