The eOK .network

Two weeks back I was on a panel at the PR Academy’s conference discussing “new media”. Unlike the barcamps and unconferences we social media folks are so fond of, this conference was done old skool with a government Minister as the guest-of-honour and panel mates that were my father’s age.

I was the only “digital native” on the stage throughout the day-long conference and the general sentiment toward new media was approached with mixed feelings. A commenter mentioned to me that other than my optimistic self, it was “very much doom and gloom and what will become of our beloved printed press”.

The panel I was on was made up of two senior newspaper editors, a publishing consultant, an engagement consultant, and me. At one point during the panel a question from the floor asked the obvious, but realistic, question if the new (digital) media will kill the traditional (mostly printed) press.

The answers that came back was to the effect of “yes, but we’re trying new things”. That’s not surprising at all. In fact, as far back as 1998, there’s been talk about print dying and even current stats are proving that the prediction is true. Even the pron industry can’t cut it with print. Who else can survive?

That was my logical sentiment as well. But after the conference I started thinking about the development of technologies on a whole and now I’m beginning to feel otherwise. As Internet technologies improve together with screen technologies that make it easier for all of us to consume digital content (think Kindle), so does print technologies and recycled paper give rise to cheaper print media.

Amazon has offered print-on-demand for a while now, and I imagine all books will be available in PoD one day. In fact, the PoD model mixed with new media is a potent platform for new innovations. David Sifry’s new start up, Offbeat Guides, is doing just that compiling up-to-date information from the web and compiling them into printable PDFs.

But then again, maybe not all print is doom and gloom just yet. According to Chris Anderson, if you give out your newspaper for free, it can grow!

Looks like our media future is going to be a hybrid one.