Is Print Dead ?

Toronto – Ontario 

Print is not dead, the power of the printed word has decreased, but not vanished. This is probably one of my most favourite debates because there is so much at stake. Because of the internet, successful business models have crashed and burned, but innovative print organizations have come up with new ways to drive revenues and get creative. 

Firstly I think everyone knows why print is dying. The internet and smart phones have made access to information free, easy, more current and unfiltered. The information you would have typically read from a paper 20 years ago you can now get before you even walk to your front door to pick up the paper.

So let’s move onto the difficult part of the argument, why print is still alive. There are many answers, but three things to consider: the advertisers, the content, and the audience.

Advertisers need to reach as many people as possible, in the most effective means. While print is one of the most difficult mediums to create a measurable response from it also holds a very captive, targeted, and intelligent audience. Coupled with the correct content this creates a relevant mix for advertisers to consider. After haemorrhaging advertising dollars for years, the outflow has stabilized and money is now returning to the industry. Advertisers see value in a print product, because the audience is still there.  

It’s easy to see that people like tangible goods. Digital is great but it is not something you can touch or feel, an actual physical product that people can hold denotes ownership, which is appealing. Furthermore the print world has the advantage of curated and cultured content. The internet is a hot spot for trends and current events, while print products must differentiate from the internet by providing analysis and personality to articles.

If the quality of information remains high in print products there will always be an audience. After all it is not how much information you know, but the quality of WHAT you know. 

My predictions for the industry are that magazines will survive, but many newspapers will die out. There will be major consolidation within the newspaper industry leaving about 1-3 major newspapers per major city. While readership may decrease there will always be a baseline level, leaving room for only a few newspapers to survive. The ones with the most integrated media offering will be the winners, but they of course must have the content, advertisers, and audience to remain on top. 

What Happens When You Don’t Post In Awhile

It’s been a long time since a post has been made on this site, for that I apologize. It was a busy summer and winter, but now it seems about time revive this blog with some interesting updates and progressions over the past couple of months and future ones to come.

The posts on this site will be short and sweet, hopefully more frequent and I’m predicting they’ll be based on personal experience, or made up – just so they are more interesting.

Whats up World !?!

Dear Readers,

At this point I’m not sure if I have any readers- or if I ever will, but I would like to welcome you to my very own and personal blog!  The main goal of this blog is to focus on recent trends and issues in business and economics, and also to track my personal progress in the business world as I transition from student to professional

Recently as a result of “hard economic times” I decided I would hit the books…again.  That’s right, I finished my undergrad in political science after which I did some English teaching and writing in Brazil, and then worked at a law office for a year.  Needless to say, both were great learning experiences but I enjoyed one much more than the other, and I don’t think it takes a genius to figure out which one.

I decided that I didn’t have enough work experience under my belt for an MBA and thought I should get a practical post-graduate degree in marketing.  When I began my program I was struck by the amount of students that were in a position similar to mine; recently graduated, dis-enchanted by their first job, or simply out of work because of the struggling economy. I always thought I was the only one!

This blog was created for a number of reasons. I thought it would be interesting to write about current events in the business world to see if I could offer a perspective that people found interesting and also as a barometer for new entrants to the business world.  As I eluded to earlier, there are a number of people in a similar position to me, seeking a better career in a business climate that is more competitive and uncertain.  I thought it would be interesting to keep track of my progress so those in a similar position could relate, offer tips or…perhaps…maybe even learn something.

Now that I got that out of the way, I would like to thank you for taking the time to read my blog and pay a visit. I look forward to putting some ink on the paper and some words on the screen for those who got the time and the patience.

Cheers for now,

Martin Kay