by Lusanda Mjekula
People have always relied on print media for decades. Newspapers provide up-to-date reporting, business advertising, and happenings around the world. The newspaper industry has always been gradual. Also, its circulation has declined dramatically in recent years. But is print media dying? Do people have less interest in their surroundings and activities around the world? The response is no, people still want news, just as much, if not even more than they did 100 years ago.
Technology evolution appeared to be a good start for print media, but unfortunately, for many reasons, it does not come to close to the effect and connectivity of digital media. The problem began with the radio industry that dropped when the television emerged in the 1950s. Newspapers as well as magazines have adapted and developed to ensure that the print media is not fading. The Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) of South Africa conducted a study and confirmed that the newspaper circulation statistics for July-September 2017 had declined by 1.5 percent during the first quarter of the year. This report also confirmed that the newspaper circulation had dropped by 6% in 2016.
Additionally, there was a study that was conducted by ABC, ABC reported that the magazine sale figures dropped in Q4 of 2018 by 8.4%. This study also reported that there was a substantially poor shrinkage in magazine publications such as Marie Claire in South Africa and Destiny and Elle due to the insolvency of Ndalo Media. Also, the circulation of newspapers hasn’t well, this is according to the report by the ABC and, there is still a continuous decrease of 49% in circulation over the past decade as the Times newspaper is already withdrawn in print media and not to mention the growing concern that reporting has been reduced to tabloids, ensuring viewers that they must handle more fake news than ever before.
Reuters Institute Digital News conducted a study in 2019, the report confirmed that there’s a continuous decrease in the consumption of news in print media. South African consumers are more and more focused on digital media to get their news. In the 1990s, the very first hint of trouble became noticeable, if the classified section of newspapers had collapsed. During the olden days, weekend newspapers were as big as catalogs with advertisements, sale updates as well as pieces of property. The introduction of Gumtree, OLX and other online classified sites changed everything for the newspapers. From the mid-1990s to the early 2000s, there was already a lifeline. Some of the grocery shops such as Pick and Pay and Checkers to name a few still preferred newspapers.
It is also clear that digital media is even more user friendly and it allows people to engage, share and express their opinions much more. Most of the time, readers don’t have the patience to wait for a complete article, social media access makes it easier for those people who are dying to get news. However, it is more likely that the younger generation will move away from print media as this young generation prefers for instant news, connectivity as well as entertainment. Most young people have smartphones, and they are mostly likely to have social media platforms. Generally speaking, eye-catching images, combined with videos and captions draw and hold the interest of modern-day teenagers, even more than print media.
Social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and WhatsApp to name a few, are actively exchanging easily accessible pieces of information. Additionally, there is still a premium to pay for a newspaper compared to social media or digital media, while online news is free. There isn’t always easier access to newspapers, but there can always be access to a car radio, a cellphone, or even a laptop to get the latest news and necessary information such as maps, medical facilities as well restaurants guides. The big newspaper companies focus on the digital environment, there are others who largely depend on the print format. Digital journalism has changed the world of media. It helps readers to access information instantly.
News reporting in print is not fading away even though it can be called old school, but there is always news that can be published in print form as well as on magazines, there are still loyal clients that prefer newspapers. The local media environment is changing at a faster rate, it is important to take an approach of old-meets-new. Over 100 years ago, newspapers were the only source of news, therefore advertising in one made so much sense because this was the only way in which people could get information. However, people are continually looking for bigger and better, faster, and more relevant news at a lower rate.
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