Relevance of Print Journalism

CHIYA BISHT

Relevance of Print Journalism

If I had started this writing with the words ‘Print Journalism’, one mightn’t have spared a single thought before skipping it. Who wants to read about PRINT JOURNALISM anyway when we have a stable internet connection and a device where we can get updated about anything and everything within seconds?

When I was assigned this debatable topic of the Relevance of Print Journalism, I was reluctant to study it. As a Gen Z, I am the biggest supporter of digital media. Despite this, I went to Quora to conduct my research about public opinion on the matter, and to my astonishment, there was not a single advocate for Print Journalism. One user had written, “It is becoming increasingly irrelevant because of digital media.

Although I had always preferred online media, I never once doubted the importance of print journalism.
How can it be even possible? My father can’t live a single day without reading the newspaper. My mother needs those magazines every Sunday. Reading comics is still my brother’s favorite pastime, and as much as I hate to accept it, I love going through the celebrity tabloids.

One thing became evident that more and more people chose e-books, online periodicals, and digital journals over crisp printed pages. A significant reason could be that information online can be disseminated fast to a larger audience and can be accessed with a tap of the finger.

However, even as a child of this digital age, I can’t neglect that news online can often be fabricated by people to gain views. Clickbait and plagiarism are common tactics for garnering attention. We have been victims of false news spread through those WhatsApp groups at least once.
It is extremely hard to replace the credibility and trust that conventional journalism provides us. It is well thought out and researched before being published. Unlike digital media, which is often an invitation to distraction with thousands of notifications and advertisements right in the middle, the printed material can be read with serenity.
Print Journalism has never been more relevant than in an age where attention span is less than 9 seconds and when ChatGpt is a substitution for creativity.