Digital & Mass Media To Coexist

Shefali Khalsa Jan 04, 2022

Pandemic has transformed the way the entire world lives, works and plays. Social distancing and the extended stay at home ensured we turned to the digital world for all our needs like working, shopping, entertainment, food, etc. So how did mass media fare in the middle of the pandemic?

The quick and forced switch to digital world impacted a majority of sectors, across the globe. Consequently, a mix of demographic, consumer and technology trends dramatically reshaped the media landscape. With newspapers gone for months together, habitual paper readers turned to e-papers, news apps and social media for their daily news bytes. Advertisers followed suit, turning to apps, games, websites, social media and OTT platforms. The emergence of new age media tools such as virtual discussion, webinars, podcasts gained tremendous acceptance. Interestingly, this trend of ‘everything online’ was initiated by the digital native millennials; Covid-19 merely ensured that the rest of us fell in line.

Thanks to inexpensive smart phones and easy internet access, the information accessibility gap between India and Bharat has been drastically reduced. Regional language content consumption has also seen a boom, with Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Bengali leading the way, with three out of every four users using social media in their native language. Influencers, going viral, creating reels, etc have taken over the mainstream and influenced not just individuals but brands as well.

According to a recent report by EY, the M&E industry in India dropped by 24% in 2020 to INR 1.38 trillion. Digital platforms were at 22%, with print at 22% and Television at 7%. The data highlights not only the rise of digitisation but also the fact that the traditional mediums of mass media are still the trusted sources for any information/news that make the headlines. The share of traditional media as per the report stood at 72% of M&E sector in 2020. So, mass media has no option but to adapt to this inevitable evolution and provide exceptional experiences.

The content now isn’t just about sharing the news or information but has evolved much more. With preferences changing across age, lifestage, environment and interests, AI is used to minutely weave the communication and place it as per the TG, be it metros, Tier 1 or Tier 2 cities. Each region has its own acceptance of the way content is presented/passed onto them. The huge spike in social media during the pandemic has led to a steep rise in the digital outreach across brands.

So, What Does The Future Hold For Mass Media?

While mass media spend seems to be at a low in 2020, with most businesses coming back to normalcy, marketing spends are also seen to be almost restored. As the relaxations are rolled out, the overall life seems to be near to normal. And it’s soon that the organisations will lean on mass media and make it a part of marketing strategies along with the digital marketing. According to a recent survey published in Nov’21, overall, 82% families have seen more ads on TV and digital platforms over others, according to the latest data released by one of the leading brands in its India Consumer Sentiment Index report. Moreover, digital has emerged as the second most important source for brand awareness as 44% and 38% of the consumers have majorly seen ads on television and digital platforms respectively. On the other hand, 11% and seven percent have seen ads on print and outdoor.

With the exposure to digital marketing, today, the type and quality of content/information being consumed has gone through a major sea-change, with data, graphics and videos getting more eyeballs. It will however need to keep up and navigate the tortuous route of constantly changing consumption pattern. Both the mediums i.e., digital and mass media will coexist as the value and impact of each has a different weightage and will always be vital for most organisations and industries.