. The newspaper and magzine industries are losing business now that a lot of the same information can be found

Question

. The newspaper and magzine industries are losing business now that a lot of the same information can be found on the internet. How is the periodical industry reaction?

Answer 1

The newspaper and magazine industries are adapting to the different media model and are not necessarily losing business in the long run. Printed based dissemination of news is migrating to digital form, not only available online, but delivered to mobile devices. Yes, information can be found easily, but readers still seek and demand quality information from reliable and credible sources.

I disagree with Skeptic’s claim regarding periodicals’ reasons for moving from print to digital. Many periodicals continue to offer print versions in addition to digital ones and are doing so based on user demands and expectations (in addition to user benefits such as full text searching). Going digital is not necessary cheaper because of costs involved with backups, long-range storage solutions, the need for higher skilled workers, hardware, etc. In fact, digital subscriptions cost the same (or sometimes even more) as paper subscriptions.

High volume sites can rely on advertising revenue to open information to a greater audience. For example, the New York Times recently eliminated its subscription based online model because it can generate income based on advertising. Increased traffic (=increased advertising revenue) will offset its earnings based on subscriptions.

Answer 2

Some, like the New York Times, have a very successful online presence and loyal readers. It's not an easy model, because players must rely on advertising income.

It only make sense that periodicals move to an electronic format, because the cost of print media is expensive. The only printed periodical I care about is Harper's because of its in-depth coverage of subjects.