Journalism, referred to as the 4th estate, is a spectrum that has been undergoing several radical changes and transformation. The evolution of journalism has been phenomenal, from written notices, gazettes to the journalism we see today which is technology – centric. We often hear the debate about whether Print Media will survive or will it stand strong? Will Digital news take over or will it co – exist with print? Can both the mediums survive equally? These are valid questions that determine the existence of journalism and people’s consumption of news and other information. In this blog, we intend to explore how Print and Online mediums can co – exist in hybrid formats and how they can be combined. Keep reading further to discover more.

Print Media and Its Future

As aforementioned, the debate about the existence of print media and if it will get overshadowed by digital mediums is an active one. Though it may seem like the decline of print media is near, the spectrum manages to survive and stay relevant even today. We’ll help you paint a picture in your mind: A person wakes up every day, has their coffee and waits for their morning newspaper. For them reading the newspaper is an integral part of their day. Skipping their daily reading session may even seem like dismantling their every day routine. Now, you might be wondering why we’re mentioning all of this, the point is to establish that print is relevant and is also important for a lot of people. The print medium isn’t limited to just newspapers; we have magazines, pamphlets, brochures, supplements, novels, poems, posters and much more. They are all here to stay.

Media in The Digital Era

News and information is more accessible than ever before. Which has its own pros and cons. Pros being; people are informed and aware, information that is important and crucial gets disseminated and shared easily, there are no barriers to being able to access news, it is mostly free of cost with social media and other digital mediums. The cons are: There is almost very little gatekeeping with regards to the truth and what isn’t the truth, People keep sharing and spreading fake information, literacy and being able to read isn’t considered much, biased and stereotypical reporting is still prevalent.

Combining Print and Digital Platforms

• A Personalized Approach

Combining and integrating both mediums helps you gain more insights about your audience’s preferences. You can use data and metrics from your online medium to cater to your audience’s choices and create print material accordingly. This increases engagement and would make more people want to access information regularly. Using a personal approach will also cater to high retention rates and make people feel important. As a media house or publication along with rating, you must also value your audience and readers.

• Building Presence Online

Online mediums have the scope to explore interaction and real – time feedback incorporation which may not be possible through print sources. Social media is a great tool for this purpose; with the use of videos, images, online polls, surveys and other interactive means you can garner traction to both online and offline sources of news. By staying consistent online, you can also assure great traction and attention for your print sources as well.

• Opting for Subscription Models

Ad – free and exclusive content can be offered using subscription models. With ad – revenue being mostly focussed on online platforms, monetization for print sources has become a challenge. You can advertise and promote subscriptions model options through online platforms and inform people about the availability of exclusive print content as well, be it magazines, newspapers or other supplemental sources.

• Integrating Interactive Techniques

Using the means of Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Reality to make reading news an interactive experience. You can embed and print QR codes in your print publications, codes when scanned can give your readers exclusive access to curated online content that either leads to a website or a social media page thereby guaranteeing traction. This ensures that both your publications, offline and online, remain active and equally relevant.

• Storytelling that is Collaborative

Now, publishing the same story in both offline and online platforms may not prove effective. It may result in dispersed and scattered readership. The idea is to create balance. If articles are published using print mediums, ad QR codes or details that mention the access to exclusive content, images and insider news, videos, podcasts, YouTube videos etc can be made available if people head over to your website or social media page. The same model would work best for moving attention towards print publications as well.

• Email Marketing

We all know what direct mail is and how we get our everyday newspapers and weekly magazines. Along with direct mail methods another aspect you can try is Email Marketing and Digital Newsletters. These can be subscription based or free monthly newsletters that summarize news that has been previously published for the month or a mini sneak – peek into exclusive contents. Email marketing content can be advertisements, an important message, directing attention towards print mediums, informing about the availability of print versions for people who prefer conventionally accessing news and other relevant information.

Conclusion

Combining and holding space for print media and digital mediums to co – exist is something that is extremely possible. Incorporating multi – channel campaigning, using hybrid methods to disseminate news and other information and understanding that one may not exist without the other can ensure seamless functioning of both the mediums, catering to various kinds of viewers, readers and general audience.

The biggest concern and challenge we face today is the issue of trust and credibility. Media houses and establishments must ensure fair and ethical practice of journalism without taking its users for granted. If a large part of the general public are skeptical, it may affect the overall view of journalism and mass Communication; leading people to believe that everything we see isn’t real but is fake. It is the duty and responsibility of the fourth estate to uphold journalistic values and code of conduct.

That being said, we do have media establishments that work towards the truth and what is just. Hopefully, the future holds more space for such ventures.

Read more about AAFT’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication.