A TSF reader recently posted this comment: "People still read newspapers? When are you people going to learn?"
Wayne Janes, a Toronto Sun vet, replied: "Give me a break! Look around you. Swallow a little of that arrogance. Anybody who thinks newspapers are dead just isn't paying attention."
Hear, hear.
In the rush to the Internet, younger people and some media conglomerates have lost sight of the wants of baby boomers, a post-WW2 generation raised on print and set in their reading habits.
If you want to talk demographics, in 2009 more than 40% of Canada's working population were baby boomers aged 45 to 64.
The other 2009 stats were 30.1% for the 30 to 44 age group, and 29.5% for the 15 to 29 group.
So call baby boomers the print generation. When they all move on and the post-home computer generation represents the majority, print might very well die.
But until then, respect the wishes of your elders - and the majority.
Media conglomerates want newspaper readers to switch to the Internet to improve the bottom line, not for reasons based on the demands of readers.
The need to read should not be impeded by greed.
Decimating print newspapers to force readers - and advertisers - to switch to the Internet isn't good business.
It just opens the doors to print-minded independent dailies and weeklies, run by newspaper people who are quite aware of the baby boomer stats.
I find it interesting that the TSF poster decided to post that message here. This is a focused blog site and the topics deal mostly with print newspapers and the print newspaper business.
ReplyDeleteStill, I'll take the bait and answer the question.
"People still read newspapers?"
Yes they do. Even if you read a newspaper online, you're still reading a newspaper. Newspapers - print or online - are still a major source of news for many. We live in a society that wants more, not less. If you gave people the option of print and online or just one or the other, a large majority would say give us both.
"Decimating print newspapers to force readers - and advertisers - to switch to the Internet isn't good business."
Agreed.
I don't think print will ever totally die. I'm in my 20s and I would much rather read a newspaper or magazine than read articles on the internet. It may not be the top seller like it once was, but there will always be typography nerds and design geeks who need to see a good layout every day/week.
ReplyDelete"need to see a good layout every day/week."
ReplyDeleteThen no need to read any Quebecor product courtesy of the Centres of Excellence.