The Future of Print

The debate on the future of print received a new contribution recently, when Printweek.com posted a selection of views on the subject from several industry directors. The news post, entitled ‘Are print and pixels competitors or complementary?’ gives insight from persons at the centre of the debate. It broaches the future of paper mediums at a time when growth both in online readerships and advertising revenues has been widely reported to be explosive.


In recent months several print publications have responded to the digital revolution by abandoning their paper productions completely. Among these are ElleGirl and Teen People. However, even for those publishers who’re dedicated to print, it is unusual not to recognise the potential benefits of working online. For example, an email marketing campaign can be conducted at a fraction of the cost of a paper campaign, and with equivalent (if not greater) market penetration. There are benefits too from actively engaging with your audience, whereas a printed magazine must retain a highly limiting top-down relationship.

On the other hand, the changes prompted by the transition to digital have previously been over-estimated. Historically, it was predicted that sites like Amazon.co.uk would make brick-and-mortar retailers obsolete, for example. And though Amazon has decimated the independent booksellers sector, competitors including HMV remain dedicated to the high street. Further still, in April Niemanlab.org posted that reports of the death of print newspapers have been greatly exaggerated, with a mere 3% of newspaper reading happening over the internet.

Some have questioned the figures toted by Martin Lageveld, who conducted the investigation at Niemanlab. It will nonetheless come as a relief to many in printing that, if the medium cannot boast a bright future, its death is slow coming. For the present, those in publishing must accustom themselves to an uncertain future, and accommodate both print and digital audiences. They must discover means of making an online presence profitable, when many users are accustomed to reading content free. Doing so successfully should give those in printing a measure of security – and protect their business - in this time of transition.

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