When cassette tapes or Walkmans made way to portable CD players in the 90s, nobody cried “music is dead.”
The content remained. Major music artists did exactly what they were accustomed to doing, except no longer supplied their music in the now-redundant cassette format, but the new, improved CD format.
With the greatest amount of respect to my many colleagues in the field, I really do feel that repeatedly attempting to answer the question “is print dead?” is a purposeless discussion around the format (printed on a paper derived from a tree) as opposed to the content (the quality of which remains whether printed or delivered electronically).
attempting to answer the question “is print dead?” is a purposeless discussion around the format as opposed to the content
In my home market, South Africa, almost every single major newspaper and news broadcaster has already successfully provided their entire service to consumers in a digital format. Frankly, at first, some of them were a bit lacking in layout and design but, after presumably downloading a good WordPress template or two, they all stand up to global standards.
Many magazines have struggled with the transition. A struggle, I believe, which is due not to the lack of a shiny cover but an inherent and long-standing problem with the content. Those who have been able to make the transition (and there are good examples particularly those who have found their bite-sized content is actually better-suited to social media posts as opposed to blog entries) have succeeded with not only a better, newer format, but also attracted new consumers and new territories.
It is reported by the various paper pulp industry associations in South Africa that we produce 316,000 tonnes of newsprint each year (and that’s just for newspapers). At an industry estimate of 12 trees per tonne of newsprint, that means we are cutting down almost 4 million trees a year. Surely in our twenty-first century understanding of our fragile and precious environment, this cannot continue for much longer.
we cut down 4 million trees a year in South Africa just to provide the paper for newsprint
Records were replaced by cassettes, then CDs, then MP3s, and now streaming services. Printed newspapers and magazines are being replaced by online news and online magazine services. Books by tablets. Houses lost the TV aerials and replaced them with satellite dishes – these too will be taken down as everyone finds it easier just to stream the same content from the same provider through the internet. Telephone wires above-ground have disappeared as fibre has burrowed under our streets.
Just as the photographic-film makers who thought they were providing film, rather than helping people store memories, ceased to be, media businesses who think the purpose of media is to sell ads, will crumble too.
media businesses who think the purpose of media is to sell ads, will crumble
Successful content providers will easily transition to new formats and consumers who love that content will pay for that content, whether through superbly-targeted and relevant advertising, offering up their data, or paying good-old subscription fees.
Infographic: Profile of Internet users in South Africa – debunking misconceptions
A common misconception amongst marketers is around the ages, race, and income level of people using the Internet in South Africa.
Infographic: Debunking marketer’s misconceptions about race profiles of media consumption in South Africa
It’s quite common that many of us (myself included) have certain perceptions of ‘white’ magazines and ‘black’ radio stations.
Infographic: The Marketer’s Guide to SA Travellers
Australians, New Zealanders and Germans are thought of to be well-travelled. Americans not so much. What about South Africans?
Err, no, not quite. The best chance of saving trees is actually to encourage the use of paper. You see, the forestry folk plant new trees,greatly in excess of what they harvest each year. To allow for sustainable growth in their business you understand. Stop using paper and there is a huge risk that the land producing this carbon burning, oxygen emitting resource will be utilized by another farming product like, say, methane farting cattle, in the landowners bid to remain profitable. I do agree with the other part of your piece though. Content always has been, and always will be, king. Publishing 101. The bit about transitioning a millennial audience, used to free content, ‘easily’ through a paywall remains a challenge to all publishers around the world.
Hi Andy. Thanks for raising that point about the forestry industry’s important role in planting new trees. Great to get the insight. Regards, Ross
I believe that paper based publications is most definitely not redundant. Digital based publishing generally is done with a limited amount of copy – i.e. short reads, where as paper based content is more in-depth. I think one must understand that a paper based format is generally a leisure read, done at home or when people have the time to read the article. Also reading a 1000 word article on a handset or a tablet is just not practical.
I think the real confusion comes in is when we try to compare digital usage which is primarily used for social media, texting and communications, with reading. Books are most definitely not redundant. Sure a fair amount of content is read via the web but generally for information purposes, where as paper based content is read, for the joy of reading a well written story.
Hi JL. I fully grant that a common problem of a futurist attitude (I suppose much like my new MacBook which doesn’t have any ports except something called a “USB C” which connects to nothing yet invented) is that it can sometimes look forward without fully taking cognisance of the present. So thanks for your fair comment. Printed paper books definitely aren’t dead, indeed, yet. I would add, however, that I respectfully hold my opinion that in 200 years’ time we won’t be cutting down trees to read printed matter. I emailed you a really interesting article from the Telegraph (incidentally read on iPad) recently agreeing how so many people are chucking away their Kindles et al in favour of the good-old printed book. RS x