The Printing Industry Transformed
The printing industry is just one example of an entire industry movement that is changing while keeping up with the development of new technologies. The printing revolution is centered on the trend away from hard-copy publications towards digital media mainly because of its inherent convenience. Newspaper circulation has decreased significantly, newspaper jobs have been lost, and many newspapers have gone out of business.
The Internet has totally changed the way we communicate and the way the public is informed, while compelling businesses to listen to the demands of the consumer. We now live in a consumer-driven business world where instant and easy access to information is not only what consumers want – but what they expect.
Some printing publications are charging a fee for content on their sites to compensate for loss of revenues.
“New York Times Chairman Arthur Sulzberger Jr. appears close to announcing that the paper will begin charging for access to its website, according to people familiar with internal deliberations. After a year of sometimes fraught debate inside the paper, the choice for some time has been between a Wall Street Journal-type pay wall and the metered system adopted by the Financial Times, in which readers can sample a certain number of free articles before being asked to subscribe. The Times seems to have settled on the metered system.” (Source)
Social media, E-Readers (Kindle, Nook and iPad), and blogging are becoming prominent resources for media consumption. New technologies will continue to emerge and enhance the way people communicate. With these new technologies, some doors of opportunity will open while others will close.
There is a hard-copy vs online battle driving the print industry revolution. Which side will prevail? Those companies that are changing their business and marketing models to keep up with the technology will be the winners.
The Emergence of Personalization with Cross Media Publishing
Technologies and Processes
The proliferation of emerging technologies has dictated a re-birth of the printing industry. The printer’s role prior to this digital era was to put ink on paper. The printing companies that are successful today are the ones who realize that their role is to keep an eye on technological breakthroughs and evaluate how they can apply specifically to direct marketing strategies. It is no longer about applications, but rather about selling integrated marketing solutions. Having knowledge and experience ranging from traditional offset printing to the latest in personalization, QR code technology and social media has become a prerequisite for printers today.
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