Within a growing consumer market publishers are feeling the strain towards expanding into digital products. With this rising development, magazine publishers are beginning to question the extinction of print as digital publishing continues to show increasing benefits and popularity. Despite digitals popularity, many argue that print magazines will become a luxury product. Similar to Thomas Edison’s invention of the electric light bulb, candles once thought to be redundant, have ‘in many respects become a luxury item’ (Marks, 2014). Throughout history many items once thought to be redundant, such as television once the Internet was created, have not devalued but remained both popular, even correlating at times. Will printed magazines continue to flourish just as other products have, or will they become extinct?
Both Tim Holmes and Liz Nice argue that ‘paper will remain an important part of magazine publishing but will concentrate at the top (glossy) and bottom (pulpy) ends of the market’; this proving that there is a remaining place within the printed magazine market (Holmes & Nice, 47). This argument has been implicated through a luxury Japanese fashion magazine Persona, as it is ‘printed on heavy stock paper and is full of photos of models and clothing. The only thing missing is text’ (Homyak, 2014). This valuable concept brings together both print and digital, allowing for readers to use an app that recognizes the images whilst browsing their glossy magazine. With this app information is given about the clothes and their prices, and through other photos featuring images such as tomatoes and wine, the app will ‘trigger a related vegetable delivery service and wine retailer’ (Homyak, 2014). This unique model of print and digital working together allows for the tangibility most readers want from their magazines but with the option and ease of technological features.
As debated by the Southern News, ‘there’s something about having the physical book, or magazine in your hand’, with the concreteness of a physical, printed magazine, the luxury quality and experience is heightened (Southern News, 2014). For many magazines in both the high and low spectrum, incorporating digital copies into their marketing scheme, they must allow for print to serve its purpose as well.
Hebbard stated that within the magazine industry ‘print is a great medium that will outlast us all (even if it does continue to shrink)’, this statement I consider true (Hebbard, 2014). Within the growing digital field, magazines are digitising, but that doesn’t mean that print has to become extinct. I believe that with the physicality offered, the medium of printed magazines cannot be fully replicated by print. This being said, the inclusion and support of both mediums linking will allow for a strong placement within the market and both spectrums will continue to thrive.
Both Tim Holmes and Liz Nice argue that ‘paper will remain an important part of magazine publishing but will concentrate at the top (glossy) and bottom (pulpy) ends of the market’; this proving that there is a remaining place within the printed magazine market (Holmes & Nice, 47). This argument has been implicated through a luxury Japanese fashion magazine Persona, as it is ‘printed on heavy stock paper and is full of photos of models and clothing. The only thing missing is text’ (Homyak, 2014). This valuable concept brings together both print and digital, allowing for readers to use an app that recognizes the images whilst browsing their glossy magazine. With this app information is given about the clothes and their prices, and through other photos featuring images such as tomatoes and wine, the app will ‘trigger a related vegetable delivery service and wine retailer’ (Homyak, 2014). This unique model of print and digital working together allows for the tangibility most readers want from their magazines but with the option and ease of technological features.
As debated by the Southern News, ‘there’s something about having the physical book, or magazine in your hand’, with the concreteness of a physical, printed magazine, the luxury quality and experience is heightened (Southern News, 2014). For many magazines in both the high and low spectrum, incorporating digital copies into their marketing scheme, they must allow for print to serve its purpose as well.
Hebbard stated that within the magazine industry ‘print is a great medium that will outlast us all (even if it does continue to shrink)’, this statement I consider true (Hebbard, 2014). Within the growing digital field, magazines are digitising, but that doesn’t mean that print has to become extinct. I believe that with the physicality offered, the medium of printed magazines cannot be fully replicated by print. This being said, the inclusion and support of both mediums linking will allow for a strong placement within the market and both spectrums will continue to thrive.
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Bibliography:
Hebbard, D.B., (12 July, 2014) ‘Digital magazines: sales revenue may remain disappointing, but few are giving up just yet’ http://www.talkingnewmedia.com/2014/08/12/pricing-digital-publishing-is-more-complicated-than-just-its-cheaper-than-print/ Accessed: 19 November, 2014)
Holmes, T., Nice, L., Magazine Journalism (London, SAGE Publications, 2012)
Hornyak, Tim, (19 November, 2014) ‘Is this text-free magazine the future of publishing’ http://www.itworld.com/article/2849793/is-this-text-free-magazine-the-future-of-publishing.html (Accessed: 20 November, 2014)
Marks, Alex, (29 August, 2014) ‘Media: Is print really coming to an end?’ http://www.marketingmagazine.co.uk/article/1309750/media-print-really-coming-end (Accessed: 20 November, 2014)
Southern News, (15 November, 2014) ‘‘Magazines: Print or Paperless’ http://thesouthernnews.org/2014/11/15/magazines-print-or-paperless/ (Accessed: 20 November, 2014)
Bibliography:
Hebbard, D.B., (12 July, 2014) ‘Digital magazines: sales revenue may remain disappointing, but few are giving up just yet’ http://www.talkingnewmedia.com/2014/08/12/pricing-digital-publishing-is-more-complicated-than-just-its-cheaper-than-print/ Accessed: 19 November, 2014)
Holmes, T., Nice, L., Magazine Journalism (London, SAGE Publications, 2012)
Hornyak, Tim, (19 November, 2014) ‘Is this text-free magazine the future of publishing’ http://www.itworld.com/article/2849793/is-this-text-free-magazine-the-future-of-publishing.html (Accessed: 20 November, 2014)
Marks, Alex, (29 August, 2014) ‘Media: Is print really coming to an end?’ http://www.marketingmagazine.co.uk/article/1309750/media-print-really-coming-end (Accessed: 20 November, 2014)
Southern News, (15 November, 2014) ‘‘Magazines: Print or Paperless’ http://thesouthernnews.org/2014/11/15/magazines-print-or-paperless/ (Accessed: 20 November, 2014)