Final answer:
The rise of consumer-generated information has been primarily sparked by greater access to user-generated content. The shift towards online and digital news consumption has negatively impacted traditional print, radio, and television news outlets. This has prompted a need for these media to adopt new strategies to maintain their audience, as more people, especially the younger demographic, prefer digital news platforms.
Step-by-step explanation:
The factor that has sparked the rise of consumer-generated information is d) Greater access to user-generated content. The evolution of the internet and a marked shift towards digital platforms, where information can be shared quickly and easily by anyone, have led to an increase in content created by consumers.
In the context of news consumption, as per the Pew Research Center, the growing trend of accessing news through digital sources has led to a decline in traditional news mediums including print news media, and radio and television news. As a direct result of this digital shift, newspapers have recognized the need for a four-step analysis to strategize and adapt in order to retain their audience.
From 2004 to 2012, there was a significant increase in the percentage of Americans getting their news from the internet, which rose from 24% to 39%. This indicates a shift away from traditional news platforms, forcing these outlets to adapt or face a continued decline in readership and viewer numbers.
This is further compounded by the fact that the internet audience is generally younger, more tech-savvy, and prefers the convenience and immediacy of digital news sources.