AUSTRALIAN MEDIA: TRUST & APPETITE; HOW A MESSAGE FROM THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION BACKFIRED

AUSTRALIAN MEDIA: TRUST & APPETITE; HOW A MESSAGE FROM THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION BACKFIRED

Welcome to this week’s business and media intelligence update.

AUSTRALIAN MEDIA: TRUST & APPETITE  

When it comes to news, we all love a good crisis – and they don’t come bigger than a global pandemic.

Which explains why media outlets in Australia and globally saw a huge increase in audiences last year. But a new study from the University of Canberra has found that our early appetite for news about the pandemic has waned. News consumption has fallen from its COVID-19 high, with heavy news consumption dropping from 69 per cent in April 2020 to 51 per cent in January 2021.

The study also provided some interesting statistics on trust, namely, which outlets are trusted most by audiences. Overall, the level of trust in media organisations in Australia continues to be relatively low, with only 44 per cent of Australians saying that they trust the news outlets they read, listen to or watch. The most trusted outlets were the ABC, SBS, and the Australian Financial Review.

And the really bad news for Australian journalism? Eight out of every 10 Australians said they do not pay for their news – and are unlikely to do so in the future.

Read the full report here.

GENEVA, WE HAVE A PROBLEM – HOW A SIMPLE MESSAGE FROM THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION BACKFIRED 

Spare a thought for the World Health Organisation (WHO). On top of having to deal with criticism over its pandemic investigations, the WHO this week came under attack over advice on drinking.

In a draft global action plan that has now been described as “poorly worded”, WHO recommended that “women of childbearing age” should not drink alcohol.

The document sparked a global backlash from women’s rights campaigners – and an apology of sorts from WHO, which said the guidance was intended only to raise awareness about foetal alcohol syndrome rather than call for a ban on women drinking alcohol.

It was a reminder that poor or inaccurate language can easily backfire on an organisation, putting its credibility and reputation at risk.

Read the full WHO draft global action plan on alcohol here.

WORKING FROM HOME: WINNERS & LOSERS  

Zoom CEO Eric Yuan has made a bold call: He thinks that hybrid work is here to stay – and Zoom is determined to help companies tackle the technological challenges that come with navigating this brave new world. He would say that of course, given that his company saw its share price and usage numbers spike as a result of the pandemic. Read more in the AFR.

On the other side of the ledger, Woolworths was forced to write down the value of its Metro store network by $50 million, over concerns that 13 of its stores were located near major train stations or in central business districts that had been affected by the lacklustre CBD foot traffic brought about by the pandemic. Read more in the AFR.

And finally, for those of us just trying to figure out how to juggle our personal and professional responsibilities, The Economist explains how to choose the best days to work from home.

WILLIAM ROBERTS APPOINTED DIRECTOR 

Congratulations to Cannings’ William Roberts on his well-deserved promotion to Director. William’s expertise in public affairs, corporate communications and issues and crisis management has been invaluable to our clients, helping them to navigate complex issues and deliver successful media campaigns.

Read his full bio here.


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