Survival of Print Media in Electronic Era

Survival of Print Media in Electronic Era 

Introduction

•  Marshell Mcluhan, a Canadian scholar, had predicted the death of print media by the end of 20th century. Unfortunately for him, he was proved wrong.
•  Even with the emergence of Electronic Media, in the form of Radio and T.V., Print media has been able to hold its own in the world of Media and Advertising.
•  For years Print media was the only media available in India. At that time options were limited and print was single most dominant option.
• After 1991, with the growing options in media, the value of print as a medium started to re-emerge significantly. Print utilized technology to their advantage by bringing in glossy printing, innovations in print, multiple editions and geographical flexibility. All of this contributed in print media being dominant again.
• This to a large extent changed in the 21st century with coming of electronic media in the form of T.V. and Internet.
•  Will print media be able to survive and fight back or will the new and improved electronic media act as a silent killer? These are some of the questions that we will try to attempt and throw light as we move along.

Question 1

Identify the threats that have come to play against the print media in recent times and make an assessment of the advantages of new media in terms of impact and audience acceptance. 

Do you see any immediate danger of the print media going obsolete?    

Threats

• Never take the readers for granted, it is a challenge to retain the    readers.
• Literacy is a requirement.
• Newspaper can no longer attract readers by headlining the latest spot news when was compared to breaking news. 24 hour news channels are major threats.
• Print medium reaches out to only 35% for adults whereas the overall adult literacy rate is 65%.
• The share of advertisements revenue if Indian print media has shrunk from 75% to 46% in last ten years.
• Visuals have a bigger impact.
• Electronic media has coverage throughout the country unlike print media

Advantages of Electronic Media

1. In medium like T.V./Radio literacy rate is not required to understand message.

2. 24 hours news channel attract wider audience and have a greater impact.

3. T.V. ads are more exciting to watch and read than the newspaper ads.

4. Print is the power of languages words whereas T.V. speaks in action which are indeed louder than words.

5. New media has an unpredicted impact on education. Information in the remotest corner of the world can be gathered at the 

click of mouse.

6. Electronic medium is a more powerful medium of

expression and it has a wide range of

coverage throughout the country.    

PRINT OBSOLETE?

• Indian newspaper industry turnover is expected to touch
• 13500 crores.
• 231 million copies are circulated all over the country,
• published in 16 languages.
• Print media accounts for 48% of the 132000 crores
• advertising industry.

There is a huge growth potential as print medium reaches 35% of adults whereas overall adult literacy rate is 65%

                                                                  Print is here to stay

1.For encouraging growth of print media, the government has recently allowed FDI’s upto 26% in Indian entities.

2. New media will have an effect on the sales of the print but it can never substitute print.

3. Print is more than just than medium. Newspaper reading is routine, custom, tradition and an age old habit.

4. Newspapers are evolving and becoming dynamic to cater to each and every indivisual area.

                                   Question 2   

Discuss how the print industry has been able to survive by bringing about far-reaching changes content as well as overall images. Can the print media continue to exist without being reduced to entertainment journals or advertisement handouts? 

Major changes in the content of the newspaper

1.More and more newspapers are now being written in Indian languages.

2. It caters to everyone with news from politics to health, fashions, lifestyle, sports, business etc.

3. It is a source of information as well as a source of infotainment.

4. Major changes have come about in writing patterns.

5. Introduction of more and more supplements.     

Changes in the ‘Feel’ and ‘Look’ of the paper

1.Introduction of the colored pages.

2.Reduction in the size of the newspaper.

3.Quality of production.

4.Segmentation of every area.

5.Better look and better presentation.

6.Introduction of online newspapers.

Entertainment Journals

1.Delhi Times

2.Times Ascent

3.What’s Hot?

4.Sunday Magazine

5.Young World

 

Advertisements handouts

1.Pamphlets- coaching classes etc.

2.Offers at different chain stores.

3.Advertising in the newspapers. 

Question 3

 Does the newspaper(as well as other forms of print media) enjoy any significant strength to convey advertising messages than by Radio or TV? 

Examine this aspect with total perspective about he relevant issues.  

Print Advertising

1. Depends on space (area, width and length) which in turn decides the cost of an advertisement.

2. Print advertisements is able to accommodate. 

Advantages of Print Media

• Flexible/portable- one can carry it around everywhere.
• Comprehensive knowledge of the product and the message is direct in print.
• Informative advertising, especially to educated people. 
• For eg, spreading awareness about polio, leprosy, aids etc. 
• Good local market coverage. For eg, sales at ebony or a website.
• It is still the dignitaries preference.

•    Broad acceptance and high believability. Daily newspaper reach over      231 million people according to NRS 2006.
• High geographic to high demographic selectivity, credibility and prestige.
• Low cost production as compared to TV advertisements.
• Full control and one can dramatise message specially in brochures.

Disadvantages of Print Media

1. Not as interactive as TV advertisements.

2. Poor reproduction quality in newspapers.

3. Indirect advertising. For eg, massage parlour, phone friendship.

4. Does not work for illiterates as the overall adult literacy rate in the country 

stands at 

65%.

Electronic Advertising

1. New media works on time duration.

2. The biggest challenge is to clearly 

convey the message regarding the 

product within a restricted time frame. 

3. It is costlier form of advertising 

compared to print advertisements. For eg, 

an advertisement can cost upto 5 lacks 

during peak time.

Advantages of Electronic Media

vAppealing to the senses, combines sound 

and motion

vHigh attention and entertaining

vBeneficial for a new advertiser

vRetainable, for eg, hutch, happy dent, 

fevicol

vHigh revenue. 

Disadvantages of 

Electronic Media

ØSky rocketing price of products

ØCluster of advertisements

ØNumber of TV advertisements 

increased from 86000 to 

260000

ØTime constraint

ØIndirect advertising

Conclusion

•According the presentation, it 

would be fair to say that Print and

 Electronic Media are equally 

important to the world of 

advertising.

•Thus, in the current scenario of 

advertising and media it would 

not be fair to sat that the “Pen is 

still Mightier” nor would it be 

fair to say that “Electronic Media is 

Mightier”

•But yes with the advent of 

Electronic Media, Print media h

as lost its aura of omnipotence and 

it has lost a big chunk of 

revenue as well.

•Even with these changes the two

 are actually on a level playing 

field.