How do you see the future of print media (print copies of newspaper)?
Answers
Answered by
2
Having been in the newspaper business for two decades, questions are often directed at me about the future of print media.
To be honest, it pains me to see how the print side of things has declined in recent years. Part of the decline is due simply to technological advancement while another portion has been self-inflicted, although many higher-ups in the print media would never admit it.
The Internet has been one of the major reasons print media has declined in readership in the past decade. Even large daily newspapers aren’t able to keep up with up-to-the-second news that can be found on your computer screen.
The various 24-hour news cable stations have also played a role, but I’ve never been convinced you are getting an accurate portrayal of the news on any of them. You mainly get a slant from one political side or another, but many people have long since gotten out of the habit of reading a daily newspaper for their information.
They also fail to see biased coverage for what it is, simply because if the bias favors a person’s political leaning, then it is overlooked.
Daily newspapers tried to adjust to the times with websites of their own, but that also led to the decline in their print readership. When the powers-that-be who run daily papers put all of their content online for free, then what incentive did readers have to buy the print version?
While perhaps not a dinosaur in terms of age, I am old-fashioned when it comes to giving away news for free. For this paper’s website, there is a balance. Often just portions of stories are placed online guiding readers to the print version of the newspaper. This is clearly the smart way to go. If you are given something for free, why would you buy it in another form? You wouldn’t of course, especially not in today’s economy where every penny counts more than ever for most families.
The future for print newspapers likely rests in community oriented publications like the one you are now reading. Larger papers have never been interested in all the local news of where you live, only the unusual items such as murders, fires or corrupt politicians.
However, newspapers like this one offer things you will never get anywhere else. It still publishes who is getting married, who died, who is born, who won the local ballgame, what happened at the routine political meeting and — to the other extreme — who was arrested. We offer news items which we know our readers are interested in. After all, we live here as you do and that helps give us an insight into what you want to read.
The recent demise of the print version of Newsweek magazine ended a decades long tradition. Newsweek always offered a strong insight into national politics and its print void will cause it to lose a large portion of its readership base. When I called to get a refund for my print edition (I have no interest in the online version), the customer service representative was shocked I still didn’t want the magazine to read on my computer.
“I subscribed to read the version that I can actually turn the pages,” was my response. “I think it was a mistake to do away with your print edition.”
It will be interesting to see if Newsweek’s online version lasts as long its print edition. Something tells me it will not.
One thing I know is that the newspaper you are holding in your hands now isn’t going away. Fortunately, some traditions continue to live on even with the ever changing times.
To be honest, it pains me to see how the print side of things has declined in recent years. Part of the decline is due simply to technological advancement while another portion has been self-inflicted, although many higher-ups in the print media would never admit it.
The Internet has been one of the major reasons print media has declined in readership in the past decade. Even large daily newspapers aren’t able to keep up with up-to-the-second news that can be found on your computer screen.
The various 24-hour news cable stations have also played a role, but I’ve never been convinced you are getting an accurate portrayal of the news on any of them. You mainly get a slant from one political side or another, but many people have long since gotten out of the habit of reading a daily newspaper for their information.
They also fail to see biased coverage for what it is, simply because if the bias favors a person’s political leaning, then it is overlooked.
Daily newspapers tried to adjust to the times with websites of their own, but that also led to the decline in their print readership. When the powers-that-be who run daily papers put all of their content online for free, then what incentive did readers have to buy the print version?
While perhaps not a dinosaur in terms of age, I am old-fashioned when it comes to giving away news for free. For this paper’s website, there is a balance. Often just portions of stories are placed online guiding readers to the print version of the newspaper. This is clearly the smart way to go. If you are given something for free, why would you buy it in another form? You wouldn’t of course, especially not in today’s economy where every penny counts more than ever for most families.
The future for print newspapers likely rests in community oriented publications like the one you are now reading. Larger papers have never been interested in all the local news of where you live, only the unusual items such as murders, fires or corrupt politicians.
However, newspapers like this one offer things you will never get anywhere else. It still publishes who is getting married, who died, who is born, who won the local ballgame, what happened at the routine political meeting and — to the other extreme — who was arrested. We offer news items which we know our readers are interested in. After all, we live here as you do and that helps give us an insight into what you want to read.
The recent demise of the print version of Newsweek magazine ended a decades long tradition. Newsweek always offered a strong insight into national politics and its print void will cause it to lose a large portion of its readership base. When I called to get a refund for my print edition (I have no interest in the online version), the customer service representative was shocked I still didn’t want the magazine to read on my computer.
“I subscribed to read the version that I can actually turn the pages,” was my response. “I think it was a mistake to do away with your print edition.”
It will be interesting to see if Newsweek’s online version lasts as long its print edition. Something tells me it will not.
One thing I know is that the newspaper you are holding in your hands now isn’t going away. Fortunately, some traditions continue to live on even with the ever changing times.
Similar questions