Challenges and Opportunities for Newspapers in the Age of Digital Communication

Abstract

New media technology influences almost all aspects of traditional media, including subscriptions, readership, circulation, and advertising revenue. In particular, the possibility to access information and receive instant updates via the internet has threatened the existence of traditional newspapers. Therefore, this paper aims to review the challenges facing newspapers in the age of digital communication and how publishers can utilize digital technology to expand readership and maximize subscription and advertising revenues. The outcomes of this review showed that challenges faced by newspapers include a general decline in reading culture, lack of interactivity, readers' preference for free news, and the need to minimize the cost of production and distribution as well as provide timely updates. Nevertheless, by utilizing digital technology and maintaining print editions, publishers can provide credible news and information to expand their reach and attract advertisers. Technology has not been able to replicate the credibility and quality of newspaper content. This review was an attempt to provide useful information to newspaper publishers, journalists, advertisers, and readers on news delivery and consumption in the age of digital communication. This review is limited to newspapers, and hence further research may focus on broadcast media such as radio and television.

People, Planet, and Profits: Comparing Media Treatment of Dubai Sustainable City

“…Though much of the contemporary literature has investigated the role of social media (user-generated content) and its potential influence (Ashley & Tuten, 2015; Schivinski & Dabrowski, 2016) or fatigue (Bright et al, 2015), newspapers and magazines have historically been investigated for their coverage of many topics ranging from gender and ethnicity (Eagleman, 2015) to science and celebrity (Kamenova et al, 2014). Although the death of newspapers has often been declared (Hassan, 2021), for now, they still offer an excellent glimpse into societal consensus views and governmental foreign policies on a wide range of issues in any given country (e.g., climate change, Ford & King, 2015; ethnic representation, Bleich et al, 2016; mental health, Kenez et al, 2015). The same applies for television; whereas television tends toward sensationalism, the press still presents a more serious communication medium (Igartua & Muñiz, 2012).…”

Readers' perceptions and preferences for online and print newspapers in South Africa

“…Even with the large population taken into account, India's poor internet penetration may prevent a substantial year-to-year fluctuation from signifying significant growth. Hassan et al (2021) similarly used semi-structured interviews to look at how the internet affects the UK's newspaper creation and distribution processes. The results demonstrated that newspapers began proactively engaging with customers to create various forms of relationship value while using the internet as an operational resource.…”