Newspapers rated best in delivering Covid-19 information

Newspapers have played a critical role in delivering important public information messages about Covid-19, according to new research. A study undertaken by Research and Analysis of Media shows members of the public responding better to advertisements placed in Irish newspapers than for campaigns run across other media.

Since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in March, the Government has run a public health and information campaign that has included the placing of full-page advertisements in national and local titles. It has also run ads on TV, radio, social media and via outdoor advertising formats such as billboards.

A survey taken on behalf of Newsbrands shows newspapers rated ahead of other media by the public in terms of being able to communicate highly complex information effectively.

More than two-thirds of readers said they were able to recall the newspaper ads with 65 per cent saying they felt fully informed as a result.

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Some 85 per cent said they would remember at least half of the advertisement’s content, with 65 per cent claiming total recall. A similar percentage also said they had read all or almost all of the contents with 67 per cent saying they would also refer back to it at a later stage.

“At a time when citizens need access to accurate, reliable, fact-checked information about coronavirus, they continue to look to news publishers and information produced by professional journalists for that information,” said Anne-Marie Lenihan, chief executive of NewsBrands, which is the representative body for Ireland’s national newspapers.

Younger people

Despite widespread claims that younger people don’t engage with traditional print media, the survey found that 78 per cent of those between the ages of 14 to 34 years were more likely to read all, or the majority of the full-page ads, compared to 66 per cent of those in older age categories.

The study was conducted between July 20th and the 24th and involved over 750 respondents.

"This research clearly demonstrates the power and effectiveness of Irish newsbrands in delivering complex messages, that can be challenging to portray through other media channels," said Dianne Newman, chief executive of Research and Analysis of Media.

“It was effective not only in terms of creating strong memory traces amongst the Irish population, but also encouraging them to respond and take action,” she added.