| Anger on Main Street Research
Shows High Levels of
Viewer Anger, Frustration, Fear
VOLUME XXVIII, NUMBER 39 OCTOBER 6, 2008
Research done recently in several markets by Crawford Johnson & Northcott shows
unprecedented levels of what the veteran consultants call "viewer angst."
Viewers are extremely unhappy with many, many things happening today, presenting an
important opportunity for local television news departments.
As you cover the campaigns and plan for sweeps, here are some trends to keep in mind.
Feelings are intense
The viewers are mad as hell, and they don't want to take it any more.
That's what is showing up in research conducted in several markets both before and
during the discussions about the government's $700 billion bailout plan.
"Everybody is riled up beyond what we've ever seen in 30 years of
doing research.
"We are seeing how angry America is. It is jumping out of these studies." |
|
Bruce Northcott
CJ&N |
The verbatims in recent CJ&N studies show the intensity of feeling.
The anger is deep and it cuts across demographic groups.
Verbatims, Late Summer - Fall 2008
Crawford Johnson & Northcott, Inc. Lots of people are out of work and have lost
their jobs. There is way too much growth with new stores and houses.
Our economy has gone to hell.
I always like to see the bad guys get caught not just in crime but also in politics and
just keeping people safe from those who have their own self-interest in mind.
In the market that we're facing now everything is unstable and everyone is hurting for
money and trying to make ends meet.
People need a voice and sometimes they don't know where to get it. They need to feel
what they have gone through is being addressed so that they can relate. It is the economy,
housing, gas and politics.
I think it's important the government is doing what they are supposed to do.
I want to know the truth about what is going on.
(Speaking of television news): We don't have access to all the information they have.
Their primary job is to tell us what is going on. They are the watchdogs of the people. |
Dissatisfaction is widespread
The research shows people believe they have been deceived. They want some revenge, they
want some answers, and they want the local stations to help them.
"The tone of what we're seeing now is a departure from the past. When you look at the
bulk of the comments and the vehemence people have, it is unprecedented," says John
Altenbern, President of CJ&N.
| "I can't think of a time when there has been this kind of revolt.
It is an uprising. There are people saying that they are just not going to settle for this
anymore." |
|
John Altenbern
CJ&N |
The same themes surface again and again.
"We have done a number of studies in markets around the country that are very
different types of places, but overwhelmingly we are hearing the same sorts of
comments," he says.
"Even before viewers had heard the latest round of bad news, there was a deep-seated
concern, fear, and in some cases anger, that was coming through in comments about what
their local newscast should be doing, and also what their needs are right now,"
Altenbern explains.
Economic concerns dominate
About 75 percent of the people responding to these questions cited an economic tie.
Normally people will cite an issue or two as their major concern, such as crime,
healthcare or the economy, depending on where they live and what their stage in life is.
"What's been unfolding as this year has progressed, is that people are now tying all
of the other concerns to the economy," says Mary Beth Marks, PhD, Vice President of
Research for CJ&N.
The tone of the comments is intense.
"Anger, frustration and fear is coming out clearly," Marks adds.
"The economy seems to be a prism through which they are viewing every other
condition of life," adds Craig Marrs, Vice President Marketing and Senior Consultant.
"Everything is suddenly tied to the economy," he says.
It's an opportunity for newsrooms
People want their local TV news departments to step up and be watchdogs.
"The common theme is that people are saying someone needs to be looking out for them.
The viewer is saying local stations can play that role. There is an opportunity for
stations here," says Altenbern. The viewer is saying, "You've got to help me,
because my world isn't making sense."
Altenbern points out that in past research, viewers have complained that newscasts are not
relevant to their lives and don't tell them the kinds of things they need to know.
"The door has swung wide open right now. People are looking for local stations to
provide some leadership on this," he adds.
Viewers want someone to help them sort this out.
"People are angry, and there is frustration over who to believe and who to turn to.
They are saying that this is something local stations could do for them," says Marks.
Viewers want to have a voice.
"They want someone to represent them --- to listen to what they are saying and take
it to the people who need to hear it. They can't get to those people, but hopefully a
local TV station could," says Marks.
Marrs feels they want someone to carry their message directly to the power brokers, their
congressmen and senators and local officials.
"How many times have we heard 'Wall Street to Main Street?' Who lives on Main Street
in the local television business? Main Street is our venue," says Marrs.
