Essay - First Draft

What is the role of print media in the digital age?

Since Gutenberg’s 15th Century printing press, information such as news, education and entertainment could be shared in the form of books, magazines and newspapers to create a mass print culture. However, since the 1970s, the way information is distributed has been changing, predominantly due to the PC and internet as they provides us with the ability to share and create digital information freely and quickly. As a result, people are becoming more dependant on technology such as mobile phones, tablets and computers due to the functionality and availability of information. I aim to explore how the digital age is effecting the role of print media, predominantly magazines and newspapers, to see what its purpose is now and in the future.

The digital age has allowed magazines, newspapers and books to be published online as eBooks, making the information cheaper and more efficient to share worldwide because there are no charges for materials such as ink and extra chargers for stock quality. It is clear that editors are having to adapt to the new forms of information as there is a demand for online content. People would rather use online publications instead of print because all the information is in one place. Andrew Tuck is the founding editor of the leading current affairs, business and design magazine; Monocle. He stated that this year they print 81,200 issues per month, yet 800,000 people listen, watch and read the information on their website each month. It begs the question, why go through all the effort of publishing a physical magazine when it can be posted online, to anyone and everyone for free? Grashina Gablemann, an editor in chief for Flaneur Magazine coined the lexis ‘unprintables’ as a section of the magazine’s website devoted to visual information that can not be transferred into print, for example videos and music. This gives the opportunity to choose what information is appropriate for print and digital media. James Fairbank, head of Central & Brand Marketing for Rapha Magazine comments on how Rapha online is about immediate information, where as the purpose of print is to provide detailed information and quality. Scott Dadich, chief editor for WIRED, revealed 70% (30 million) of readership was online so they decided to spend more time designing a website that was suitable to work on a phone screen, instead of Mac, because people access the information on the move. Publications such as The Guardian, The Times and Vogue are adapting so that consumers can pay for a digital representation of the publication. The content is the same, however the digital capacity allows videos and high quality images to accompany the information. 

People are becoming concerned as to what will happen to print. Ruth Jamieson (page 7) states that ‘since the early 1990s, we’ve said goodbye to many of the magazines that once defined our newsstands.’ Newspapers such as New York magazine now print fortnightly, instead of weekly to save money. Many critics, including Jamieson, believe that this is because of the digital age. It is easy to give up on print media, however, there are many reasons why print is just as important as digital media, and in some cases better.

The relationship between print media and the digital age is merging, however print media still has a part to play. It can be argued that the digital information provided does not impact the audience as much as a tactile, physical publication. According to Scientific America, ‘Since at least the 1980s researchers in many different fields—including psychology, computer engineering, and library and information science—have investigated such questions in more than one hundred published studies.’ Most studies concluded that people read slower, less accurately and less comprehensively on screens than on paper. In the US, eBooks make up between 15 to 20 percent of literature sales. Carlos Perez, Associate Creative Director for Beasley Direct Marketing, believes that in todays digital world, print media is more rewarding and effective, compared to digital. He believes that physical manipulations, such as scrolling, distracts the focus, ‘Multimedia features, such as links, videos, and animations, tend to distract and also leave little room for imagination to come into play.’ Print media such as a book, piece of art or formal publication is all relevant to the article, and as a result, people spend longer reading it. Paper books are physical, which means the audience can see where the book begins and ends, allowing them to judge the novel/information as a journey. 

Due to the sheer amount of content online, simply owning printed media such as books, magazines and artwork gives people a sense of ownership and uniqueness. Anyone can post an article or piece of design/art online, for example Wikipedia, so the information may not be trustworthy. Print media is honest; book publishers are strict with content, making sure information is accurate and often in more detail which makes it trustworthy. People like to own a limited edition magazine or artwork and sometimes even newspapers if it is a significant day. There is a guarantee that nothing will change, it is timeless. The internet can be manipulated as it isn’t in the audiences control. The smell of the pages and feel of the paper is tactile which is why printed media is more expensive than viewing free information online. The audience is paying for a personal experience with the media. It is their responsibility to keep the copy, look after it, lend it, borrow it or throw it away. Print media can bring people together as second hand book shops are becoming more popular, they allows people to share stories, articles and news with people without having to worry about battery life, screen brightness or pixel quality. Book clubs and print fares also give people the opportunity to share there opinions, creativity and stories. The digital age facilitates the reproduction but has no surface texture or realistic scale.

Private Eye is the UK's number one best-selling news and current affairs magazine, edited by Ian Hislop. The magazines content offers social and political observations presented as humorous cartoons. Published fortnightly, the magazine has over 700,000 readers but have recently began to put some of each issue online for free. Hislop believes that in order for the magazine to stay running they can post a flavour of the content online, enticing customers for more subscribers/buyers. As a result, in 2000, the magazine grew by 40,000 buyers. Hislop believed that magazines and newspapers are, ‘giving away what they had for free, not gaining any readers through it, but actually losing them.’ This attitude to print media is refreshing in the digital age, people will still buy print media for the enjoyment of having a tactile publication and having all of the information available. Having a printed publication opens the opportunity for more people to browse through it because it isn’t hidden behind a screen. For example, seeing a copy of Private Eye in a cafe or waiting room is available for anyone to pick up and read.

