The challenging economic climate hasn’t impacted the propensity of Sky News viewers to purchase, with more planning to buy across all key categories than in 2021, according to the broadcaster's second iteration audience study.
Despite this, the 2023 report identified that all generations - baby boomers (84%), gen X (80%), gen Z (79%), millennials (78%) - see cost of living as the issue of most importance for Australians today.
Issues around health & the hospital system are ranked second for all - baby boomers (78%), gen X (70%), millennials (63%) - except Gen Z which prioritises the housing shortage (70%).
Sky News viewers are significantly over-indexing for purchase consideration across all categories including streaming media and/or entertainment services, travel services and household goods – all seeing 42% considering making a purchase in the next six months.
Cathryn Adams, Sky News Australia commercial director, said this year’s study has helped the company understand more about the motivations of Australians in consuming their news as well as resonance of advertising and the propensity to purchase – which is increasing.
“We can also better quantify the benefit of integrated sponsorship investment, for our partners, across our growing multiplatform content offering, now reaching up to 11 million Australians," Adams said.
The 2023 study comes two years after the inaugural report in 2021 which showed news interest and broadcast viewership skyrocket across the country during the Covid-19 pandemic. Now, Sky News has increased its reach even further with online content.
Paul Whittaker, CEO of Sky News Australia, said in that two-year time, the broadcaster has expanded its content reach onto more platforms including news streaming service Flash, Sky News Radio on the Nova Player, Sky News Now on Samsung TV Plus, and the relaunched Sky News Australia App - all playing a contributing role in amplifying reach and diversifying the viewer audience profile.
“The research has indicated that audiences are accessing our content on more platforms than ever before, with growth across new and existing digital platforms driving audience engagement," Whittaker said.
The average Sky News viewer across all content offerings is aged 45 years old, as Sky News consumption on digital increases. YouTube +34.9% (4.4m), Facebook +28.5% (4.1m) and SkyNews.com.au +23% (2.9m) visitors are all up when compared to the previous study.
The report also found that Australians are accessing more news sources than ever before.
On average Sky News viewers access 6.4 unique news sources compared to 3.4 for non-Sky News viewers, with the average number of news sources all Australians access increasing from 3.7 in 2021 to 4.3 this year. The average Australian is accessing Sky News on 2.2 platforms per month.
Liz Farquharson, Hoop Research group director, said the results validate Sky News’ multiple platform approach and the strength of its digital platforms to not only rapidly grow audiences but also to secure a younger, more diverse consumer.
“Overall, we see a significant lift in the interest and consumption of news services over the last two years," Farquharson said.
"The impact of this increased engagement on the Sky News audience can be quantified by a +35% lift with respondents agreeing that Sky News covers relevant content for the community, and a huge +37% lift in support for Sky News sponsors.”
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