That is the first image I will show my Columbia University students today as we discuss the role that print plays in a world where such large percentage of readers consume news and information via mobile devices. That sumes up how I see printed newspapers and magazines today.
Not likely to disappear, but playing a secondary role. Sort of The Supremes to Diana Ross—for those of a certain age to remember that group of talented singers with mega hits.
In fact, this is how I begin the chapter devoted to the subject of print in my last book, The Story:
Those dwindling young print readers
I have now taught my Columbia course, Multiplatform Design & Storytelling for 8 years. Each semester I meet fewer students that have any relation with print. These are 20-something journalism students, and you would expect a higher number of print devotees here, but that is not the case. They are very aware of the role that legacy plays for newspaper and magazine brands, but they themselves are not shy to confess that they read northing in print at all.
Yet, as I will remind the students today:
- Printed editions continue to be the “cash cows” for many editorial houses worldwide—especially in Asia and Latin America.
- Many of the editors they will work with as they graduate next month are the products of a print legacy. They still revere print and think in terms of a print product for the most.
- Smart editors explore print editions for what they can do best: large photos and illustration (see The New York Times below) s and more in depth pieces. Obviously, those who read in print do not come there for brief items and short reads. So, explore that platform for longer pieces, as we see here in these examples from the German financial daily, Handelsblatt:
- We are seeing more migration from digital design to print.
- Print edition editors are aware that many of the readers also read news on digital devices, therefore facilitating traveling between platforms. It is now common to see “refers” to mobile editions, videos that accompany stories and digital-only content, within print editions.
The takeaway:
Don’t give up on print. I am seeing a subtle but interesting return to poster pages in feature sections, more full page articles well illustrated and even an interest in print redesigns among my clients.
And if the Sunday print edition of The New York Times I have on my coffee table (below ) is an indication, with its 11 sections and a glossy magazine, I think there is still an audience that craves that combination of ink on paper. A good thing.
Our mobile storytelling workshops now available remotely
Professors: get your review version of The Story on time for fall classes
As an academic, I know the importance of having the right tools to advance our students, especially on the important subject of mobile storytelling. Please drop me an email if you would like to sample The Story in its digital edition: mario@garciamedia.com
Start writing or type / to choose a block
The full trilogy of The Story now available–3 books to guide you through a mobile first strategy. Whether you’re a reporter, editor, designer, publisher, corporate communicator, The Story is for you! https://amazon
TheMarioBlog post # 3309