With the internet and the growing digital age, many industries have had to adapt to survive. With movies, music, print media, and even gambling industries coming under strain with digital companies taking their place.
It wasn’t so long ago that to place a bet, for instance, you would need to visit a sports bookies to find out the latest horse racing odds, but now we can find all the odds, from cycling odds to football game odds, at online sports bookies, where we can place bets in just a click.
With the access that we have now to news and other events, you would think that newspapers would have disappeared. However, newspapers and other printed media still have a place in the digital age. They need to adapt and change and look at using a mix of printed and digital content.
Will Newspapers Become Extinct?
As the digital age progresses, printed newspapers could become outdated, which is what many people think. However, newspapers have shown resilience through the digital age and don’t appear to be going anywhere anytime soon. Even though more people prefer to get their news online, newspapers still hold a place in the market for various reasons.
Printed Newspapers are Slow, but it is a Habit
With the onset of digital media, news and events are available to us almost instantly. News and other events are distributed online as soon as something happens, which makes printed newspapers that get their headlines the next day too slow.
However, humans are creatures of habit and those that grew up buying the morning newspaper or having it delivered each morning find this habit hard to give up. Not only are we serving our habits, but traditional newspapers are more than just news as they include games like crosswords that complement the daily routines of many.
There is More Online, but It Can Be Time-Consuming
The internet can produce and broadcast a considerable quantity and variety of news quickly, but it can become a mind field with so much information at the touch of a button. Printed newspapers are far more organized than their online counterparts.
It can take numerous attempts online to find what you’re looking for, and there is no guarantee that you will even find it.
Printed newspapers are divided into sections including sports, current events, classified, and other such things. Without having to go through potentially hundreds of results, newspaper readers can quickly turn the pages to what they are looking for.
A Trusted Source of Information
‘Fake news’ is becoming all too common across digital platforms. Readers are doubtful of what they read online and far more trust what they read in a newspaper compared to online.
Printed newspapers are still considered a true and accurate source of information, compared to the internet, with journalists offering insightful pieces and less misinformation.
A Digital Overload
The digital age has also bought an information overload. There is so much floating around that users’ attention span is decreasing. This is especially true in terms of advertising.
Many advertisers prefer print ads as newspapers retain readers’ attention more than online platforms.
On top of this, we are facing a connected world where notifications are constantly bombarding us from apps, social media platforms, subscriptions, and digital marketing ads. This constant bombardment leaves many people stressed and anxiety-ridden, which has led to digital detox. Printed media and newspapers offer the perfect escape from the digital world.
Printed newspapers provide other benefits that shouldn’t go unnoticed.
- Affordable and readily available – not everyone has access to wi-fi and the internet, so they rely on newspapers to find the latest news.
- Leisurely Relaxation – reading the newspaper over breakfast is a leisurely pastime that mature readers still prefer.
- Easier on the Eyes – printed text is easier on the eyes than LED screens which often strain the eyes.
Can Printed Newspapers Survive the Digital Age
Printed newspapers are still staying around for a few years, but to survive the digital age, they will need to diversify, and journalists must adjust to mass broadcast formats.
Many traditional newspapers have embraced the digital trend with a hybrid model that combines printed and online editions. They offer subscription models that create multiple revenue sources.
These subscriptions see newspapers charging for online content. They may charge for all the content or part of it. They may also charge for inbox deliveries of the latest news and events.
Newspapers are thought to be old school by the newer generation, but they are still relevant today and aren’t likely to be going anywhere in the next few years. In our daily lives, newspapers provide trusted information, are easy to use, and are accessible. However, printed newspapers must adapt to keep up with changing digital trends.