Print Media vs Electronic Media : Who Tires Faster?

A re-visit to an old post that I had written for the Bloggers Premiere League contest hosted by Cafe Ginger Chai in 2010.

This was actually published in an ezine that my team had specially created for the contest. And recently when I tried to visit the ezine again, I realized that the website had closed down. Hence thought of re posting the article here on my blog.

Have been wondering, of late, about this very tussle between print media and electronic media.

Even though I am heavily dependent on electronic gadgets, like phone, laptop, TV,etc.- which have made my life far easier than before, yet there are some things or habits that i still find hard to let go of. For example, I heart my books, I still feel more comfortable jotting down my important to-do lists with a pen& paper THAN setting up a reminder on my phone or making notes in the iPad! I even tried downloading books onto the iPad, just to get a feel of the whole e-reading that so many of my friends had been raving about, only to eventually, end up getting drawn back to the touch and smell of my printed books!

I don’t know for how long this harmonious co-existence will stay. However all i can hope is that our children and theirs get to enjoy the benefits of both the media for the longest period of time.

So when I see Namnam’s school giving her reading assignments or home-works for cursive writing at the same time giving importance to e-learning, it heartens me to know that there are institutions that are trying their best to blend both the media and let the children reap benefits through both.

So which medium do you prefer? Do share your thoughts after reading the article below :).

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History has shown that new media has never displaced old media. When movies came into being everyone thought radio will fizzle out. But it didnt. Then came TV. With the advent of television, people thought movies will dwindle. But they didnt. Instead the movie-makers found an opportunity in television to publicize about their films.

Similarly with the growing emergence of electronic media a general perception among people is that print media is on its way out. But is it really the end of road for print media?

Let me note down a few points that have often been raised to debate this very question.

A frequent reason given for the electronic media’s growing popularity vis a vis print is its impact on the environment. Many feel the trend towards increasing use of electronic media can only bring enivironmental benefits. Producing newspapers and magazines involve felling trees, paper waste, printing, emission of sizeable amount of carbon dioxide which can be damaging to the environment.

Having said that a possible downside of electronic media is that it has short memory-span. When one is watching television, he/she eats, chats on phone, plays, switches channels at a given time. So many a times its possible that what he/she is watching may not register in the mind. On the other side while reading a book or a newspaper one’s attention, more often than not stays uninterrupted.

Which brings me to a point that gives electronic media an upperhand. And thats literacy. There are many many people, running in millions, in this world who are illiterate. For them, newspapers, magazines,books, brochures or any kind of printed medium is of zilch use because they cant read. Thats where media like television and radio score. They can watch and hear the news and other programmes and keep themselves updated and informed.

Another argument given by many while comparing print media with electronic media is in regard with the reachability. Modern technology is still considered a luxury in the rural areas. Its often perceived as something enjoyed by relatively wealthy. Of course with mobile revolution that perception is going through a change. Nonetheless the electronic medium remains a concern given its unequal accessibility for the economically less-privileged.

Some people love the physical feel of print media, the smell of paper, the tactile sense of touch, others love the immediacy of the electronic one.

So what I’m trying to say is there really cant be a clear winner. Both sorts have their own following and one will not necessarily cause the other to die. Even amidst the Internet brouhaha, is a fact that magazine readership has risen in the past five years. Communication in any form is an ever evolving thing. A new medium doesnt necessarily replace an existing one. A well established medium will continue to prosper if it continues to give a unique experience.

Let me close by quoting a few lines that I read in one of the magazines-

The Internet is exhilarating. Magazines are enveloping.
The Internet grabs you. Magazines embrace you.
The Internet is impulsive. Magazines are immersive.
And both media are growing.

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Have a great week/weekend and do send in some get-well-soon vibes to my poor laptop which has crashed down leaving me virtually crippled! 😦 See you all on the other side.