There is the ongoing debate whether print media is being phased out or if it is just as strong as it was 10 years ago. Even the top dogs in our industry and leading analysts seem to be split right down the middle, which makes me wonder what is really determining their opinions. In my opinion, the position you take on this matter is like color—it’s all relative.
Some people still like print. It’s intriguing. You can physically touch it, carry it with you, hold it and turn pages. You can even smell it, if you’re into that. For a lot of folks, interaction is an important factor when they sit down to read a book or a newspaper. That is a main reason websites are becoming more interactive and engaging. Staring at a computer screen for long periods of time can be stressful on your eyes and some people just cannot handle that. Print may always be their preference.
Now consider the alternative. Amazon’s Kindle was one of the most popular gifts this past holiday season. The Kindle might be good for people on the go, a lightweight, portable alternative to bulky books and newspapers, but at the end of the day it isn’t the same as turning the pages of your favorite book.
Another argument in favor of electronic media is the ease with which information is at your fingertips. A quote that really stuck out to me in an article by Fast Company is “Too many of the ideas trapped on pages end up, at best, in unused archives or, at worst, in recyclers’ pulp, when they should be online: searchable, discoverable, linkable, part of the conversation.” – Jeff Jarvis. I can easily search Google for an excerpt from a book, but it would take much longer to search through thousands of books to find the same excerpt.
Just make sure your web sources are reputable. When you read a physical publication, most of the time you can be sure the source is reliable (unless you’re reading a tabloid you picked up while standing in line at the grocery store), but with electronic media, you could end up reading news stories on The Onion and anyone who’s heard of that site knows you don’t want to end up there if you are looking for real news.
I was also lucky enough to stumble across some funny excuses why print is still alive from Web Pro News and had to share. In my opinion these don’t count, as true as they may be.
-Newspapers are convenient for entirely different reasons than online news sources. When they develop a computer screen that a puppy can pee on, then print is surely dead.
-What are you going to wrap your dishes in when you move?
-There are coupons in the newspaper—ones that require only scissors.
Where do you see the world of media in 5 years? Will we be using tablets that we download the latest news to each morning replacing newspapers? Will the Amazon Kindle replace printed books? Will your nanny be replaced with a robot? Who knows!
