How will the print industry survive? What is the effect of demassification?

Since the 1960s, the print industry has begun to see a dramatic decline in print articles when, “Cities with multiple dailies found themselves one-newspaper towns” (Vivian, The Media of Mass Comm.). The print industry has seen declining readers and subscribers at alarming rates through the introduction of web based news and entertainment outlets. The problem has been presented clear in point for the print industry. John Vivian writes, “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. Many magazines have extended their presence to the Web” (Vivian, The Media of Mass Comm.). Print executives have finally made the decision to restructure their business model by allowing readers to access their content via the web. Beyond magazines, novels as well as textbooks are now accessible through such platforms as the Kindle, Ipad, and online virtual bookstores. It is important to understand that not all newspapers and magazines have diminished. Magazines in particular have now begun to closely target their audience. Vivian writes, “Most are focused on narrow audience segments with special interest, which offer advertisers targeted groups of readers on which to hone their messages” (Vivian, The Media of Mass Comm.). Through the Internet and special interest magazines, the print industry will have to adapt in order to survive. It is understood that newspapers and magazines are fueled through advertising dollars. In order to attract and maintain advertising dollars, the print industry will have to open their doors to the world of the Internet. As more and more people use the Internet for instantaneous news, daily, weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly print articles, will become extremely limited if not extinct.

Demassification has brought upon the effect of targeted audiences through narrow media outlets. Print media as well as other media outlets have used demassification to target and segment particular audiences to attract advertising dollars. Magazines, as explained before, now focus on a particular topic such as electronics. For advertisers, demassification allows them showcase their advertisements to audiences of their choice. Vivian writes, “These new niche business models, seeking sub-mass audiences, are widely applied today” (Vivian, The Media of Mass Comm.). Television channels, newspapers, magazines and other media outlets are all utilizing the approach of demassification to target particular audience groups in hopes of attracting advertising dollars.

Vivian, John. The media of mass communication . 9. ed. Boston, Ma: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon, 2009. Print.

-Patrick Morgan