by Wayne Ramsey

Created on: March 19, 2007   Last Updated: October 19, 2010

Print journalism has been drastically changed over the last decade.  With the increase in the number of homes that now have the internet and the ease at which information is now obtained, the need for print journalism has gone down considerably.  Many newspapers are now merging together to cut costs and have reduced many of their features in order to stay afloat.  With the need for consumers to be informed faster than ever before it seems that print media is beginning to look like the dinosaur of information.

Really understanding the issue with the shrinking consumer base means that the type of consumer in the current world needs to be evaluated.  Consumers aren't nearly the same as they were even a decade ago.  With the major changes to how people function on a day to day basis, information needs have changed as well.  Knowing how to reach users has become the major challenge for print media and is one that continues to be an ongoing battle.

When looking at the problem it is important to look at the big picture and the big picture is an ugly one for print journalism.

Cost of Acquisition

One of the biggest killers of print journalism is the cost.  Not just the cost of publishing but the cost for the consumer to acquire the information.  With information on the internet so easily available and available for no cost, print media is quickly losing ground as consumers decide that they would just go online and have the information immediately without having to pay anything for that information.  While most media outlets are able to make money off of the online edition it isn't nearly as profitable as the print edition.  Unfortunately for many print media outlets it is a matter of making the money or allowing the competition to make the money.  For most, this is just a reality that must be contended with.

Speed of Information

The second biggest issue with print journalism is that the information takes at least a day for consumers to receive it.  With magazines it can take upwards of a month.  The internet is able to provide this information immediately as it happens.  This means that newspapers are already out of date by the time they come out.  Magazines are extremely out of date by the time they come out.  Now newspapers and magazines have to not only find a way to have headlines that aren't already yesterdays news but find ways to create headlines that would get someone to choose to

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