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This is one finding from the Media and Digital Platforms Market Inquiry (MDPMI) national consumer survey that investigated how South Africans engage with news across various online platforms.
Another interesting finding is the impact of AI chatbots on news consumption is already being felt with a quarter of respondents already using chatbots frequently for news and 57% indicated that they are likely to use generative AI platforms to access news in the future.
Some of the consumer survey findings include:
The survey results draw attention to the extensive use of digital platforms and shifts in behaviour driven by the convenience of accessing news online.
The survey results further highlighted a growing awareness among South Africans of the importance of accurate and reliable news in today’s digital environment.
Most respondents across all platforms indicated that they trust the platform more when there is credible news available, and the majority agreed that the presence of credible news from reputable outlets helps reduce the spread of false information.
The survey results can be accessed here.
The Provisional Report with initial findings, remedies, and recommendations is expected to be released in November 2024.
This follows the results from focus groups previously released by the Inquiry.
The survey forms part of an extensive evidence-gathering process of the MDPMI which commenced in October 2023 in terms of section 43B(1)(a) of the Competition Act 89 of 1998 (as amended) (“the Act”).
The Inquiry was initiated because there is reason to believe that there are market features on digital platforms that distribute news media content, that impede, distort, or restrict competition, or undermine the purposes of the Act, and which have material implications for the news media sector of South Africa.
The survey looks at different groups of users by age, location, and language in how they access and consume news across three major digital platform types: social media, search engines, and personalised news feeds.