Is print media dead? Examining print versus digital media

Print Media is dead 'Print Media is dead'

Since time immemorial, the world of business has been continuously producing goods and services that can meet the customer's requirements and demands. In this regard, marketing and promotion of the goods and services has been considerably a vital source of communication that can fill the gap between the target audience and the corporations. Organizations employed different and diverse types of mediums and channels for their marketing and advertising to be effective and valuable. The very popular and traditional marketing medium initiated from print media that moved on to different other sources such as television, radio, digital, online marketing and so forth over the course of period (Jenkins, 2006).

Marketing and advertising through print media (which include newspapers, magazines) is one of the traditional and conventional methods that have been widely used by the enterprises for several years, in fact decades. However, as time has passed by, the technological advancements and innovations have overshadowed the typical print media advertising. Moreover, the accelerated surge of the Internet, World Wide Web and social media has become the dominating and governing pathway for the advertising and promotion. This has given the rise to the question "Is Print Media Dead?" The question has not only remained a question, rather it has turned into a statement, 'Print Media is Dead' and has come under various arguments and controversial discussions (Jenkins, 2006).

One cannot overlook or ignore the fact that increasing number of businesses have completely migrated to the medium of digital (web) for their advertising efforts, as they have a greater opportunity to contact a wider potential target audience with ease, convenience and cost effectiveness. While, on the other hand, it is also prudent to note that print media to date has been able to maintain its strong position as an essential and powerful tool of ad campaign (Entrepreneurs, 2012).

The benefits of print media bring the fact of tangibility to the forefront, which it has over its digital counterparts. This signifies that since printed advertisement is present in the physical form, thus people can hoard these advertisements placed in the magazines and newspapers in their personal collections. This is not possible with the digital media because the advertisements displayed on internet evaporate into cyber space within a very short time period (Entrepreneurs, 2012).

Studies have also elucidated the piece of information that print ads provide the consumers with more credibility and a sense of authenticity. In other words, the web advertisements pose a threat, risk and fear of spam or viruses upon clicking, which creates an overwhelming impact on the consumers' mind. However, the print ad is not vulnerable to such danger (Entrepreneurs, 2012).

Print ads provide a great opportunity to not only target the mainstream population, but the niche audiences can effectively be targeted by print media through placement of advertisement in specialty magazines. Nevertheless, this is not possible and difficult as well while placing ads on the web, as the underprivileged target audience (niche market) may not have the access to it. Indeed, numerous sources of information have revealed the piece of information that the niche target market that is being catered through the specialty magazines has boomed in the recent years to the extent like never before (Entrepreneurs, 2012).

The above presented benefits of print ads have saved them from disappearing from the world of advertisements and promotions. Businesses are still using the print media as one of the effective and efficient forms of advertising and promotion. Furthermore, the benefits and edge that print ads have over the other counterparts; particularly the digital media falsify the statement that 'Print Media is doomed' (Entrepreneurs, 2012).

The statement that print media is doomed is not true and fallacious, as one of the recent survey results brought a fascinating fact to the forefront that more than seventy five percent of the consumers in UK (that include young generation, middle aged group and old age people) have their preference to the print ads over the digital ads (ads placed on web). The survey analysis also highlighted that the users who preferred to consume print ads are profound consumers of smart phones, and despite of the fact that the consumption of technological products is growing at a rampant pace, yet they are subscribed to one print magazine on the least (Pugh, 2012).

In a very similar manner, the records with respect to the print media and its widespread consumption in the current times have also brought the fact to the limelight that some of the internet-based giant corporations that include fashion websites, online game sites and like that are now in the process of publishing and circulating print magazines. These giant enterprises are using traditional print media with the prime intention to revive and rejuvenate the segments of their business model, which can give them a competitive edge over its global competitors. This also indicates that online brands wish to achieve extra attention from the target market (Hooper, 2012).

Another aspect that evidently explicates the fact with reference to the print media that print ads in magazines and newspapers are still considered to be more effective in terms of its cost, budget and recognition when compared to the latest form of advertising that is digital media (web) (Hooper, 2012).

Sources have also indicated the records that many of the readers and consumers still opt for print media advertisements placed in the newspapers and magazines. This is predominantly due to the reason that print ads provide them with the opportunity to gather and collect coupons in special editions. However, this is quiet not observed with the digital media ads, because for the cyber space, it becomes virtually difficult and complicated to emulate or duplicate the complete sets of ads and coupons that are offered in the special editions print media ads (Sandelin, 2012).

While digital media has become the prominent and widespread means of advertising and publishing news, yet the print media has an edge over it. This is explicated from the studies which represent the fact to the surface that the reader cannot live edit or revise the material in the print media. However, this is quite possible with the fact that any user (preferably the cyber hackers) can enter the website and can make live editions or revisions to the material that is already published. The cyber attackers make the digital media susceptible who can cripple the most relied and critical information (Ingersoll, 2012).

