The Enduring Power of Print

While news content continues to migrate online, studies show that many readers still prefer to read news in a printed format. In addition, analysis of reading behavior shows that printed newspapers and magazines favor information intake and engagement in ways that online formats are not able to fully reproduce. We look at what digital publishers can learn from print newspapers.

Whether it’s out of habit, nostalgia, or an actual preference for the printed word, there are still plenty of readers who love print newspapers. In fact, despite a continued move toward online formats, the print newspaper still holds its own in many markets.

The Press Gazette reports , “In the UK, 54% of people now prefer reading news content online than in print newspapers – and the preference is even stronger in the US where it is 60%.” When it comes to magazines, however, the reverse is true - the printed layout is generally preferred.

Research shows these preferences are, in part, due to print-format features that digital formats are not always able to emulate. This fact, and the cost savings due to emerging AI-driven layout automation, could give the printed newspaper a new lease on life.

Harnessing the unique advantages of print media

Conventional wisdom tells us that digital formats provide better, more efficient, user experiences than printed newspapers. However, Damon Kiesow, a professor of journalism professions and co-author of a study from the University of Missouri observed, “We feel newspapers are fulfilling some sort of need in a person’s daily life that is not currently being effectively fulfilled with the digital experience. The contextual clues that help tell readers what stories are important, why they should care about what stories they are reading and where to locate the news that is most important to them, are being weakened by structures missing in digital news.”

Guiding the reader experience

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