BBC Worldwide Survey Reveals Irish People’s Appetite for Digital News Consumption

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Kevin Foley, Commercial Director in Adforce.ie

(PRWEB) June 18, 2012

Dublin, Ireland: A BBC Worldwide survey of people in Ireland carried out between January and February 2012, and conducted by independent research agency Sponge It, reveals a huge appetite for digital news consumption amongst people in Ireland.

Newspaper websites (59.9 per cent) now beat their hard copy equivalents (57.4 per cent) as a source for news and current affairs. TV however still dominates as the main source of news at 63 per cent with breaking news and sports the main drivers of content consumption for respondents. The results were unveiled today at an event in Dublin by BBC Worldwide and Spectra Data Group’s Ireland based advertising network, Adforce.ie, the BBC’s advertising sales representative in Ireland.

With regards to the frequency of news consumption, online platforms are in the driving seat. To keep up with news and current affairs 54 per cent use smartphone apps more than a couple of times a day followed by newspaper websites at 42 per cent and TV websites also at 42 per cent. This compares to 33 per cent for TV sets and 11 per cent for newspapers.

As to where media is consumed newspapers are popular in the home (99 per cent) or at work (42 per cent) with radio taking much more prominence while travelling (45 per cent). Portable audio devices follow a similar trend but can also be associated with down time (28 per cent). Smartphones are the device most diffusively used at all occasions in the day.

Isla McLeod, Digital Sales Director, EMEA Markets, BBC Worldwide: “Today’s results are a great indication that news consumption in Ireland is in robust health, and that consumers appreciate the traditional print outlets for news as well as the new digital platforms. These are welcome results for advertisers looking to reach this highly desirable audience.”

The survey also reveals our love for gadgets- 83 per cent own a laptop, 64 per cent a smartphone, 50 per cent a games console and 21 per cent a tablet computer. 86 per cent have broadband internet access.

News consumption through online video sources has now become the norm with 56 per cent citing this as something they do regularly.

Kevin Foley, Commercial Director in Adforce.ie, a division of Spectra Data Group, BBC.com’s advertising partner said, “It’s clear from the survey that the majority of people in Ireland are embracing technology in a big way when it comes to news consumption. Rather than just relying on TV or radio news bulletins to keep up to date we are increasingly migrating to online sources. Media organizations are reacting accordingly with many offering excellent online alternatives through websites and apps. However in order for them to thrive and survive it’s crucial that content and advertising on these platforms evolves to reflect this behavioral change.”

The findings also outlined the importance of tailoring content for different platforms – TV, online, mobile and tablet computers. 7 out of 10 respondents believe having content optimized for their choice of device is important, with the majority (75 per cent) accessing news content on laptop devices. Smartphones are the access device for 30 per cent.

When visiting websites for news, RTE.ie (74 per cent) is the most popular choice followed by BBC.com (53.5 per cent), Irishtimes.com (41.4 per cent) and Independent.ie (34.9 per cent).

For sports news RTE (47 per cent) is the most popular choice but only by a narrow margin. The BBC comes second (38 per cent) followed by Sky News (21 per cent) and The Irish Times (18 per cent). The same order of popularity applies when it comes to ownership of smartphone apps for these media organizations.

When it comes to the origin of content, RTE is the clear leader in driving local news while the BBC is seen as an international content provider.

Editor’s Note: The Survey polled 828 people throughout Ireland and was conducted in January and February 2012 by research agency Sponge it http://www.spongeit.ie

About Adforce.ie
Established in 2009, Adforce.ie operates Ireland’s only multi-platform advertising network. It provides a single point of contact for media agencies and brands wishing to buy advertising across mobile Internet websites, mobile applications, social media platforms and digital video. The network includes a number of the most visited mobile Internet websites and applications in the Republic and Northern of Ireland.

For publishers, Adforce.ie offers a sales arm to ensure their sites and apps are part of a brand’s advertising budget.

Adforce.ie is a division of Spectra Data Group. More information can be found at http://www.adforce.ie

About Spectra Data Group
Spectra Data Group is a leading provider of direct marketing lists, data solutions and multi-channel marketing services including direct mail, online, mobile and insert marketing. Spectra Data Group has worked with leading brands, agencies, brokers and Fortune 500 companies to deliver world class data, and multi-channel marketing solutions and is headquartered in Philidelphia, PA.

Spectra Data Group is a member of the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) and the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA). More information can be found at http://www.spectra-data.com

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