The print media still remains an active and dynamic medium for most of the readers in the European region. According to one of the survey studies, it has come to analysis that physical experience that comes from print media is more pleasant in comparison to the experience that emerge from the digital media. This noticeable expose the piece of information that physicality and tangibility is one of the essential and vital aspects when the reader's experienced is concerned (Jacqyeo, 2012).

The tangibility of the print media for the reader's experience is so substantial because it provides the consumers and readers with a comfortable environment and a feeling of ease in a way that they can hold and read through the printed copy of the magazine or newspaper. Moreover, exact path and location of the crucial information is easily traceable from the print media (physicality of the print ads or information) (Jacqyeo, 2012).

Nevertheless, the digital media (ads and information placed on web) are less insightful. This means that due to multiple links provided in one article, the users get easily distracted from the original article and gets them into a never ending cycle of articles. Even though the users have the option to navigate to the home page, yet it is more troublesome activity (Jacqyeo, 2012).

While looking at the other end of the spectrum, the widespread and prevailing consumption of internet in the today's fast paced technological advanced world has outshined the print media and made the digital media the core preference of most of the businesses. Ironically, the platform of internet has drastically altered the means and methods through which businesses used to advertise and promote their products and services. Due to this, more and more businesses are exclusively being dependent upon the internet with respect to their advertising needs. This impact has overall hampered the image of print media and left controversial arguments as a result, which proclaims the death of the print media (Biagi, 2011).

Increasing number of evidences are evolving that proves the fact that as the world of internet and digital media is rising at an accelerated pace, it is leaving harsh and deep impacts on the print media. The facts and figures undoubtedly exhibits that print media are not losing its combined readerships but also the advertisers to a great volume. The shocking facts also reveal that databases on internet are becoming the core choice of everyone (Biagi, 2011).

According to some schools of thoughts, the death and decline of print media initiated when the radio became popular and well-admired trend for advertising and promotion. In addition to the viewpoints of these people, the print media experienced a huge decline and death when the television came into existence. In light of this fact, from one of the empirical investigations, it has come to notice that the total readership of physical newspapers has dropped off to a significant proportion over the last couple of years. Quite in contradiction, other survey records highlight the statistical records that the readerships of few of the highly regarded newspapers have actually increased during the past decade (Sandelin, 2012).

Social media websites have become one of the most dominating and prevailing mediums in digital media that is extensively being used by increasing number of brands and businesses. One of the benefits that make the channel of social media a more effective one is its increased engagement with the consumers. This symbolizes the fact that consumers feel more engaged when they spot ads on the social media sites. Moreover, the consumers develop a sense of attachment through liking or being a member of the group. This is not at all possible with the print ads, as it cannot provide the consumers with this attachment or feeling of being a part of the group (Biagi, 2011).

It's not only the advertisements, but news content is also observed to be consumed more and more people over the internet and web. This is another aspect of internet that has transformed the form of advertisements. On an overall basis, from several studies, it has come to notice that the space for placing the ads or news (even archiving) is not a problem at all, which very much contrasting to the print media (Biagi, 2011).

Online news and advertisements has also become a popular mean for consumers because it facilitates the consumers with multi-media ads, video options for news and so forth. Additionally, it has also come to the surface from the investigations that the social media sites also posts photo galleries and highlights the lead stories to the consumers, which they can like and associate themselves with it. This clearly and obviously exhibit that the consumers nowadays have the option to view and read magazines with great writing and wonderful photography. Due to this increasing consumption of magazines over the internet, myriad new magazines have obtained the digital appearance (Carroll, 2010).

The quick and spontaneous feedbacks and responses are again considered as vital and critical aspects in the modern world of today. Virtually all the online magazines, news websites, and brands on the social media websites provide the consumers and readers with the option to instantaneously post their comments and feedbacks. Indeed, the responses from the consumers and readers are more often persuaded and promoted (Subrahmanyam & Smahel, 2010).

This constant feedback enables the consumers to get actively engaged with the brands, authors as well as other readers in a sustained discussion over the key concerns and issues. This is relatively not offered to such an extent as the readers are offered with a very small room for their feedbacks. In addition, it has also been observed more significantly that brands and newspapers also offer the members with the option to publish or broadcast their ideas (Subrahmanyam & Smahel, 2010).

The preference over the internet and World Wide Web has also been observed because the consumers and readers have the opportunity to keep themselves updated on every minute basis. This means that the information over the web is continuously updated that the users can access. However, taking the print media into consideration, the updated information on minute to minute basis is not possible, as the static piece of newspapers or other forms of print media is not published so frequently. This has become one of the integral factors that the users prefer to be online and make the most of the digital media (Biagi, 2011).

Another overwhelming element that has come to examination indicates that unfortunately the print media is dead because the people in the contemporary world have become price conscious, and according to numerous readers and consumers, online advertising and information is much more cost effective that the traditional print media. Due to this reason, increasing numbers of people are discontinuing their subscription from the print media (newspapers and magazines). Additionally, the lifestyle of the today's inhabitants have also changed to a huge degree due to which they are not able to take time to read the physical papers, magazines or books (Carroll, 2010).