by Will Emaus

Created on: October 06, 2009

I wouldn't argue that online publication is killing print publication, however online publication in some cases has become the primary tool to reach an audience with Print being a complimentary tool.

We really haven't reached the day yet where that is true in the majority of publication work but we are certainly on the path where online will lead and print will follow.

I know how to prepare materials for Print through engraving, through film and now computer. I used to be a Prepress supervisor managing highly skilled craftsmen who were terrified of a computer, now I'm a Premedia manager and 80% of the employees don't know how to prepare files in any way other than electronic.

The transition to electronic publishing came at the expense of the careers of many good people, people who in many cases fought the transition because of their personal stake. These battles could result in sabotage and even violence as we transformed into the digital age; a $30 an hour craftsman who's the best at what he does takes it pretty seriously when a 20 year-old suddenly walks in the door and knows how to do his job better and faster than he does...

Regardless of the cost, the transformation needed to happen and now has for most companies dealing with published materials. We needed to get into a position to service our customers no matter how they wanted their materials prepared, and we spent years making sure that colors were the same from Print to Screen or from Packaging to Files.

We did this of course because now the company that wants to advertise a purse wants to be able to use the same file for high end printing, for lower quality variable printing, in downloadable PDF files or in an online ad. Companies want everything they produce to be able to cross between a wide range of different types of media.

After preparation, there is really no skill remaining to create an online version of a publication vs. a print version. That work was done by all of the pioneers that did the work to synchronize file formats to cross media platforms. Today, 100 Helium articles could be compiled and transferred for Printing through scripts that are as simple as pushing a single button and then waiting for the printing plates to come out. And or course, the same holds true with bringing print ready materials online.

This is how companies reach the widest possible audience, and the same goes with publishing of books, magazines or newspapers. The market will bear out which percentage of products goes to an online audience or a print audience, as companies find more sophisticated means of generating income with the online versions of their products it becomes much easier to bring their services to market or make a change if you are doing it online. It simultaneously lowers the demand and urgency for the print versions of these same products.

Ultimately it usually won't be a matter of Online publication replacing Print however, Print will still exist as long as there is enough market left to support it but only as a complimentary product to the identical version that resides online...

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