Cross-promotion, Self-Promotion Effects in News Media

Abstract

In this paper, the use of self-promotion and cross-promotion in news media is examined through a study of Canadian media giant, Bell Media’s CTV News multi-platform news operation. Through a content analysis of four CTV News platforms; conventional television, specialty television, their website and mobile application, a pattern of promotional use emerges. This pattern, which I refer to as ‘herding,’ is designed to influence viewers to shift their viewing patterns towards more lucrative areas where advertising is more valued by the media owner. There are also concerns by media experts that promotions combined with advertising have a direct effect of diminishing the quantity of news available on these platforms thereby reducing the public’s ability to be informed about issues of the day.