Silencing of the Press
Grace Larson | April 4, 2024 | The Spring Supplemental
For years, the press has answered the public’s demand for information, marking an important facet of American freedom. With the recent rise of social media, however, the role of the press has been diminished. Some individuals now opt to receive their information via social media, showcasing a disregard for the original integrity of journalism. This preference has reshaped the press’ nature, interfering with the way people receive news. By reverting to an older form of journalistic engagement, like reading magazines and newspapers, society promises to keep themselves informed effectively.
The American people were granted the freedom of the press in 1791 by the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights. It guarantees journalists’ right to distribute information free of government interference. While our forefathers protected us from government oppression, they failed to consider the possibility of society itself disrupting the spread of information. Needless to say, these individuals were unable to predict the development of technology that would eventually interfere with the role of the press. This interference was not even predicted by the inventors of these devices. Instead, it is an unforeseen consequence of technological progression.
The shift of journalism to a more digital medium has been gradual, as companies slowly integrated radio and television elements into their work. This gradual change became more rapid with the rise of new digital media trends that would eventually influence the journalism industry.
Dr. Gloria Mark, who has a Ph.D. in psychology, mentioned in an interview with Kim Mills of the American Psychological Association that there has been a recent change in the length of popular media. She cites the use of shorter shots in shows and movies, as well as a decrease in the length of commercials and music videos. The inspiration for this decision made by broadcasting companies is widely unknown, but it showcases the growing demand for shorter forms of entertainment. This trend has been closely followed by journalism companies that seek to regain a sense of popularity by mimicking the efforts of broadcasting agencies.
In the past two decades, Dr. Mark has furthered her studies of this phenomenon by focusing on the influence of social media on attention spans. In 2012, she found the average attention span around 75 seconds. In 2018, this average dropped to just 47 seconds. Dr. Mark attributed this decrease in attention span to increased engagement with the aforementioned forms of media. As we get more used to the rapid gratification of short sources of entertainment, we tend to shift away from longer news articles. This has not gone unnoticed, as it is responsible for the recent decline in the popularity of journalism companies.
According to Pew Research Center, the number of newspapers distributed in the U.S. both digitally and physically on Sundays was 20.9 million for 2022. Though this seems like a lot, it is down an estimated 10% from 2021. Even worse, this trend has been ongoing since the early 2000s, as a rapid decline in news-based media consumption has been observed within the country.
To combat the dwindling interest in print journalism, many companies have opted to go digital. Instead of publishing articles in a printed newspaper, businesses often publish their articles digitally on websites and social media platforms. For those who have maintained printed copies, the original integrity is hard to find. Pages are often coated in QR codes and links that compensate for the lack of engagement with the printed content.
Despite the push for more digital news elements, the impact of worsening attention spans continues to affect the press. Due to this lack of focus, journalism companies have seen less digital traffic on their websites. Pew Research Center reports a decrease in unique journalism website visitors per month in the U.S., dropping from roughly 11.1 million in 2021 to 8.8 million in 2022.
To combat this, newspaper companies have shortened their articles. Sara Fischer, writer for “Axios Media Trends,” reported that the word count of news articles dropped from an average of 449 in September 2019 to 380 in February 2020. This decline in word count has been publicized by companies that include an estimated reading time at the top of their web pages. Done to attract a more loyal fanbase, these efforts have proved futile in increasing digital traffic. In a gradual decline since 2014, the Pew Research Center reported that the average duration of a news-based online visit in 2022 measured 1.48 minutes, which in most cases, is not long enough to read the shortened news articles.
If writers were to cut words to counteract this trend, they risk removing vital information from their stories. This infringes on the public’s right to receive information in full-fledged detail. Without demand for the information, the public loses this right, and journalism companies are stripped of their purpose.
The press has tried to reach a common ground between this purpose and demand, but it may be doing more harm than good. Several companies have prioritized the use of social media, posting pictures and captions to describe their articles. Some viewers choose to read this caption in place of the full story, resulting in the spread of misinformation. The press is not responsible for these misinterpretations, as it is often the fault of their followers, who fail to read their articles in full.
This lack of engagement has pressured journalism companies to shift to more digital resources, causing an overreliance on social media that threatens the integrity of the press. To combat this, the public can revert to an old form of media consumption. If we increase our interaction with newspapers and magazines, we maintain our right to receive detailed information.