An Open Letter To Print Media
Dear Print Media,
As a PR student, the first thing that people tell me is that you've already died. Then, I have to tell them that I just saw you this morning, and they get defensive. And this is why, Print Media, I'm here to advocate for you.
You've already changed communication. Since the early days of Benjamin Harris' Publick Occurences, you've been rockin' our world. Instead of having to hear the "facts" from Aunt Nelly, we can read words in print that have (hopefully!) been double checked by people who care about you.
You've changed the way we absorb news. We still get magazines, read books, and (shock!) subscribe to papers. Now, we can find this print media on our tablets - reading books and magazines without ever physically flipping a page. Personally, I don't believe this to be a negative progression. You're growing and expanding, and embracing a modern world is a difficult transition to make.
Print Media, you're being revolutionized. Journalists can no longer skim by with questionable facts - we have to fight to make sure we're getting the truth out there, especially since TV can pick up a story in seconds, and people can watch videos online. We're loyal, Print Media, because newspaper clippings on refrigerators will never get old, and communities celebrate tradition.
In the next five years, you may find yourself faced with the difficulty that children have grown up with iPads. However, you'll flourish in knowing that people enjoy the tangible and the credible. Anyone can write a blog, but not everyone can publish articles. Your audience may dwindle slightly, but only to become more targeted. As a communication student, I know that targeting equals better advertising (meaning money)! Plus, you've got Sunday cartoons.
Sincerely,
A Girl Who Still Wears Newspaper Hats