The huge volume of digital information available such as music and art begs the question; why choose printed media? Pressing vinyl into records has almost been abolished due to digital streaming and download sites such as iTunes and Spotify having millions of songs available in the same place, at your finger tips. However, according to the BPI (Bristish Phonographic Industry), during the first half of 2015, sales in vinyl increased by 56%. According to MusicWatch, half of vinyl buyers are under 25 years of age. This is a surprise to me because that generation has grown up in a digital age. As a response to this, Geoff Taylor, chief executive at BPI stated, ‘many fans are rediscovering the slower pleasure of collecting and owning music on CD and vinyl.’ Digital media is available at the touch of a button, whether that’s music, news, art or books, but it isn’t physically owned by them and anyone can access it. Like vinyl, people will always buy print media because of the sense of ownership. 

Marketing and advertising uses print media because of its tangibility. Having the publication in your hand, whether that’s a business card or leaflet, triggers senses because of the feel and smell of the material. The thickness and surface texture of the paper can help a person gain their own opinion, stimulating a sensory media experience. Martin Lindstrom, writer of Brand Sense, says that when brands appeal to more than three senses, advertising effectiveness will increase by 70%. Digital advertising is an inconvenience as the audience doesn't have a choice whether they want to watch it or not and it will be harder to trigger senses to make an impression on them. Jamieson believes that the reason for the downfall of print media, such as magazines, is because of advertising. Before the digital age, magazines incorporated businesses into their readership, charging the businesses money. As a result, the magazine didn’t just have to rely upon consumers. However, businesses are moving to digital resources such as the internet to advertise, leaving only indies to survive as they are funded by loyal followers. (page 7) ‘First, instead of moaning about the internet moving their cheese, these magazines look for ways to use digital media to their advantage.’ The internet is full of businesses and organisations battling for customers which is why magazines use it to find printers, buyers and suppliers. 

Event posters for music, film and theatre are displayed all around cities to advertise and raise awareness. The posters become layered over the top of each other, creating a collage of texture, colour and shape. There is evidence of people trying to tear off the posters for themselves, creating even more diverse, tactile textures and bringing people together. The printed posters grasp the attention of the public on a more personal and memorable level, compared to seeing an  advertisement on a screen. 

QR codes have been developed like a barcode. A phone/tablet can scan it to reveal an 3D image or send the audience to a website link. This is an example of how printed media and the digital age can work together. Magazines can use these QR codes for support on ‘unprintables’ which will encourage more people to buy the printed magazine. I believe print media and digital technology should work together to benefit the audiences experience by using the most appropriate method of presentation for the content. QR codes provide the opportunity to do this. 

Print media is often used to support digital media such as film and even theatre. Programs and leaflets inform the audience on a personal level, providing information related to the subject, such as the actors and storyline. Although buying a program isn’t compulsory and the information will be available online, a lot of people like to have a publication with all the information in one place. The information is accurate and often presented in an appropriate publication. Ownership allows the audience to decide whether they want to keep the publication as a memory. Having digital media and print media combined in the same context benefits the audiences overall experience due to the balance of tactile print and digital media. 

Walter Benjamin, a German philosopher and author of The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction believes that in relation to early printing methods, ‘even the most perfect reproduction of a work of art is lacking in one element: its presence in time and space, its unique existence at the place where it happens to be.’ Benjamin coined the lexis ‘aura’ to describe the genius, creativity, eternal value and tradition of fine art. For example, William Homan Hunt’s ‘The Finding of the Saviour in the Temple’, 1860: 

Oil paintings such as this were considered fine art, created by skilled practitioners to get a realistic outcome, often under the theme of religion or empowerment. However, the invention of the printing press facilitated reproduction, allowing countless prints of the exact same image to be made. During 1867, Auguste Blanchard used printing techniques to reproduce the oil painting: 

Reproducing a piece of art creates more money for the owner and provides the opportunity for anyone to own it. However, Benjamin believed the reproduction of art desensitises the craftsmanship and uniqueness as it is no longer bespoke. Personally, I believe Benjamin’s ‘aura’ can be re-conceptualised towards media on the internet as digital representations of fine art or publications can’t be owned or touched, taking away the ‘aura’. The printing press created a mass print culture and even today print media provides the opportunity to facilitate art and design, making priceless pieces of art available for the masses. The Mona Lisa is a prime example of how print media can bring priceless art to the masses as it is a cheaper and accurate alternative. It’s reproduction for posters, T-shirts and even pencil cases has made the historical painting even more iconic and could even be argued to be part of the Pop Art movement. 

Digital media is limited by many variables that print media can easily overcome. Technology makes consumers pay for the device, often an internet connection and then a digital representation of print media. This is a lot of money, considering a physical copy of a book is just a fraction of the price. Print media isn’t limited by technology as screen and pixel size aren’t relied upon for a quality finish. There is a lot more freedom when working with print media because the size and colour of the composition doesn't have to be limited and confined inside a screen, for example a reproduction of a Jackson Pollock piece could be printed on any scale, even the original size. Phone, computer and tablet screens aren’t capable of this.

Print media has a future in the digital age due to editors such as Gablemann selecting the most appropriate media for the information. Print media can not hide from the digital world which is why QR codes can be taken forward into all types of print media as the consumer will buy the magazine for the printed content and also scan the code for ‘unprintables’. Private Eye’s business plan is relevant for the magazine to make money and I like how they provide a limited amount of content online to encourage people to buy the printed publication and have all the information. Personally I believe a sense of ownership is the primary reason why people still buy print media as it is tactile and can be kept forever. The digital age has provided more opportunity for new media such as videos, podcasts and eBooks/magazines to be available for the masses but I still believe print media has an aesthetic purpose that digital media can’t replicate.