Comscore Finds News Consumption Remains Significantly Higher Than Pre-Pandemic Levels

Rhea-AI Summary

Comscore (NASDAQ: SCOR) reports that overall news consumption has stayed above pre-pandemic levels as audience traffic normalizes in certain categories. Notably, digital visits to news sites peaked at 8.5 billion during April 13-19 and remained 28% higher than pre-pandemic figures as of July 27-August 2, reaching 7.4 billion visits. Despite a gradual decline in overall digital visits since peak weeks, the levels are still over 30% higher than before the pandemic. Comscore emphasizes ongoing monitoring of media consumption trends during COVID-19.

Positive

• Overall news consumption remains above pre-pandemic levels, indicating strong reliance on media.
• Digital visits to news sites peaked at 8.5 billion, showcasing resilience in news engagement.
• Total digital visits still exceed 30% of pre-pandemic levels as of late July.

Negative

• Total digital visits have slowly declined since their peak, which may indicate waning interest.

RESTON, Va., Aug. 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- New research from Comscore (Nasdaq: SCOR), a trusted partner for planning, transacting and evaluating media across platforms, has found that while audience traffic for certain categories are returning to normal, overall news consumption remains higher than pre-pandemic levels. The figures suggest that millions of Americans continue to rely on media for vital information during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Total visits to an aggregate of approximately 40 select news sites peaked during the week of April 13-19, 2020 with 8.5 billion total visits. However, since mid-May, total digital visits to news sites have remained somewhat steady. The week of July 27-August 2, 2020 saw 7.4 billion visits, which is 28% higher than pre-pandemic levels during the week of February 3-9, 2020.

Other media consumption highlights from the latest Comscore research include:

• Total digital visits (mobile and desktop) across ten key categories peaked the week of April 20-26, 2020 with 64.3 billion digital visits. Since then, total digital visits have slowly declined, but remain over 30% higher than pre-pandemic levels as of the week of July 27-August 2, 2020.
• Total digital visits to select top retail sites peaked in mid-to-late April. After declining for several weeks, visitation to these retail sites again picked up in July, reaching 1 billion visits during the week of July 27-August 2, 2020, a 50% increase in visitation over pre-pandemic levels
• Since late March, visitation to travel sites has slowly and steadily risen—during the week of July 27-August 2, 2020 visitation reached 525 million. This is still nearly 40% lower than pre-pandemic levels, but a 45% increase over the low point during mid-March.

Additional insights are available on our blog.

Comscore will continue to monitor these changing consumption habits and provide ongoing insights on its Coronavirus Insights Hub. To learn more about how Comscore can provide you with custom insights, contact us today.

About Comscore
Comscore (NASDAQ: SCOR) is a trusted partner for planning, transacting and evaluating media across platforms. With a data footprint that combines digital, linear TV, over-the-top and theatrical viewership intelligence with advanced audience insights, Comscore allows media buyers and sellers to quantify their multiscreen behavior and make business decisions with confidence. A proven leader in measuring digital and TV audiences and advertising at scale, Comscore is the industry's emerging, third-party source for reliable and comprehensive cross-platform measurement. To learn more, visit www.comscore.com

Press
Neil Ripley
Comscore, Inc.
(646) 746-0579
press@comscore.com

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SOURCE Comscore

FAQ

What did Comscore report about news consumption on August 20, 2020?

Comscore reported that overall news consumption is significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels, indicating a continued reliance on media for vital information.

How did digital visits to news sites change during the pandemic according to Comscore?

Digital visits to news sites peaked at 8.5 billion in mid-April 2020, remaining 28% above pre-pandemic levels by late July.

What trends did Comscore observe in media consumption during COVID-19?

Comscore observed that while some categories returned to normal, overall news and media consumption remains elevated, with visits staying over 30% higher than before the pandemic.

What was the peak number of total digital visits reported by Comscore?

The peak number of total digital visits reported by Comscore was 64.3 billion across ten key categories during the week of April 20-26, 2020.

How does the current digital visit level compare to pre-pandemic figures?

As of late July 2020, total digital visits were reported to be 30% higher than pre-pandemic levels.