He believes that reporting on what's happening with Freddie Mac isn't going to tell your
viewers what they need to know about whether their local bank account is safe.
"They need to have the people who are local, and who are dealing with local issues,
held accountable for making sure the impact is understood on the local level," he
explains.
Unfortunately, the daily lineup of stories in some newscasts doesn't address what these
viewers are talking about.
"We feel this is an opportunity for localism to return at its most
fundamental level.
"This is a chance for local television stations to create a dependence on them that
they used to enjoy very strongly, but has since lessened over the years." |
|
Craig Marrs
CJ&N |
When you get this kind of universal appeal, a story that
cuts across all members of a society and touches virtually everybody, it is the best
opportunity a station has to be of great service to the public, he says.
Move beyond local "experts"
Understanding the impact is not simply going out to interview a local
"expert."
In fact, these consultants say you should be wary of relying on financial experts to tell
this story.
"For many years, television stations have taken the easy way out and turned to the
local stockbroker or the local banker or a university professor to talk about these
issues. We often get the same pat answers," Marrs warns.
"It doesn't really get to the issues that affect their lives," he says.
Altenbern says the inclination to just offer explanation in your coverage of economic
events is a pitfall you must avoid.
The attitude of many people is "I want someone to pay for this!" "They
want to know who is going to do something about this, because they don't trust the
politicians and they don't trust the institutions. They feel like they are getting ripped
off," says Altenbern.
"The local television trust used to be very strong. But the trust has eroded over
the years as we have taken the easy way out," adds Marrs.
"It becomes more and more important for local television stations not to be part of
the chattering crowd, but instead to become the voice of localized reason. What does this
mean to my community --- the local small business owners down the street and the people
who live and work here?" asks Marrs.
"It is a tough thing to do, and it requires the best and the brightest in our
business to not do business as usual," he urges.
Look to consumer and investigative reporters
Altenbern says they are starting to see efforts by stations to begin to tap into this
sentiment, unfortunately, not many stations have a good "economic" reporter.
There are, however, stations with good I-Teams and good consumer reporters.
"The challenge is to take those resources and point them all in this direction ---
not just a story or two or a segment once a week. This is what's on the minds of
viewers," Altenbern stresses.
The biggest event in the near future is the elections.
"Newspeople must realize that there is nothing more important right now in the
election than the economy," he says.
 Find
a way to give a voice to your viewers in your coverage.
Marrs says the most important thing is to recognize and connect with people who are
actually watching you for local news.
Offer them real information that helps them deal with issues in their own financial life.
Service to those viewers comes in several ways:
- Giving them a voice.
- Interacting with them.
- Letting them express their fear and frustration.
You must become one of them. Put on the viewers' hat, he says.
It
must be much more than a segment for viewers to sound off.
"It's more of an approach to your daily coverage than it is a special segment,
and it is the number one thing you must do right now," says Altenbern says.
"It must be the mindset of the entire station," says Marks.
Work
to get angry and irritated viewers some answers.
"You must truly listen to what viewers are saying, and then get answers to their
questions. If you carry their message to the people in power and get some straight answers
for them, that is great ground to be on, and that's what we have to do," says
Altenbern.
Build
on what you have: maximize your website.
Your website already provides a way for people to post comments and ask questions.
"The idea is that you would be seen on the air as receptive to input from viewers
about what they want to know, and then you actually go find the answer to the question and
report it," says Altenbern.
The
attitude with which you approach stories is important.
Out: Accepting the official or pat answer.
In: Hard-edged, tough-nosed reporting.
"You must adopt the mindset that you are not going to accept pat answers from the
people in charge --- whether it is the local banker or the real estate company," he
says.
"You are going to actually press people about what this means to a person trying buy
a house or to a person's job. The viewers are saying someone must be asking these
questions and getting the answers, because they are not sure the institutions they trust
are telling them the truth," says Altenbern.
"That's an approach you could bring to almost every story," he stresses.
Viewers
are looking for an emotional connection.
You must show that you can identify with the common concerns of your viewers.
They want to know the basics: "What are we doing to hold the bad guys accountable,
and how am I going to make it?" "It's more emotional than cognitive," says
Marks.
| "It cuts across the research. No matter how you ask the question,
the answers and the emotion continues to come back." |
|
Mary Beth Marks
CJ&N |
For more information contact:
Crawford Johnson & Northcott
309 Court Avenue, Suite 226
Des Moines, IA 50309
515-875-4888
e-mail: info@cjni.com
|
