Is Traditional Media Dead?

With social media becoming so prevalent, a lot of people ask me if I think traditional media is going to die.  And you know what I tell them? Absolutely not!

Yes, there are a lot of newspapers and other media outlets closing their doors but that’s not the majority.  New publications come out every day.

I think that newspapers, magazines, television and radio will be around a very long time.  I really can’t see them disappearing altogether. Millions of people are still reading magazines like Vogue, Family Circle and Good Housekeeping.  Millions of people are still reading the traditional versions of the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today.  (I know it because when I’m on the train, I always get hit in the face by a newspaper trying to get folded!) People still watch the networks and also watch cable/satellite.  And lastly, people are still listening to the radio!

The other day, someone told me that he thinks that Satellite radio will go away.  I don’t think that’s the case.  I think there will always be a place for new modes of entertainment whether it be digital radio or social media sites.

In the public relations business, we focus on both traditional and social media.  Many of our clients want a full blown publicity campaign in traditional media only.  (We always provide extra value by putting links up on the social media sites.)  They know that it’s important to get awareness wherever they can.  The more awareness, the more people will know about your business, the more likely people will buy your products or services.

So if you hear that traditional media will be dead, think again.  There will always be a place for all types of media — online and offline!

2 Comments

  1. Vivian Leber

    Agreed …may I add?
    Here are some of the things you just can't do (or can't do as satisfyingly with social media) vs. traditional:
    – cut out that great advice column, recipe, special sale and post it on the fridge
    – clip and place an idea from a magazine or newspaper into your “tax tip” or “holiday shopping ideas” file (for a visual reminder six months hence)
    – put that article explaining how “cleaning up your room will lead to success and happiness” … on your teen's pillow
    – read the obits … I really would never go out of my way to look them up online but like to stumble on them

    Will our best memories and that favorite dog-eared book be preserved by digital media 20 years from now? Come to think of it, I have a shelf-full of VCR tapes of my kids' first steps that still need to be transfered to a new format.

    Granted, there are a thousand other ways that social media beats traditional. We just need both, we need choices.

    Vivian Leber

  2. Mr.Idaho

    I agree completely! I as well as many other people like having something physical to look at, and don't want to have to sit hunched over by my computer for the news when I can have a paper in front of me. I feel this is much more convenient. Plus, if the newspaper didn't come to my house each morning, I would always forget to look online to read the news. Lastly, magazine subscriptions are higher than ever and I feel that this will stay like this for a long time.

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