The Virtual Future of Printed Media

Today is not the best time for printed press. It becomes obvious already that printed newspapers and magazines do not win the fight with online media. However, the traditional media will not disappear. It seems that printed publications will go through the process of digital transformation.

Photo: The Virtual Future of Printed Media

The Virtual Future of Printed Media

The Internet has become a very serious competition for the printed media. The crisis added more fuel to the fire when the demand on paper publications dropped considerably and advertisers turned to online media.

Experts say that many printed publication will have their digital versions in the future to give their audiences various multimedia functions. Rupert Murdoch tried to adjust the offline model of mass media to online publications. The media tycoon said in August 2009 that many websites of his numerous printed publications would have a paid subscription. However, it is obvious that the majority of Internet users will prefer the free content, and it is hard to image that they will have problems doing it.

News Corporation announced the 69-percent drop of its net profit in the third quarter of the financial year 2009-2010. The income of the company made up $8.8 billion, whereas the online income made up only $839 million. The release of James Cameron’s latest film, Avatar, brought the extra $2.7 billion to the company. To put it in a nutshell, the corporation still makes money with the use of traditional methods.

The future of glossy magazines can be very interesting. Wired, an American magazine, has unveiled an online version for Apple’s iPad and other similar multimedia devices. The presentation clearly said that the reign of paper in the world of mass media would soon end.

Playboy has recently come up with an idea to show naked ladies in 3D format. However, it is just an attempt to transfer new standards into outdated carriers. Glossy magazines will take a turn towards computer games as they gradually begin to simulate consumer reality, Forbes wrote.

Millions of people will soon replace their old phones with new devices, which incorporate the functions of telephones, computers and electronic notebooks.

Vitaly Salnik
Bigness

Read the original in Russian