By Carey Finn. With the spectre of closures ever present, we look at what lies ahead for print.
“Print has been on a freefall over the past 15 years — across the board, most titles have dropped circulations by up to 85%,” says Chris Botha, group managing director at Park Advertising. “At the same time, the cost of paper and ink has been on the increase, so [you have] declining audiences and revenue, and increasing cost. It’s not ideal for any business.”
If Rupert Murdoch’s recent prediction is to be believed, printed newspapers around the globe have at most another 15 years. Whether Media24 will proceed with their planned closures remains uncertain, pending a ruling by the Competition Commission. The closures would affect print editions of Beeld, Rapport, City Press, Daily Sun, and Soccer Laduma, alongside the digital (PDF) editions of Volksblad and Die Burger Oos-Kaap, and digital hub SNL24.
Newspapers unrivalled in what they offer
Styli Charalambous, co-founder and CEO of Daily Maverick, stands firm in his support of print. “We still believe in newspapers as a medium, even though the mood around us is quite negative,” he says. “As a basket of curated journalism that gets people to read articles they never would online, newspapers are still unrivalled in that respect, helping readers know more and know better.”
The numbers suggest that others share this sentiment; the company’s printed weekly, DM168, has recorded year-on-year growth of 7.2% and a 2.3% increase since the first quarter of 2024, with a circulation of 11,068. Susie White, publisher of the title, says that the surrounding shift to digital has made it necessary to sell not only DM168, but to champion the value of print media itself.
“From a media planning and buying perspective, newspapers are increasingly being left off media schedules as digital platforms take precedence,” she explains. “Despite this trend, there are still marketers who recognise the unique benefits of newspaper advertising, particularly for brand building and reaching a dedicated, engaged audience. These marketers successfully integrate newspapers into their strategies, leveraging the credibility and depth of engagement that print offers.”
Small, segmented futures — with strong potential
Botha believes that the future of print lies in two directions: community news, specific to a region, and niche publications, such as those focusing on home, bicycling, and hobbies. “Community will be free, and niche will be expensive, but small,” he says. “Across the globe, marketers are reimagining the role of print in the media mix. Print is no longer a medium that marketers would consider for reach, but rather for environment. It is now a medium that you can consider to create impact in a small, niche segment.”
White suggests that a dedicated audience of newspaper readers remain, one that spends “considerable time engaging with their papers in a relaxed setting”. She adds that this audience is underutilised. “Many clients are prioritising short-term ROI, often at the expense of long-term brand value,” she explains. “Newspaper advertising, which is a powerful tool for brand building, is losing ground as spending shifts towards digital channels like social media, search, and other online platforms.”
Shutter one, throttle another
As more print titles cease publication, the strain on others increases. Heather Robertson, editor of DM168, is no stranger to doing a lot with limited resources, but is concerned about the potential closures at Media24. “It affects us deeply, because even though we are lean and flexible and attuned to reader needs, we cannot tighten our belts any further without suffocating ourselves and affecting the quality of service we offer our readers,” she says. “There is a point when consistently escalating cover prices while advertising shrinks actually becomes unaffordable for readers.”
If these titles shut down, the costs of circulation and printing would rise, Robertson explains. “The advertising market has gone for clicks, not meaningful content, so for now we are reliant on already overburdened loyal readers,” she says. “Those publishers, like us, who want to still serve readers who love the laid-back, comprehensive print experience, will have to somehow collaborate to keep distribution and print overheads affordable, without breaking competition law, to stay in existence.”
Carey Finn is a contributing writer to MarkLives MEDIA and MarkLives.
