A recent survey from the Reynolds Journalism Institute found that iPad users were more likely to consume news compared to those without iPads. Not only were iPad users across age groups more likely to go to news organizations for information—they also spent more time reading the news compared to people who do not own iPads. Eighty-four percent of iPad users like to keep up with the news on their devices, compared to 63 percent of all mobile device owners.

These numbers may not be all that surprising, but the study also found that two-thirds of those in the 18 to 34 age group spent 5 hours a week consuming content from news organizations. This rose to 7.3 hours a week for those with an iPad in this age group. Interestingly, media consumers over 55 spent less time consuming news on their devices—probably because two-thirds of them have subscriptions to news in print form. This contrasts with the younger age group, where only a quarter of them have print subscriptions. Read more

(L to R) David Carr of The New York Times, BuzzFeed Editor-in-Chief Ben Smith, WaPoLabs Chief Strategist and Editor-at-Large Rob Malda, and Flipboard Editorial Director Josh Quittner.

In an event hosted by New York University’s Center for Publishing and the School of Continuing and Professional Studies last night, social media experts discussed the shift to social content and what that means for the media industry. Ben Smith, editor-in-chief of BuzzFeed, Rob Malda, chief strategist and editor-at-large of the WaPo Labs, and Josh Quittner, editorial director of Flipboard, opined under the moderation of the New York Times’ David Carr. The mood was decidedly optimistic—as Quittner said at one point, “I think we’re all techno-optimists on this panel.”

The Social Epiphany
The conversation started on the shift to social. “I don’t really surf anymore,” said Carr, “most of my content… comes from somewhere and it’s like this vast, human enabled RSS that is pushing things towards me.” According to Smith, there was a dramatic change between 2010 and 2011 in terms of BuzzFeed’s traffic. Within a year, their biggest referrer went from Google to Facebook. As people change their media habits from seeking content to more passively getting content in the form of their Facebook or Twitter feeds, will they be able to stay well-informed? Read more