For the moment, let’s go with calling mass media ‘traditional’. I’m not sure how useful that classification is but still - stay with it for now. It helps make the point about its reported irrelevance. So bear with me.

Print, TV and Radio have long been the holy trinity. You planned your day around them. You couldn’t imagine life without their ubiquitous presence. Today, with 5G, affordable internet and mobile devices, there’s a steady stream of content that’s tailored to your liking and available at your fingertips. You don’t wait all week for your favourite show (Succession being the exception). It seamlessly slots into your life. Taking a break? Watch a short video. Need to unwind? Finish that movie you left halfway. The pandemic has fuelled the growth of digital media in India. Then there’s the irresistible burst of creativity - short, snappy, spicy content that people are lapping up.

You’ve heard the stories. Over and over again. It is the end of the road. Mass media’s done. Like the dinosaurs. For good. We shouldn’t even call it “traditional” media. A word that calls out death or extinction would be better. No one’s watching. No one cares what you say on TV or in print or on the radio. It only counts if it’s on the internet. Isn’t it? Not quite.

We’re still watching a lot of TV

The reality is that despite the rapid adoption of digital, people still depend on traditional media for information and entertainment. Indians watch more TV daily (3 hours) as compared to digital video (1 hour). TV continues to grow steadily.

It goes deep into rural India where most of the country lives. According to BARC India, 892 million Indians watch TV. That’s more than the 825.3 million internet users in India, of which 353.2 million consume OTT and 639.47 million are on social media. Mass media also enjoys the home turf advantage of local content. While OTT platforms are adopting regional content, it’ll take time for them to catch up.

Print and radio continue to appeal to audiences in the 40+ age group due to familiarity with the medium. TV appeals to a broader spectrum from kids to older adults, with comparable consumption across all age groups. Digital media mostly attracts a younger crowd, eventually, there will be something for everyone, of course. But the traditional does still draw crowds.

Trust and memorability

People associate mass media with professional journalism and verified information. It helps create trust. We know the hazards on this front with digital platforms, especially social media channels. In the pandemic, lives depended on credible information and mass media consumption was at an all-time high. Even radio’s at-home listenership grew from 64 % to 86%.

Things start to get interesting when you look at the advertising side of things. Yes, digital ads are engaging, targeted and easier to track. Content creation has brought brands and consumers closer. It’s a world of infinite possibilities when you consider developments in gaming, AR and VR.

However, research suggests that the use of traditional media improves the efficacy of digital spends. It helps memorability and conversion. Hyper-targeted advertising without adequate priming and salience can be wasteful. These influences span long-term brand building and short-term sales effects. And, of course, there is the matter of prestige, credibility and trust for brands that feature on mass media. A 2020 study by the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) revealed that people trust print ads the most (86%), followed by radio and television ads (83%) while 72% trusted ads on social media.

As the lines blur

In entertainment, advertising and gaming it is becoming harder to separate traditional and digital media. We’re seeing creative new ways in which viewing, listening, reading and experiences are defying these boundaries. Events and activations are digital. The written word is digital. Moving images too. Storytelling cannot be boxed into either category.

The purpose of this whitepaper is to dispel the notion that traditional media is dead.

When millions of people consume the same experience together at the same time (even it is on digital platforms) – doesn’t that qualify as a mass media experience? Do viewers and listeners and gamers really care about the pipe through which things come to them? Perhaps, our definitions need to change. Regardless, it is hard to argue against the power of shared media experiences from trusted and familiar sources – and if that is traditional, perhaps, it has endured for good reason.

This whitepaper is a labour of love from all of us at the DDB Mudra Group and BW Businessworld. I want to thank all the industry experts that contributed with their opinions and insights. I hope you enjoy reading it.