Changes of Print Media

Do you guys remember when you actually had to go out to the store and purchase the latest magazine with your favourite celebrity on the front cover? Well, it's a lot different now days. Print media has constantly been changing due to the advancement of technology. Since we have laptops, smartphones, tablets, e-readers, etc., there's no need for a physical printed copy anymore. 

I, myself, have an iPhone4 that I use for almost everything. There's a new app that came with the new update for my Apple device that says "Newsstand", which allows me to download magazines and newspapers. By downloading a newspaper, I can stay updated by simply reading it from my iPhone4 and not having to worry about a bunch of papers laying around. Although I do tend to get distracted with other websites, such as Twitter(I can't help it, it's too addicting!), I still find that I can get much more work done on the computer than I would with just a piece of paper and a pencil. In my opinion, I believe that the demand for printed media will continue to decrease, as the demand of technology expands further. It's most likely guaranteed that students in school will be provided with tablets instead of thick, heavy textbooks. 

Having the printed copy of something can benefit society in a way that the Internet can never replace. The first benefit of having the physical copy is the ability to create memories. By this I mean, when someone reads the daily newspaper, they usually memorize the story by what the heading said and what the picture illustrated. The front page of a printed newspaper is the most important part that many articles on the internet do not usually offer. The second benefit is that by having a printed copy allows people to get away from their technological devices. Majority of people spend their entire day looking at a computer, so it would be a good change to get away and also to not have to rely on the Internet to read something. 

However, there are some disadvantages of printed media. Printed copies of media require a large amount of paper, which is produced from trees; and the ink, which involves chemicals. Both of these materials are very time-consuming and expensive to produce. Another downside of print media is that it's not as exciting as the information given through television or the Internet. Media that is received through TV, radio, or the Internet, often include many visuals that allow the viewers to get a better understanding of what is being portrayed. Lastly, information that is found on the Internet is distributed much quicker than printed media. Printed media involves vehicles and people to deliver to its audience, which costs money. Media that is shown on the Internet is often free and can be received easily. 

In conclusion, the demand for printed media is continuously decreasing because more people are interested in media through technology. Majority of people don't think of the idea of going to the store to purchase a book or magazine anymore because we have the ability of finding them online. We can try avoiding technology as much as we want, but it's continuously expanding and becoming a major part of our lives.