The future of printed media

Printed media has future

With the advent of computers, mobiles and internet the communication speed has changed. Now we are in the immediacy era, where just a click can make all difference in to gain knowledge. Analysing an article from 1999, when the Internet was starting to become popular, The future of newspaper: survival or extinction? by George Thottam. As also, a more recent opinion to present the other side of this issue, a article from 2008, Human-Centric Design of Future Print Media by Risto Sarvas, Martti Mantyla and Marco Turpeinen. We will try to understand what has happened to the printed media and how is its current situation.

In the paper The future of newspaper: survival or extinction? , George Thottam argues about the decline of newspapers since the advent of “instant Medias”, such as Radio, TV and until the advent of the Internet. He tries to explain that the immediacy and interactivity are not part of the printed media. As well as He says that, increasingly, the newspaper would be migrating to the Web. He tries to claim that there is no future for printed media “the business models and journalistic practises inherited from the Gutenberg revolution are no longer valid today” [1]. However, he concludes that each media corresponds to different needs and different generations and “Newspaper must make sure that online technologies do not replace print or drive it to extinction” [2].

The other paper Human-Centric Design of Future Print Media, they bring the perspective of that papers is present in our everyday lives. People use paper and printing for all. They also explain how printed companies have to adapt their mode of production to the new digital era. For the authors, the paper has attributes that digital devices do not have. “paper is easily editable. Because it is a physical object, paper can be written on, folded, torn, and so on” [3].They also conclude that paper and printed will be always complement of digital media. “The paper and pulp industry should take an active role in reminding and promoting these qualities both to designers of future technologies and the consumers who take technologies into use”.[4].

According to what has been demonstrated in these two papers, I understand that the future of printed media is already being changed by technology. However, the printed media will not disappear, it should be working ever.

With the advent of technology, is true that many printed media have created their online version as well. It is a good sign for companies too, which now have two different audiences and segments. “Newspaper must take the challenge of online journalism and commercial Web sites seriously and immediately” [5]. They can explore the two areas in different ways. One will be for immediate news and support from various resources such as links, videos, audios and photos. The other one can work with more complex investigative reports. Where they can explore and is delving deeper into the theme chosen. They can explore and investigate deeper some topics like the way the magazines work. Other alternatives are also valid such some way that could involve the reader in the interactivity “visual codes embedded in magazines or newspapers to enhance the functionality of paper. A reader of newspaper could point her camera phone a visual code next to an article and receive a video newscast of the same article” [6]. I can conclude that there is ways for technology and papers are working together for a future printed media existence.

Reference

[1] Thottam, G. (1999). The future of newspaper: survival or extinction? Iona College. New York. Pag. 6

[2] Thottam, G. (1999). The future of newspaper: survival or extinction? Iona College. New York. Pag. 10

[3] Sarvas, R. Mantyla, M and Turpeinen, M. (2008). Human-Centric Design of Future Print Media. HIIT, Helsinki. Pag 4.

[4] Sarvas, R. Mantyla, M and Turpeinen, M. (2008). Human-Centric Design of Future Print Media. HIIT, Helsinki. Pag 5..

[5] Thottam, G. (1999). The future of newspaper: survival or extinction? Iona College. New York. Pag. 6.

[6] Sarvas, R. Mantyla, M and Turpeinen, M. (2008). Human-Centric Design of Future Print Media. HIIT, Helsinki. Pag 3.