Comments on: Saving print media- at least part of it http://thewayoftheweb.net/2008/10/saving-print-media-at-least-part-of-it/ Social media marketing, digital publishing, PR, communities and engagement Thu, 08 Jan 2009 11:40:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Angus Farquhar http://thewayoftheweb.net/2008/10/saving-print-media-at-least-part-of-it/comment-page-1/#comment-2724 Angus Farquhar Mon, 20 Oct 2008 09:03:29 +0000 http://thewayoftheweb.net/?p=464#comment-2724 Print on demand could easily meet the needs of high level personalisation. But publishers seem to be running scared from it at the moment and instead using it as an over-priced alternative to buying in the shops. It's being treated in exactly the same way as e-subs used to be. Priced high to stop the masses using it as an alternative to traditional print and pitched as just a luxury service for those that can't get the normal copy any other way. I think we are still a long way from the point where publishers are comfortable with trying things that are new and radical and if we are not careful they will have to really struggle before they catch up with the rest of the world. It's hard enough to get them to engage meaningfully in the digital world, let alone mess around with the identity of their core staples, even if they are in decline. But back to Dan's original point. I think that depth and flow are the key things that distinguish print from digital. when I read online, 90% of the time all I want is a quick update on what is going on with top line facts that keep me informed on as many topics as possible. I rarely sit for hours and read one or two things. In print though, I am quite happy to sit for days (on the rare occasion I have a weekend to myself) and read. I will read articles several thousand words long. I even subscribe to fiction magazine that I read (almost) cover to cover. The only bits I skip are the news and reviews, which are the kind of thing I could easily get online if I wanted to. Print on demand could easily meet the needs of high level personalisation. But publishers seem to be running scared from it at the moment and instead using it as an over-priced alternative to buying in the shops.
It’s being treated in exactly the same way as e-subs used to be. Priced high to stop the masses using it as an alternative to traditional print and pitched as just a luxury service for those that can’t get the normal copy any other way.
I think we are still a long way from the point where publishers are comfortable with trying things that are new and radical and if we are not careful they will have to really struggle before they catch up with the rest of the world.
It’s hard enough to get them to engage meaningfully in the digital world, let alone mess around with the identity of their core staples, even if they are in decline.
But back to Dan’s original point. I think that depth and flow are the key things that distinguish print from digital. when I read online, 90% of the time all I want is a quick update on what is going on with top line facts that keep me informed on as many topics as possible. I rarely sit for hours and read one or two things.
In print though, I am quite happy to sit for days (on the rare occasion I have a weekend to myself) and read. I will read articles several thousand words long. I even subscribe to fiction magazine that I read (almost) cover to cover. The only bits I skip are the news and reviews, which are the kind of thing I could easily get online if I wanted to.

]]> By: Don http://thewayoftheweb.net/2008/10/saving-print-media-at-least-part-of-it/comment-page-1/#comment-2722 Don Mon, 20 Oct 2008 03:33:40 +0000 http://thewayoftheweb.net/?p=464#comment-2722 What do you think about adopting high level personalization to give the subscriber more of what they want? It seems easier than introducing a collection of new niche players. The technology is there waiting for sufficient, organized demand to justify the investment. What do you think about adopting high level personalization to give the subscriber more of what they want? It seems easier than introducing a collection of new niche players.

The technology is there waiting for sufficient, organized demand to justify the investment.

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