Britain’s exit from the EU has dominated the news in the UK for more than three years, and many Britons are suffering from Brexit fatigue. So Sky News is launching a temporary channel, which will broadcast current affairs coverage that's free from Brexit news, both on TV and YouTube. We explore the insights behind this tactic to tackle Brexit fatigue before people switch off from the news altogether.
Sky News: Brexit Free is a temporary news channel that will run from 5-10pm every Monday to Friday on TV, as well as being live-streamed on YouTube. “The new channel simply gives people the option to take a break from Brexit, apply a filter to their headlines, and hear about issues away from Westminster and Brussels with a focus on hard-hitting, original journalism,” says John Ryley, head of Sky News. With only one-quarter (26%) of British people thinking Brexit will be completed by the October 31 deadline, they aren’t expecting the story to die down any time soon.
With potential Brexit outcomes constantly changing, research shows that 35% of UK news consumers avoid the news, and 71% of them say Brexit is the reason why, with the majority of survey respondents mentioning “frustration or sadness over Brexit”. There are also fewer people actively seeking information about Brexit: Google Trends shows that searches for the term have been few since peak interest in June 2016. While big news or bad news can prove a draw for audiences, too much of either can lead to burnout, so media organisations like the New York Times are responding by providing alternatives to the usual channels – whether that’s a greater focus on local news or a weekly newsletter of positive stories. With audiences, especially younger ones, having grown used to getting a personalised news feed on social media – for better or worse – they have higher expectations for traditional media to cater to their own interests, especially when they know they head elsewhere if they don’t like what they are reading.
Katy Young is a senior writer and researcher at Canvas8, which specialises in behavioural insights and consumer research. She has a degree in American Studies and Film and an MA in Journalism. Her interests include wild swimming, thinking of podcast ideas and singing in an all-female choir.
