After the proud reign of almost 560 years, print media is now facing its greatest challenge against modern technology for survival. Electronic media has lived for almost 50 years and now it seems confident enough to take over.
But surely it has still a long way to go before it surpasses its predecessor. By print media we mostly understand newspapers, magazines, hard copies of books and written or printed documents. On the other hand electronic media provides information through TV, radio and various online devices like Smartphone, tablet, computer etc. What makes print media most vulnerable against electronic media is time.It usually needs hours reach news to the readers through print media while electronic media may need only few seconds.
If needed, electronic media can even present live telecast of any event. Evidently print media is more cheap and suitable for poor people. On the other hand, electronic media can become Almighty’s boon if someone has the ability to use it. While print media requires a person to know how to read, electronic media can easily deliver information to an illiterate person.
Also electronic media is simpler to the people with seeing or hearing problems.Sensing possible threat from electronic news media prominent printed news media has also developed their own online versions. This strongly suggests the possible disappearance of printed edition of news media. Electronic devices now allow a user to carry millions of books, magazines and other reading articles with him as soft copies anytime and anywhere. Personal letters are getting replaced by mobile sms and emails.
Advertisers now are also eager to use electronic media than print media. Statistics shows that, the number of dailies published in United States has falling steadily.In 2011 there were 1,382 dailies on the market, down from 1,676 in 1985. Investment in newspaper advertising is also dwindling. According to eMarketer, it will amount to 16.
4 billion U. S. dollars in 2016, over 4 billion less than it did in 2011. On the other hand, the number of magazines illustrates a positive trend – in 2011 there were 7,179 periodicals available on the U. S.
market, up from 5,340 in 2002, even if it is not unimpeded growth. Advertisers will also cut their magazine spending much less than their newspaper spending. The difference in spending between 2011 and 2015 amounts to a mere 100 million U.S. dollars.
Surely electronic media provides a user with better services than print media. Well, it definitely shortens users’ instant privileges like-to use a newspaper as hand fan, a pot to keep snacks or tissue paper after reading. However, this isn’t a time to pick a “pixel vs. paper” fight, since electronic media is clinically depreciated because of its radiation threats to human brain and ocular system. Also there is evidence that, too much indulgence of TV, computer or other electronic devices affects psychological growth of children.Also recycling electronic media waste poses greater threat to the environment than recycling print media waste.
Business, government and society cannot afford to become dependent upon a digital media mono-culture anymore than it can afford to be solely dependent on fossil fuel energy. The fact is that neither print nor digital media supply chains are sustainable as currently configured. This is a time to call for transparency and truth in advertising. We need media that is greener, not media that just say its greener.
But the consumers are too much in love with digital media that are gradually approaching to the moment of kicking print media to the gutter. In distant future, maximum people will cease to use print media and generations are sure to come who will know print media only as fossils or relics preserved in museum. But electronic media might face trouble in far future if there’s any monopoly or colonization in energy business. Then there will raise a possibility of reinvention of print media or it will continue to co-exist with electronic media even in petty perspective with the help of enthusiastic patrons.
