Over the past 30 years, media has evolved, much like a mathematical graph, from the traditional content-based “1->n” model to more complex forms, each with its own characteristics. In the past, a single piece of content, like an ad or news story, could reach almost everyone. Today, that same content is often confined to “k” related groups — if it even manages to get past the layers of social media algorithms, as illustrated in the attached image.
This restricted content distribution has shifted the focus from the content itself to the audience. Now, only content that aligns with the interests of specific audiences gets attention. As a result, news is becoming increasingly biased, tailored to fit audience preferences. This “news packaging” reinforces biases, creating a feedback loop. Celebrities and trending topics serve as bridges between these “k” islands of social media, as shown in the “k <-> k” connections in the image.
Given this environment, it's much harder for an exceptional content to go viral and reach “n” or even a large number of “k” groups as it once did.
Yet, while metrics like number of views and likes are still central to KPIs and social media algorithms, this shouldn’t discourage creators from focusing on producing great content, rather than solely pandering to audience preferences. This complex media landscape has likely ushered in a new era of control, where platforms like Meta, Google, and TikTok attempt to retain both audiences and content within their ecosystems, shaping them in a more controlled manner. This means that increasing control over both content and audiences has opened up a new revenue stream for big companies: paid advertising. And yes, controlling applies on ads too.
However, it’s worth noting that valuable content has never — and will never — be measured solely by the size of its audience. So, please keep creating what is good for the world!
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