A Culture of Impatience

Source: http://www.globalbankingandfinance.com
/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Impatience-Index.jpg

Not only has technology changed the information sharing process to a cyclical process and changed society’s demand of information to be available 24/7, but technology has also changed our culture to one that is impatient.  For example,  technology has introduced online shopping with same-day delivery.  “Smartphone apps eliminate the wait for a cab, a date, or a table at a hot restaurant.  Movies and TV shows begin streaming in seconds” (Muther, 2013, para. 3).  The introduction of all this new technology has lead to a cultural change where people have grown more impatient.  “This mentality [is called]…‘IWWIWWIWI (I want what I want when it want it)’” (Kusek, 2014, para. 1).  And this mentality has also spilled over into the mass media arena.  

“The need for instant gratification is not new, but our expectation of ‘instant’ has become faster, and as a result, our patience is thinner” (Muther, 2013, para. 11).  Electronic devices have propelled audiences’ needs for instant information.  A U.K. study regarding customer service found that “one-fifth of all social media users will check for a response at least once an hour, with one in 20 checking every 10 minutes or more” (Global Banking & Finance Review, 2014, para. 8). Consumers are glued to their mobile devices and the immediate information that can be provided.  The shift towards an impatient culture is also displayed

Source: https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/style
/2013/02/01/the-growing-culture-impatience-
where-instant-gratification-makes-crave-
more-instant-gratification/q8tWDNGeJB2mm45fQxtTQP
/story.html

with video technology.  “Ramesh Sitaraman, a computer science professor at UMass Amherst, examined the viewing habits of 6.7 million internet users in a study released last fall [2012].  How long were subjects willing to be patient?  Two seconds” (Muther, 2013, para. 8).  After two seconds, audiences abandon the video, with approximately 50% of the audience abandoning the video after ten seconds.  

Today, audiences are also impatient with news.  They expect that when they learn of news, the same news will be available online, television, radio, and more, and that the news will be available immediately, regardless of whether or not the information is complete.  If audiences do not find the information that they want quickly, they will begin to abandon certain news sources as they will find them unreliable and behind the times.

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References:

Global Banking & Finance Review.  (2014, January 31).  New UK ‘impatience index’ confirms generational shift as digital consumers expect responses in 10 minutes, not 10 days.  Retrieved from http://www.globalbankingandfinance.com/new-uk-impatience-index-confirms-generational-shift-as-digital-consumers-expect-responses-in-10-minutes-not-10-days/.

Kusek, K.  (2014, October 20).  Retail's new battleground: The I want what I want when I want it generation.  Forbes.  Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/kathleenkusek/2014/10/20/i-want-what-i-want-when-i-want-it-special-delivery-mandatory/.

Muther, C.  (2013, February 2).  Instant gratification is making us perpetually impatient.  The Boston Globe.  Retrieved from https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/style/2013/02/01/the-growing-culture-impatience-where-instant-gratification-makes-crave-more-instant-gratification/q8tWDNGeJB2mm45fQxtTQP/story.html.

24/7 Availability

Source: http://www.people-press.org/
files/legacy/689-1.png

We’ve examined how technology has changed how society receives information and how involved they become in the information dissemination process.  Because so much information is available today through social media, communicators must gather this information and examine it to determine how they can provide more in-depth content for their audience.  In addition to requiring more in-depth content, society now demands that information be available whenever they want it.

Years ago, if a non-breaking news story was available at 10 a.m., audiences had to wait until the noon or 5 o’clock news to learn about it.  Today’s technology has accelerated how news is disseminated, enabling the same non-breaking news story to be available immediately through social media or other online sources.  “News is happening now.  The lifespan of a news cycle is shrinking.  That means that the comment or tweet or response video needs to be conceived, created and released immediately” (Reid, 2012, para. 9).  Mass media professionals need to be aware of how audiences want to obtain their news and they need to be there for them when they are looking for the news.  In 2010, “more Americans said they went online to get their news than said they read a newspaper ‘yesterday’” (Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism, 2011, para. 15).  The trend for obtaining information online is continuing and mass media needs to support that trend. 

Source: http://www.people-press.org/
files/2013/04/4-23-13-3.png

“Journalists are forced to accelerate the traditional journalistic process because people now want real time information.  People want the information as soon as the journalist or the media outlet receives it” (Alejandro, 2010, pg. 9).  For example, look at how audiences followed news about the Boston Marathon bombing.  “About half (49%) say they kept up with news and information online or on a mobile device, and…(26%) tracked the story on social networking sites like Facebook or Twitter” (Pew Research Center, 2013, para. 6).  Online sources continue to be a place that audiences turn to for their news and they expect the news to be available on those sources just as quickly as more traditional sources would have the news.  To audiences, it does not matter if the information is not yet complete, as long as the media makes that statement.  What matters to audiences is that their sources of news remains current and keeps them up to date on what is happening.

Next up:  How technology has created an impatient culture.

