Why is Print Journalism Still Relevant?

Print journalism is ever evolving as we are living in the digital age. The idea of words printed in ink on a paper page now seems like ancient history. Everything from newspapers, magazines, and books can now be viewed with a handheld device. It may seem as if print journalism is dying, but in actuality it can never really go away, it will still be relevant years from now. Still the written content we receive digitally is constructed in the traditional forms of print.

This leads us to the question of whether online newspapers are indeed newspapers. Digital culture has called into question who is a journalist and what journalism is. As a rising journalist, I often times wonder what the industry will be like for myself or my print journalism colleagues once we enter the workforce.

I was first introduced to newspapers as a seven year old.  I would always grab the Sunday copy of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. I would immediately go to the comic’s section to see the comics in color. That was a huge deal for a kid growing up in the 90’s.

It was not until high school that I began having respect for the industry itself. In high school, I began writing articles and holding various editorial positions for my high school newspaper. It was through those experiences that I really began to understand print journalism and thoroughly understand my passion for this form of expression.

Even now as the editor of a college newspaper, I often feel that my passion for print journalism is not shared by everyone. While everyone doesn’t read newspapers per se, everyone reads.

Although journalism continues to evolve, we still use it no matter what form it is in. Whether it is broadcast—being radio or television, or even now public relations. No matter the format, print is still relevant. You may not find yourself picking up a copy of the AJC or USA Today often, but if you really think about it—when was the last time that you picked up a physical copy of a newspaper?

The printed word still has massive impact on our lives. We are still informed by it, we still read it, and believe it or not, it still consumes our lives. Print journalism holds the key to history—history that cannot be conveyed as capably through other mediums.

It is absolutely absurd to feel that print journalism has no place or yet any relevance in the 20^th century. Print journalists are still relevant, and we still have stories to tell. The printed words still speaks volumes to the masses.

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