Potentials of digital longforms in journalism. A survey among mobile Internet users about the relevance of online devices, Internet-specific qualities, and modes of payment

ABSTRACT

After two decades of content syndication on legacy media’s online platforms, longforms such as scrollytelling, web documentaries, and selective multimedia stories take advantage of Internet-specific qualities. However, due to the high amount of resources needed for the production, media managers are challenged to judge their journalistic and economic potential. Hence, this paper suggests integrating the concept of Internet-specific quality and the relevance of the user’s expectations towards quality to focus on potentials of content innovation into media management research. We draw on the relevance of Internet devices within the recipient’s media repertoire for background information and the use of digital longforms. Based on the frequency of use, results of a quantitative face-to-face survey representative for German mobile Internet users (n = 248) indicate that stationary and mobile Internet devices are already an inherent part. However, there is a lack of strategic marketing. Not all digital longforms are well known; most recognised is scrollytelling. Second, we draw on the user’s expectations on Internet-specific qualities and attitudes towards advertisement and paid content. As our data show, recipients prefer multimedia, selectivity, and intuitive usability, not wishing to become part of the story through interactive and participative features. Furthermore, users are willing to pay for longform journalism that suits their interests, but media companies have to offer single purchase options instead of subscriptions.

KEYWORDS:

• Media repertoire
• Internet-specific quality
• background information
• online journalism
• mobile journalism
• quantitative survey

Disclosure statement

The authors declare, that there are no personal or institutional conflicts of interest that relate to the research described in this paper. We do not have any financial interest or benefit arising from the direct applications of our research. This work was not supported by any third-party funding.

Notes

1. In this paper, we distinguish between two main forms of Internet-enabled devices: stationary Internet devices include computer and laptop/netbook and allow access to the stationary Internet; mobile Internet devices include smartphones, tablet-PCs, iPods, and e-readers that allow access to the mobile Internet. As some mobile devices, for example, certain iPods, do not offer connectivity to the mobile Internet, we refer to the term Internet-enabled devices. Furthermore the two forms of Internet devices offer different specifics (e.g. context sensitivity based on the mobile network, which is not possible for stationary Internet access).

2. Selection criterion for the sample was based on mobile Internet usage within the last 2 weeks by mobile device (smartphone, tablet-PC, Internet-enabled MP3-player, or e-reader).

3. The prototypes shown during the interview contain characteristic elements for each type of format and are produced by the digital brands of a newspaper (scrollytelling), a public broadcaster (web documentary), and a magazine (selective multimedia story). For a scrollytelling longform “100 Jahre Tour de France” [100 years of Tour de France] (Zeit.de, 2013) was used. Its core is a text and it follows a mainly linear structure, divided into chapters. Different elements are added, such as slideshows, videos, and data animation. The selective multimedia story “Die Wand des Himmels” [The Wall of Heaven] (Geo Tablet Magazine, 2013) was produced for a tablet magazine. Its core is still text, however, the linear structure is disrupted by selective slideshows and hotspots. Furthermore, the story includes elements such as an audio version (read by the author) and an audio slideshow. For a web documentary, we used “Argentinien – das schönste Land der Welt” (Argentina – the most beautiful country in the world) (Arte.tv., 2011). Following the definition of prototypes, it is the most selective story. Different videos can be selected from a central menu where no order is proposed. The videos are enriched by text. In addition, interactive (sharing) and participative (comments) elements are integrated.

4. Two items of the original questionnaire for the dimension “usability” have been dropped due to Cronbach’s alpha test: “… offers a search function” and “… offers a tutorial”.

5. All respondents generally use the mobile Internet (selection criterion). But 6% do not use mobile devices to gain access to background information.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Cornelia Wolf

Cornelia Wolf, Ph.D., Junior Professor. Cornelia Wolf is Junior Professor for Online Communication at the Institute for Communication and Media Studies at the University of Leipzig. Her current research focuses on innovation management, cross-media strategies, production processes, and content development in journalism and corporate publishing as well as the adoption and reception of new media formats. Further, she researches the process of institutionalisation of mobile journalism in legacy media. J-Prof. Wolf holds a university diploma in journalism and has worked in print, TV, and online journalism as well as corporate publishing.

Alexander Godulla

Alexander Godulla, Ph.D., Full Professor. Dr. Godulla’s current research projects focus on the digital change of public communication (especially the processing of modelling schemes and storytelling), the history, reception and cross-media transformation of press photography, the reception and production of media content in digital environments and revenue models in online journalism. Alexander Godulla is Professor for Communication and Media Education at the University of Applied Sciences Würzburg-Schweinfurt. He holds a university diploma in journalism and has been working in science journalism since 2004 (Gruner + Jahr Agenda). He was part of the international third-party funded Tempus lV-Project “Crossmedia and Quality Journalism”.