In Part Two of our series, Telum spoke to Andy Walsh, Head of Emerging Media at ARN, about how audio journalism can build trust and cut through the noise of today's media landscape.

Read Part One and Part Three of Telum Talks Emerging Media.

"We are living in an era where everything and anything is now considered 'entertainment'. Content creation and consumption continue to expand at a rapid pace, and we are fast becoming overwhelmed with content choices. Without more hours in the day and with our daily screen time increasing, almost reaching alarming levels, we are seeing audience behaviour shift as they become much more selective about what content they consume...In a world cluttered with fake news, fake images, and algorithm sameness there has been a rise in scepticism around what people watch, listen and read, meaning trust is critical in building loyal audiences."

Consumers continue to drive decisions made by editorial teams and Andy notes "the pace of change among consumers is making it difficult for most businesses to keep up, so flexible consumption options are critical. Consumers are seeking out content they love across diverse channels, so it must be accessible where and how consumers want, and it must have the ability to establish confidence in the talent."

Reuters Digital News Project recently surveyed publishers about which of their platforms they will direct resources to, in accordance with consumer trends. Seventy-two percent of participants answered that podcasts and other digital audio would be on the agenda, forming the highest category, followed by email newsletters (69 per cent) and digital video (67 per cent).

Andy told Telum: "Broadcast audio builds audience trust, with talent voices feeling like they are part of your family or one of your friends. This year we will see credible journalism leverage this trust and start to extend across mass social media channels. This demand for real connection to content goes beyond the transactional - consumers want something transformational."