It is no secret that printed press is starting to meet its demise as we continually immerse ourselves in this new digital age. The first newspaper was printed in 1704, in Boston. Where and when will the last one be printed?
The newspaper industry currently supports around 33,000 employees. However, trends have shown over a 10% decline in employment figures since 2009. In the United States, 69% of adults read newspaper media content in print or online in a typical week. With that being said, the mobile newspaper audience is growing fast. From 2011-2012 there was a 58% rise in the average audience that accessed news online.
This infographic states it clearly, people are moving towards digital outlets. Newspaper ad revenues declines by 8% in a year, while digital ad revenue grew by 20%. While it may be sad to see the traditional morning of sitting down, drinking a nice hot cup of coffee, and fanning open that big newspaper come to an end, it makes sense as to why the printed press is facing this decline.
The internet is a bigger, cheaper, and faster newsource. While you still have to pay for online newspaper subscriptions, it is more cost efficient than paying anywhere from $1-4 for a printed paper daily. There are also numerous sources that a reader can now access online. iPhones have an application tailored to finding news articles to your liking. Consumers would rather use the free access at the palm of their hand, instead of paying to carry around the physical copy.
While printed media is declining, journalism is still very much alive. People have continually increased more access to writing, and the ability to share their own opinions and piece. While the printed tradition is on a decline, the world of sharing news and writing is only becoming more widespread.
