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Abstract
In recent years, the use of visualizations or infographics in the news has become increasingly popular. We know, however, surprisingly little about how news consumers use and appreciate news visualizations. We apply a mixed-method approach to answer these two questions. First, we conduct an eye-tracking study that measures use, by means of direct attention to visualizations on three different news platforms (print newspaper, e-newspaper on tablet, and news website). Second, we conduct focus groups and a survey among readers of three news media to study the extent to which news consumers actually value the inclusion of visualizations in the news. Our results show that news consumers do indeed read news visualizations, regardless of the platform on which the visual is published. We also find that visualizations are appreciated, but only if they are coherently integrated into a news story and thus fulfill a function that can be easily understood. With this study, we provide the first comprehensive picture of the usefulness of information visualizations in the news, and contribute to a growing literature on alternative ways of storytelling in journalism today.
DISCLOSURE STATEMENT
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Notes
1. The two quality newspapers target highly educated news readers who often have a subscription to the newspaper. The financial newspaper targets a niche market, mainly highly educated people working in the financial sector. The online news site is visited by a much broader group of news consumers, ranging in ages and education as it provides short topical news.
2. We chose to include two visuals per media outlet. The selection was based on two visualizations that were also discussed during the focus groups and differed in topic and regarding the integration of the text and visual. Readers from the financial newspaper either read a visual about economic growth or a foreign affairs issue on oil and gas. Readers of the quality newspaper looked at either a visual about foreign news (also related to the oil and gas issues) or politics. Readers of the online platform looked at interactive visuals, one about refugees and the other about charities. It took about 10 minutes to fill out the survey.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Yael de Haan
Web: www.journalismlab.nl
Sanne Kruikemeier
Sophie Lecheler
Gerard Smit
Web: www.journalismlab.nl
Renee van der Nat
Web: www.journalismlab.nl