[Inside Chodong]If Even a One-Minute Video Feels Too Long, What About Newspapers?

There are people who watch movies at double speed. This refers to literally playing videos at 2x speed while using online video services (OTT) such as Netflix, Wavve, and Watcha. One might wonder about the message conveyed by the beauty of the visuals themselves, the props and ambient noise within the film, or the intentional silences. However, their answer is straightforward.

"Even without all that, I still find it entertaining."

This is the shift in content trends highlighted by the book "People Who Watch Movies on Fast Forward," published at the end of last year.

The emergence of this new breed of viewers who watch movies at double speed could be seen as a death sentence for newspapers and news media. Small, densely packed text, unengaging storytelling, and unfamiliar vocabulary are all seen as charges against them. The effort required to read is an added burden. People now find even 5-, 10-, or 15-minute YouTube videos too long and have migrated to platforms where content is measured in seconds.

Short content needs to be easy to digest. However, the constant search for only easy things brings its own problems. When someone uses the phrase "deepest regret," some react indignantly, asking, "What does 'deep' have to do with an apology?" Some think "geumil" means Friday, while others interpret "saheul" as four days. If you dismiss this as ignorance specific to a certain generation, that is precisely the moment when the suspended sentence is carried out.

Language evolves. Words that fall out of use disappear. Even unfamiliar words make it into the dictionary if enough people use them. It is questionable whether this generation truly has low literacy. They have grown up processing a constant stream of images and text in real time. Their information-processing abilities are far superior to those of previous generations.

[Image source=Pixabay]

It is, of course, the MZ generation (Millennials and Generation Z) who are leading the fast-viewing trend. They make up 44% of the population. As trendsetters in the consumer market, they hold current power, and as potential big spenders, they represent future power. If you fail to understand them, the future looks bleak not just for newspapers, but even for news itself.

They do not appreciate films; they consume them. In a flood of movies and dramas available for unlimited viewing with a monthly subscription, appreciation is a luxury. "Value for money" is the key concept for understanding them. All they need is to watch popular content at increased speed, quickly grasp the plot, post proof shots on social media, and discuss it with friends. Investing time and effort for uncertain gains (such as entertainment) is considered a waste. For them, it's not "just do it," but rather "do it only if it works."

When you consider the essence of their culture?value for money?it leads to the conclusion that news must become even easier to understand. Recently, newsletter services popular among the MZ generation have been written in extremely simple language. The barrier to information is low.

While newspapers compete for "exclusives," this generation has no interest in exclusivity. Even if the news came out yesterday, they want someone who can explain it in friendly, easy-to-understand language and make it entertaining. What they are willing to pay to subscribe to is not today's newspaper with an exclusive article on the front page, but rather yesterday's content, repackaged in a more entertaining way.

Recently, a court ruling written in plain language made headlines. The court abandoned formal written style in favor of colloquial language and short, verb-focused sentences. Next to the sentence "The plaintiff's claim is dismissed," was the explanation, "Unfortunately, the plaintiff lost." Civil society groups cheered, saying the court had finally embraced "Easy Read"?a method of writing that allows anyone to easily understand specialized content. The court has introduced Easy Read. Perhaps it's time for the media, which claims to sit alongside the three branches of government, to consider "Easy News" as well.