In an era where news consumption habits rapidly evolve, understanding your audience's preferences is essential. BerlinRosen’s Adriana Guzman, Director of Booking, shares insights to help you identify where and how to engage them, especially during pivotal moments like election season – which is key to navigating today's media landscape effectively.
In just three years, the share of U.S. adults who say they regularly get news from TikTok has more than quadrupled, from 3 percent in 2020 to 14 percent in 2023. Traditional TV news consumption continues to skew much older, yet you can’t ignore the outsized impact cable news has on politics. In 2020, Americans 65+ had the highest voter turnout at 76 percent.
Understanding who your target audience is—and where you need to reach them—will be crucial in this overly crowded and competitive election year. Adriana Guzman, BerlinRosen’s Director of Booking and a former TV producer and booker, has the latest on how to reach your audience during an election year.
HERE'S THE REALITY
Broadcast is no longer defined by traditional network news and cable. Thinking outside the “TV box” to reach an audience includes hosting an Instagram Live, long-form video on YouTube, livecasts on Twitch and more.
Race and ethnicity play a major role in which outlets Americans trust most. Latinx people 18-49, for example, are avid audio consumers, finding radio and podcasts as more representative of their interests than other media. When it comes to news, Latinx people are 13 percent more likely than the general population to listen to podcasts.
Where your target audience gets their news will determine what your strategy should look like and what platforms you leverage in the lead up to November.
Network news
There’s no shortage of options viewers have when it comes to programming that best reflects their values and interests. But every channel or network reaches a different audience. Tailor TV appearances and messaging accordingly. What cuts through on MSNBC may not work for viewers of CBS or NewsNation.
The most effective way to get booked is through the use of owned-assets and impactful storytelling. Shape the narrative and set an agenda. Introduce legislation, file a lawsuit, write a public letter.
Digital & social media
Drive and control the conversation yourself on digital channels like LinkedIn, Instagram Live and TikTok stories, which are the modern-day “broadcast” platforms.
Identify impactful messengers for these distinct audiences who have already chosen to follow you and your work. This can include influencers, impacted people, community and elected leaders and more.
Radio & podcasts
Lean into niche, thematic programming to even further target a narrow audience. Americans already interested in issues like climate change or reproductive justice will already be avid consumers of content created in this space.
Leverage the power of long-form reporting and conversations to educate. Three-quarters of Americans who get news on podcasts say they learn unique information they wouldn’t have heard about via other content platforms.
HERE'S HOW WE'VE PUT THAT INTO ACTION
In June 2023, airport workers across the country rallied to call out airlines and corporations for deepening the ongoing crisis in our air travel system by failing to invest in the Black, brown and immigrant workforce who keep our airports safe and running.
We secured an interview on SiriusXM’s Mornings with Zerlina for Jamecia "Joy" Vaughn, a baggage services worker at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, one of the nation’s busiest and most important travel hubs.
An interview on progressive radio, with an activist host like Zerlina Maxwell, was the right home for this first-person perspective. Joy was able to reach audiences poised to stand in solidarity with workers across the labor movement as she issued a call to action to support good jobs.
