In October 2012, we wrote about Newsweek’s decision to stop publishing a print edition: “Newsweek will soon no longer be available in print. This continues the trend of publishing in digital and E-reader formats. Some print publications have become too expensive to produce and distribute, and there is the problem of unsold copies. Add to that the declining interest of people in reading printed materials.”
So, it was a big surprise to see that there is now a new plan to revive Newsweek in print. Do YOU think this is a good decision?
As reported by Christine Haughney for the New York Times:
“Newsweek, the struggling weekly magazine that ceased print publication last year, plans to turn the presses back on. The magazine expects to begin a 64-page weekly edition in January or February, said Jim Impoco, Newsweek’s editor in chief. Mr. Impoco said in an interview that Newsweek would depend more heavily on subscribers than advertisers to pay its bills — and that readers would pay more than in the past. ‘It’s going to be a more subscription-based model, closer to what The Economist is compared to what Time magazine is,’ Mr. Impoco said. ‘We see it as a premium product, a boutique product.’”
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Nowadays with today’s technology and social media, it’s been getting harder for print media to sell their products. It’s not shocking that Newsweek would convert their magazine to an online source. I’ve had to do a presentation before about reasons why print media won’t die, but all the facts were in favor with reasons why it will die. Other than the fact that some readers may prefer a tangible paper or magazines, local magazines and newspapers are the only print media going strong. It could be a good decision for Newsday, but completely dropping physical copies isn’t the best, slowly dropping the amount of physical copies being printed is the way to go.
While we definitely live in an increasingly technological world, I think the saying “old habits die hard” may ring true here. While having a newspaper available online is definitely handy and will be utilized by a number of people, those who enjoyed the act of reading a tangible printed paper, probably just didnt drop this habit and refer to the website. Bringing back the printed version may attract back these types of readers who may have switched over to other papers when the printed additions were dropped.