Ubiquitous Marketing

I do believe that all print will go away some day. Ergo, I do believe at some time in the future, print will die. Anyone plugged into the media environment who saw the Christian Science Monitor go online only would be foolish to not agree. Yet - few can bring themselves to admit it! Last night, I had another conversation along these lines.

Me: Print will eventually die.

Someone else: I don’t believe that. I love reading books.

Me: As digital readers become better and cheaper, we’ll all probably look back at the time where you carried one book at a time as quaint and antiquated.

Someone else: I don’t know. I love books.

Me: I’m not saying it will happen in the next 20 years or so, but there are too many concerns that favor electronic distribution [paraphrase].

Someone else: Well, yeah - but it won’t be for awhile.

Saying print will eventually die does not mean your publication will go online only tomorrow or even in 2010 - but those in journalism need to prepare mentally for the (only) future (being that) of online media. The more the publication targets the affluent (those who have computers and disposable income to buy digital readers), the quicker it will be to transition. Community newspapers will probably be the last.