Is print dead?

Is print really dead? Have we as a society entirely moved away from tangible books and materials to utilizing digital ones? While many individuals firmly seem to believe that printing material such as books, magazines, newspapers, articles, etc., are slowly disappearing as technology keeps on rapidly advancing, others do not feel this way at all. The dilemma of print versus digital material is one that will never cease to take place in our world.

In a blog post written on July 31st, 2014 (http://acw.uk.com/blog/post/2014/07/31/Is-Print-really-Dead-Surviving-in-the-Digital-Age-.aspx), the author reveals that although print may be decreasing to some extent in terms of certain publications for instance, it is most definitely not dying off. The shift from print to digital under some circumstances does not alter the success or survival of print, as this is something that will never be completely eliminated. The biggest issue that we are struggling with today in our society is the idea that both print and digital materials cannot really coexist and both remain current, which is not at all the case. Although digital material may sometimes be more convenient, quicker to access, and in some cases may also be cheaper, tangible material will never be disregarded. Some people “will always prefer having material in their hand to read, no matter what it is they’re reading”, which further highlights the point that print material will always exist even if it is not used like it was in the past. The author states how in a survey done in the UK, it was found that the majority of magazine readers preferred to read their articles and story via print, which may seem shocking to some. This finding was quite interesting as it revealed that no matter how advanced technology may be, it is all a matter of preference and comfortability.

Likewise, it is difficult to strictly compare print and online material. One thing that is for certain though is the fact that both materials do not need to be competing with each other. They each serve their own distinct purposes, there are positives and negatives in both, and we all utilize them in our daily lives one way or another. Print and online materials can be and should be “used together to make a more successful communication plan”, under any circumstance or situation. Print is not dead, it just needs to stay relevant. Digital material right now just seems to be more convenient and better developed for people, which is understandable in our constantly developing world. There will always be tangible newspapers and hardcover books, and there will always be digital newspapers and books as well. We as a society just need to make sure that there is balance and that we are not just focused or utilizing just one, both are obviously incredibly important.