How to convert older newspaper readers to the merits of online and digital

Posted by Helena Deards on April 30, 2009 at 11:34 AM

Writing for Editor and Publisher, Steve Outing has declared that publishers need to pay more attention to their older readers and help them make the leap from print to digital news. Outing is determinedly pro-digital, writing that he has "long predicted that the day will come when print would begin to die out as consumers adopted online and mobile as their preferred method of news consumption". He believes that the closures of the Rocky Mountain News and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer are the beginnings of his predictions.

Given his stance on print, Outing sees it as essential to convert the older generation of news readers to the merits of digital. He writes that "gray-haired folks" are concerned over the decline in quality of their daily newspaper, and whilst they may seek other news sources it is unlikely to be the Internet or other digital media - he also points out that given the average age of a newspaper reader is mid 50s, it is a demographic that publishers should be giving special attention to.

His solutions? Digital replica editions, for one. He describes them as a "not-too-threatening transition to older print customers" - despite having to make the leap to the computer to read them, older citizens will at least have the news in a format well known to them. In terms of how to use the computer and the Internet to get to these replica editions? Public seminars, and the education of older citizens to see the benefits of online news, the extras that they no longer find in their print edition.

He also believes that more use should be made of the print edition as a vehicle to promote extra online content; enticing print readers on to the web to search for the added bonuses. Moreover, he writes that linking is essential. "Nearly every piece of content in a newspaper print edition could (in my view, should) have a published URL for additional information".

Outing makes a valid point; that the older demographic who make up a large percentage of printed newspaper readers is of value to publishers and should be paid attention to. However, despite his efforts not "to get stereotypical", his article borders on being patronising to older generations. Moreover, his rush to write off the printed press industry over them coming years could be seen as a little premature.

Source: Editor & Publisher