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The arrival of Apple’s iPad tablet in 2010 was trumpeted as a pivotal, game-changing moment for the news business. But did the iPad’s initial news applications live up to the much-hyped promise of delivering a more immersive news experience? The author, using two iPads obtained through a university pilot program, assigned 28 digital journalism students to rate and analyze iPad news apps during the fall 2010 semester. The iPads were rotated among the students, who examined their chosen news app over a period of at least four days. This study, employing a uses-and-gratifications theoretical framework, asked students to evaluate each app based on four factors: immediacy/urgency, non-linear news presentation, multimedia news content, and reader interactivity. Students were most impressed with multimedia news offerings (awarding an average of 3.7 points on a 5-point scale), but were less enamored with the apps’ interactivity (3.3 points) and immediacy (3.1). While many students said they believe the iPad holds promise as a news platform, they generally preferred existing news websites and legacy news products to their iPad counterparts. With some 50 million U.S. millennials (age 18 to 29) now forming what could be lifelong news habits, the study provides early insight into how this crucial demographic is reacting and responding to the tablet as a news medium.
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Intrigued, But Not Immersed:Millennials Analyze the iPad’sPerformance as a News PlatformInternational Symposium on Online JournalismAustin, Texas – April 1, 2011Jake Batsell, assistant professorSouthern Methodist University@jbatsell
MethodologyThe ground rules• iPad pilot program• Two classes • 4-day checkouts• Assigned ratings
√ Immediacy√ Non-linear
presentation√ Multimedia√ Interactivity
• Blogged reviews
MethodologySample overview• 26 female, 2 male• 27 in 20s, 1 in 40s• 27 U.S., 1 Bulgarian• 3 Hispanic• 1 Asian-American• 1 African-American• Typical participant was
white, female American millennial college student
Caveats• Small sample (28)• Millennials aren’t the
news industry’s target consumer for iPad apps – yet
FindingsImmediacy• Avg score = 3.1/5• Surprisingly stale• “Old news”• Updated once
dailyStandouts• ESPN ScoreCenter• GlamourLaggards• New York Post• ABC NewsImage credit: American Journalism
Review
FindingsNon-linear presentation• Avg score = 3.4/5• Passing grade• Good customization• Awkward navigation• Limited optionsStandouts• ESPN ScoreCenter• New York TimesLaggards• Fox4 News (Dallas)• Washington Post Image credit: Sports
Illustrated
FindingsMultimedia• Avg score
= 3.7/5• Occasionally
dazzling qualities
Standouts• Time Magazine• New York Times• Ebony’s 65th anniv.• ESPN ScoreCenter
Laggards• New York Post• GQ
Image credit: American Journalism Review
• New York Times: “The picture is unbelievably clear (much better than that on the iPhone), and the sound isn’t muffled like it can be on the iPhone”
• New York Post: “Interactivity and multimedia content were very minimal (huge bummer).”
FindingsInteractivity
• Avg score
= 3.3/5• Largely
disappointing
Standouts• Esquire• New YorkerLaggards• MTV News• People Magazine
Image credit: American Journalism Review
• Ebony: “I think they should look into expanding readers’ options even further, and they might consider linking to some of their sources for those readers who want more.”
• MTV News: “Don’t bother, MTV. Just stick to your website.”
Conclusions• First wave of iPad
News apps weren’t immediate or interactive enough for this group of millennials
Image credit: American Journalism Review
• Students said premium apps aren’t worth the extra money yet
• Too many news apps resemble shovelware
• Students generally prefer websites to apps
Closing Thoughts• Millennials’ iPad
news experience differs from the GenX & Baby Boomers in Reynolds iPad study
• Why important? 50 million millennials age 18-29 forming lifelong habits
• Future research: 2nd wave of tablet apps (Xoom, Galaxy, Playbook, iPad 2)
Image credit: Texas Monthly