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References: 

Alejandro, J.  (2010).  Journalism in the age of social media.  University of Oxford.  Retrieved from https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/Journalism%20in%20the%20Age%20of%20Social%20Media.pdf.

Pew Research Center.  (2013, April 23).  Most expect ’occasional acts of terrorism’ in the future.  Retrieved from http://www.people-press.org/2013/04/23/most-expect-occasional-acts-of-terrorism-in-the-future/.

Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism.  (2011).  Online: By the numbers.  Retrieved from http://www.stateofthemedia.org/2011/online-essay/data-page-7/.

Reid, B.  (2012, May 4).  The 10 skills modern communicators have (or need to get).  WCG.  Retrieved from http://blog.wcgworld.com/2012/05/the-10-skills-modern-communicators-have-or-need-to-get.

A Cyclical News Process

Source: http://www.schools.com/
imagesvr_ce/200/social-media-news.gif

We’ve examined how technology has changed the work of communicators, but now let’s look at the affect that technology has had on society’s expectations of mass media and culture.

In the past, mass media would be the first to break news stories.  Audiences would depend on reporters to provide them with the important information.  However, technology has introduced the ability for ordinary citizens to share news stories that they see happening around them.  Audiences can use social media to talk about a house fire or school committee meeting, no longer having to wait for the information to be available on the 5 o’clock news or in the next morning’s newspaper.

By the time a story is assigned to the reporter, the story in some form or 
       another is already out there in the social media universe.  The reporter now 
       has to take that into consideration and find some angle to the story that is 
       not yet being talked about.  (Alejandro, 2010, pg. 9)  

The linear process of news is no longer applicable with today’s technology.  Instead, the process is cyclical, where news may break on social media, reporters observe what audiences are talking about, and then the reporters investigate more about the news to report back to the audience with new information.  “The modern communicator needs to know how to engage.  How to have conversations.  How to share and curate and credit” (Reid, 2012, para. 6).  By interacting with audiences about news stories, communicators can discover what the audience wants to know more about.  Let’s go back to the school committee meeting example.  Audiences might report on social what they learned when attending the meeting or maybe the school system reported the news on social media.  What the media should then do is uncover new information for the same audience.  They need to go beyond just reporting the facts from the meeting to uncover why the topics discussed are important in the first place, or why certain members feel one way or another about a topic.  Audiences can discover some of this information themselves but the mass media must now look to see how they can add value to what audiences already know.

Source: http://debraaskanase.arrowrootmedia.com/wp-content/
uploads/2012/02/Social-media-and-the-news-cycle.png

Next up:  How technology enables society to demand information to be available 24/7.

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References: 

Alejandro, J.  (2010).  Journalism in the age of social media.  University of Oxford.  Retrieved from https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/Journalism%20in%20the%20Age%20of%20Social%20Media.pdf.

Reid, B.  (2012, May 4).  The 10 skills modern communicators have (or need to get).  WCG.  Retrieved from http://blog.wcgworld.com/2012/05/the-10-skills-modern-communicators-have-or-need-to-get.

Speed of Communication

Source: http://www.theemailguide.com/images/
infographics/pingdom-email_vs_snailmail.png

We’ve discussed how technology enables information to be more interactive through social sharing and comments, and how technology has also changed the way in which communicators obtain their information.  There is still another way that technology has changed the work of communicators.  Technology allows communicators to transmit information quickly and reliably.  No longer are letters needed to send information across the country.  “Email let[s] us send documents to any part of the globe within seconds, making telegrams and even ordinary letters mostly obsolete.  The Internet has thus increased the speed of communications manifold, and reduced the costs drastically” (Nayab, 2014, para. 7).  If someone is writing a newspaper article, they can email a source for more information or contact that person through social media.  People are connected today in many ways, making communication easy and quick.  Reliability has also increased, as electronic communications do not get intercepted as regular mail might.  This role of technology does not require much additional training on the part of communicators as these tasks are already familiar for communicators in their personal life. 

The Internet also allows communicators to conduct research with ease and from anywhere.  “When laptops first replaced desktops as the new, go-to digital device, being glued to your cubicle or home office while  checking email suddenly became a thing of the past” (Lund, 2014, para. 1).  No longer do communicators need to go to libraries.  Research can be conducted through the vast amount of information available on the Internet.  In 2014, it was predicted that, “accessing the Web via mobile devices will be more prevalent than desktop Internet use” (Lund, 2014, para. 3).  New technology also allows communicators to conduct their work from anywhere.  No longer is it necessary to sit in the office to accomplish a task.  Communicators could be using a mobile device while sitting on the beach in the Caribbean.  Technology enables communicators to accomplish their work more quickly, allowing the end product to reach its audience in a more timely manner.

Source: https://www.internetacademy.jp/blog/en/2014/08/
responsive-web-design-and-its-importance-in-the-global-market.html

Next up: How has technology changed society’s expectations of mass media and culture?

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References: 

Lund, K.  (2014, August 1).  Mobile communications are here to stay.  GovDelivery.  Retrieved from https://www.govdelivery.com/blog/mobile/mobile-communications-are-here-to-stay/.

