Can print media compete with digital media? A common question would arise in every sober mind. Today everyone has a mobile in hand. A link to an e-paper, website, or social media can be sent in seconds. In that case, many people think about who will buy printed paper and read it. But that is not entirely true. The reliability of the paper in print is different. It must be said that according to the statistics in 2023, print media stood at the forefront.
The total revenue of the printed paper sector is 260 billion rupees, contrary to what many think, the printed newspaper continues to retain its dominance. With the advent of digital media, local newspapers are flooding in. By sharing links on social media like Facebook, and WhatsApp groups, the reader is being reached very quickly and Information is flowing at the pace of flash. That is an undeniable fact.
Moreover, it can be said that the monopoly of big media companies has ended with the advent of various online magazines. And they are bringing out the news that is hidden, neglected, uncovered by so-called giant media houses. Here what you need is simple equipment like a laptop and the ability to write to spread the word in your way. Many journals, newspapers, and magazines carry flooded information in digital form. But not all are equally worth to welcome. Only digitally formatted ones that have honesty and quality in analysis and provide reliable news and other features are popular. The rest would be cared for by none. This is the naked truth that we can behold in the present scenario.
Digital publications should work towards bringing out local cultures, arts, and special features, not just sensationalism. They have the advantage that ample space is at their disposal that print magazines don't have. Interviews with local artists and intellectuals should be given priority along with the articles on unique cultural and heritage attractions. Still, we have a sea of diverse local issues to unearth and it has to be explored by innumerable enthusiasts.
When unreliable information is given, the reader will not have a proper opinion about that digital publication. This is the main reason frowned upon by many when it comes to digital versions. Of course, there are similar things in print media too. But it happens very rarely since they would have an array of skilled people to check the errors. You can read the printed paper once or twice. You can hide it and turn it again when you feel convenient. All these are advantages of the printed version. Concerning to digital form of publication, it's very difficult in case you lose the link received on WhatsApp and sometimes the link may not open properly.
Furthermore, no guaranteed result of readership is there, if you pour loads of information that are available on the internet. Info should be authentic, precise, and relevant and it should be written in an easy-to-understand way without sacrificing readability. You should have an eye on current trends which can be possible by following the leading entities in the field.
The concept of the newspaper was born in the country of China around AD 200. But in different countries of Europe, it went into the hands of readers in the form of print in the year AD 1400. Now it has reached the stage of touching one's fingertip. Our mobile device has to be by our side. That's only the condition to go through the worldwide wild forest of digital publications.
At present, more than 83 percent of the population of the world has a smartphone. It has already been proved that it will become a very big market in the days to come. In 1966, the Press Council of India came into being through the approval of the Parliament and it is working as a regulatory watchdog, but it is limited to the print media. Hence the Information Technology Act of 2000 was passed for online newspapers.
Some experts feel that there are no specific rules and regulations in the case of digital newspapers published through audio, video, website, and social media, and there is a need to define them more clearly. However, some people think that the method of depriving the freedom of expression and putting shackles on freedom is impossible in this internet age where the whole world has become a village.
Freed from the monopoly of capitalists, many intellectual journalists are setting up their own media outlets and moving forward. Moreover, they can get the affection of countless people. Young people are also entering this field on a large scale and are experimenting a lot. Let's wait and see where this digital journalism will reach in the coming days. However, the print media also continues to hold its dominance, over the other side, without any hesitation.
----- Murthy Kvvs
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