As more people get the news from online sources, news organizations face the question of whether print publications are still needed for readers.
A steady decline in print circulation and a drop in its advertising revenue since 2008 have taken their toll on newspapers companies.
In addition to fewer print readers, there is an environmental question tied to printing publications. Some argue that printing newspapers unnecessarily kills trees. On the other hand, printing newspapers has been a traditional source of news and information dating back to the 17th century.
With the general decline in the readers of print editions, larger and more established publications have gone digital.
In 2018, New York Times Chief Executive Officer Mark Thompson addressed the growing concerns regarding the future of printing for his publication. “We think our print product is a wonderful product,” he said during an interview on CNBC’s ‘Power Lunch’. “We’d love it to survive and thrive as long as it can.”
We feel the same way here at South. Our favorite part of each issue is distributing printed copies to members of the community. While we have a website as well, printing the Pirate’s Eye has always been a tradition at South – one that we continue.