1.5 Media Fragmentation and Ad-Supported Business Communication

With the advent of the internet, communication made a major pivot. Yes, consumers had the choice of what outlet, business, or channel they would consume, but once that decision was made (what channel to watch, for example), the audience would take a back seat and receive communications. The internet allowed users a degree of flexibility never before seen in mass communication. Consumers could piece together a diet of information completely custom to them. This is known as media fragmentation: Consumers have a range of choices of media from which to consume.

This freedom of choice completely fractured audience sizes. Outside of the Superbowl (which takes up 29 of the top 30 most-watched television broadcasts), the most-watched broadcast event was the final episode of M*A*S*H, gaining over 105 million viewers. That episode aired in 1983, and no other show broadcast (not counting the Superbowl) has managed to gain as many viewers since. In fact, there probably won’t be another television event that will beat it in the future. Why? Because consumers have a greater degree of choice than they have ever had. It’s more difficult than ever to get the attention of mass audiences for a broadcast event.

While the days of giant, captive audiences are gone, there is greater opportunity than ever to reach specific audiences at much lower rates. Wasted ad spend can be kept to a minimum as marketers can utilize technology to identify and speak to the exact audience they want. Many may mourn the death of large media buys, but the fragmentation of media and attention is a modern-day gold rush for both businesses and consumers.

Gone are the days of there being “nothing to watch.” Modern platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram serve up a never-ending feed of something to watch, and they are all powered by an algorithm that learns about you, what you like, and can accurately guess what you’d like to watch next. Running an effective communications strategy is, now more than ever, about understanding your audience and the context in which they receive your message, to the benefit of consumers around the world.