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OUTLOOK 2017

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AGENCY NEWS

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COLUMN | BY CHRISTOPHER LUKACH

JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2017 PHILLY AD NEWS

The mainstream
media tipping
point
OUTLOOK

Its a tough time to write an outlook article, especially when you consider just how disappointing a
year 2016 turned out to be for media prognosticators.
OK, disappointing is too polite; it was abysmal. The mainstream media whiffed.
No matter where you fall on the political spectrum, if youre among the one in three Americans
who somehow has retained trust in the amorphous, poorly defined institution known as the
mainstream media, 2016 gave even you good reason to question your allegiance.
Surely mass media is not the only major institution to carry a less-than-stellar perception among
Americans. According to Gallups 2016 confidence polling, religious institutions (41 percent), the
Supreme Court (36 percent), organized labor (23 percent), big business (18 percent), and Congress
(6 percent) all have confidence levels among Americans below 50 percent.
Is the quirky little confidence statistic the least bit meaningful?
Come the summer of 2017, when Gallup conducts its annual polling and we see confidence in
the media statistic has slumped even further in 2017 as it undoubtedly will what should we as
communicators feel? Plenty of other institutions manage to function, even with negligible balances
in the bank of goodwill. After all, despite only one in 20 Americans being confident in Congress,
Americans re-elected 97 percent of Congress incumbent officeholders in 2016.
Why cant mass media exist as these other institutions untrusted but undeterred?
As I see it, discussions about declining trust in mainstream media miss the point. In looking at
the trend line, its clear that trust in mainstream media has been an issue for decades; Mainstream
media hasnt earned a confidence rating above 50 percent since 2003. But add to this decline in
trust a varied buffet of new, upstart, independent media options competition that appeals to
changing consumer appetite.
News consumers once looked to media to be informed; now, increasingly, they look to media to be
validated. And no matter how far-out, how polarizing, or how conspiracy-theorist a persons point of
view, some media outlet will validate it. Its confirmation bias in action.
Considering all these factors, 2017 is shaping up to be something of a perfect storm for
mainstream media. For communicators, the dissolution of mainstream (traditional) media is a
double-edged sword.
Over the past decade, communicators moaned as traditional media outlets decimated staff, dried
up, and shrunk our highly prized rolodexes. Now, consider the sheer volume of upstart online media
outlets each with both editorial needs and a willingness to accept our advertising dollars. The
media look different from the landscape we had a decade ago, but, in some senses, our options are
increasing.
So, there a sliver of silver lining.
As crisis communicators, we see the media landscape as filling with even more landmines.
Heightened distrust in mainstream media means a leveling of credibility with those independent
and smaller-distribution media outlets the outlets that arent held to the same standards of truth,
impartiality or editorial accountability. The aim of these outlets is to nod along with its readership,
not to force critical thought.
At AKCG, we encourage clients to follow a multi-point assessment to determine whether or not
they should respond to crises originating in the media, and most of the characteristics we assess
have to do with the source of the message its credibility, its reach, its tone and its audience. In

37

2017, I expect the way we assess these indicators

to change dramatically.
And those misinformation-fueled crises that,
to this point, may not have been dignified with
action or even acknowledgement now will need
to be given full consideration. In 2017, a brand
may need to respond to, say, a conspiracy-driven
attack podcaster, with the same vigor it may have
reacted to a story originating in The New York
Times.
But, Ive learned my lesson in 2016
prognostication for 2017 is something that
should be approached with caution. Ive been
humbled.
If mainstream media is to regain credibility
and stem the erosion of trust, a little collective
humility may be the place to begin.

CHRISTOPHER
LUKACH, APR
IS PRESIDENT OF ANNE KLEIN
COMMUNICATIONS GROUP. AKCG IS THE
PHILADELPHIA OFFICE OF IPREX
GLOBAL PUBLIC RELATIONS AND
COMMUNICATION