Media Debate: Is print media going into extinction?

There was this rumour some time back that with the advent of social media, print media was heading for the gallows. So we sought the views of some people in the media with the question, “Is print media going into extinction?”

Francis Abban, News Anchor and Journalist, Joy FM

I think print risks extinction but it all depends on what the industry players make of the current situation. The new media is ripping the traditional media to shreds but other media are roping it in and making new products with it. A typical example is how radio and TV programmes turn the social media into an interactive segment in their shows.  Print newspapers like the New York Times and the Guardian Newspaper have found it prudent to build web portals and social media feeds that still keep the readership and market share intact. Unfortunately, in Ghana, only Daily Graphic and Daily Guide newspapers have a vibrant up-to-minute updated websites which also promotes content in their newspaper. 

There is a possibility of extinction if industry players do not reposition and turn the threat into another lucrative opportunity.

Michael Thompson, Aviator/ Writer      

In a technologically advancing world, audiences are seeking more video content in addition to their news. Newspapers like the Chicago Sun -Times are shifting towards more video and other multi-media items based on audience research and analyses.

With the proliferation of reading devices such as kindle and various apps on mobile phones, it is evident that print media would gradually fizzle out within the next five to ten years.

However, it must be noted that there is so much print media in advanced countries even though there is easy access to electronic media devices. This might be due to advertisements and the conservative nature of hard-copy newspaper and magazine readers.

Felix Baidoo, Student / Journalist Greenwich University - UK

To start with, I would say that social media has changed the way people the world over access information.

It can be observed that major news outlets are now developing social media apps, social media pages, etc., to be in sync with the changing times because of the decline in subscriptions or purchases.

Millennial now access information more from social media sources than through newspapers, but the same can't be said of the 50's and 60's generation who are more comfortable reading from the newspapers, though some prefer to use a combination of the two.

In an era that is focusing more on a paperless society, I would have to agree that print media is dying slowly and the next decade or two might see a full extinction or a combination of both social media and print, with more focus being given to new media.

Bernard, Journalist

In this part of our world, print media cannot be said to be going into extinction, but it doesn’t mean it won’t happen. New York Times, the Washington post and several others, including popular magazines have reduced their print runs per publication. In December 2012, Newsweek, the second biggest magazine in the USA ceased publication in print and went digital. It wasn’t until March 2014 that it started printing out again, but with reduced copies. This goes to show the future is online.

There are several online media outlets that were never in print and the trend is fast catching up in Ghana. In Ghana, some of the biggest news portals including Ghanaweb, myjoyonline, and modernghana are getting increased viewership by the minute.

With internet access increasing in sub Saharan Africa, more people will be going online for the information they want, thereby reducing the influence of newspapers and sending them into extinction, maybe in half a century or a century.