Today, print media has a bad rap. According to Pew Research’s State of the News Media Report, last year newsrooms experienced a 30% decline in staff, and some daily papers (like the Birmingham News and Times Picayune) downgraded to three days a week. With shrinking ad revenue, almost 450 of the 1,380 daily newspapers in the country are turning to pay-walls for online editions. Despite this, print media is still an important part of any public relations strategy for the following four reasons:
Credibility:
Communication studies have long demonstrated that readers give newspapers a higher credibility rating than their TV and online media counterparts. There is something about seeing a brand in a print publication that generates trust and comfort with the audience.
Circulation:
Contrary to the naysayers, newspaper circulation is up by 5%. Driving circulation growth is increasing digital and print-digital bundled subscription packages. Scarborough Research even found that of the 158 million U.S. adults who consume content from newspapers each week, 144 million of them read a physical copy.
Relevance:
Possibly the most important reason as to why print media is a powerful force is the almost subconscious reliance people have on it. A recent study by Pew reveals that newspapers are ranked the highest out of any other medium as the source people count on for their local news.
Print media placements drive momentum, and actually lead to more online searches than any other medium. At Alloy, we understand that the print media is a crucial part to any PR strategy – click here to see the myriad of print publications that have featured our technology clients.