Is print dead?

Falling print circulations have changed the media landscape in Britain significantly in recent years. The Independent has been one notable casualty of 2016, with the broadsheet moving its full offering to an online-only format. The Daily Mirror’s attempts to launch a new compact newspaper were also unsuccessful, and The New Day was ceased after two months after its circulation bottomed out at 40,000. 

There are several reasons behind the failure of The New Day. Some of the blame has been attributed to its attempts to reach out to a demographic that doesn’t consume a great deal of print media, and others have pointed to its early evening printing time as making it unable to stay on top of breaking news. However, it is also impossible to ignore the fact that people are consuming much less print media than they did in the past – which stacks the odds against a challenger. 

However, print is far from dead and still offers communications professionals great opportunities to engage with prospects and consumers. While circulations may have fallen, this has left newspapers with more engaged and focused readerships – presenting brands with the perfect opportunities to connect with the right audiences through PR and paid advertising. Research from YouGov revealed the distinctive characteristics of different newspapers’ regular readers, illustrating how advertising in the right publication can pay dividends for the right brand.