Nayab, N.  (2014, October 24).  How communication has evolved with new technologies.  Bright Hub Inc.  Retrieved from http://www.brighthubpm.com/methods-strategies/79052-exploring-how-technology-has-changed-communication/.

Emergence of News Participants

Listen to Alexandra Suich, media editor with
The Economist, discuss citizen journalism.

Previously, we discussed how technology has enabled information to be more interactive through social sharing and comments.  Another way that technology has changed the role of communicators is in the way in which information is discovered and obtained.  “The web has become the go-to point for the globe when it comes to getting information; it's the same for reporters.  Online, they find a multiplicity of perspectives and a library of available knowledge that provides the context for stories” (Krotoski, 2011, para. 5).  

The source for this information began to emerge with the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.  Citizens were beginning to become news participants, sharing what they were seeing and asking for more information. 

People used the web to connect to the experience by watching it in real 
        time on TV and then posting on message boards and forums.  They posted 
        bits of information they knew themselves and aggregated it with links from 
        elsewhere.  For most, the delivery was crude, but the reporting, linking 
        and sharing nature of news coverage emerged at that moment. (Krotoski, 
        2011, para. 6)

Source: http://www.mymcmedia.org/wp-
content/uploads/2012/03/CT_logo-310x277.gif

Communicators can use technology to find news-worthy topics that are occurring around the world.  It has been found that “89% of journalists research story ideas on blogs” (Achi, 2014, slide 26).  In addition, journalists can use technology to speak with witnesses and other sources.  However, communicators must still rely on their training to obtain reliable sources.  Yves Eudes, a reporter with French broadsheet Le Monde, says "First-hand witnesses cannot see the big picture…They’re trained to see what they want to see” (Krotoski, 2011, para. 9).  Communicators must still remain ethical and verify their sources.  If necessary, additional training should be obtained to learn how to distinguish reliable sources on the Internet.

Next up: How technology has changed the speed by which we are able to communicate.

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References:

Achi, C.  (2014, March 7).  Digital public relations and online reputation management presentation cna [slides].  Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/celachi/digital-public-relations-and-online-reputation-management-presentation-cna.

Krotoski, A.  (2011, February 19).  What effect has the internet had on journalism?  Guardian News and Media Limited.  Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2011/feb/20/what-effect-internet-on-journalism.

Technology Leads to Interactivity

Do you use technology in your profession?  Four years ago, it was reported that “sixty-two percent of working Americans use the Internet as an integral part of their jobs” (United States Department of Commerce, 2011, para. 3).  With the advancements in technology in the last four years, one can confidently assume that this percentage has increased.  And while this percentage has increased, technology continues to affect many processes in various professions, including the work of communicators.

Today’s communicators can no longer solely rely on their information gathering and writing skills to get their message transmitted to the appropriate audience.  Information today is highly interactive.  “Virtually all web content now includes social media ‘like’ and ‘share’ buttons, while all billboard, print, radio and TV ads now refer the public to Facebook pages, Twitter handles, and Youtube channels” (Gelles, 2013, para. 3).  An article or advertisement in a magazine may include information on how to access the brand’s social media profiles, or an article on CNN.com might include sharing buttons, allowing readers to share the article on their social media feeds.  “Nearly 54 percent of the largest 10,000 websites now display social sharing links or buttons for one or more of the four major social networks (Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Linked- In) on their home-pages” (Handley, 2011, para. 24).  Communicators need to be aware of and versed in how their work can be spread from audience to audience, which may require some training and demonstrations on how the information can be shared.

Source: http://blog.loginradius.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/how-do-most-users-prefer-to-share-content-Q3-2014.jpg

Source: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/220720

Another way that information is interactive is through the ability for readers to make comments at the end of an article.  The comments area “gives you a chance to interact with your readers on a more personal level” (Patel, 2015, para. 20).  Some comments  may praise the article, some may lead to further discussions, and others may include negative feedback.  If comments are made on social media or directly after the article, it is important for communicators to respond appropriately.  This may require some etiquette training on how to appropriately respond to both positive and negative comments to retain integrity. 

Next up: How technology has changed the way in which information is discovered and obtained.

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References:
Gelles, S.  (2013, March 14).  Social media is mass media.  Information Today Inc.  Retrieved from http://www.econtentmag.com/Articles/Column/Social-Pulse/Social-Media-is-Mass-Media-88315.htm.

Handley, A.  (2011, December 12).  How to increase social sharing to generate more leads.  Entrepreneur.  Retrieved from http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/220720.

Patel, N.  (2015, June 22).  The day after: 11 things to do after you publish a post.  Quick Sprout.  Retrieved from http://www.quicksprout.com/2015/06/22/the-day-after-11-things-to-do-after-you-publish-a-post/.

United States Department of Commerce.  (2011, May 13).  Fact sheet: Digital literacy.  Retrieved from http://2010-2014.commerce.gov/news/fact-sheets/2011/05/13/fact-sheet-digital-literacy.