Every now and then, it’s good to remind ourselves of the enduring appeal of print.
Last week, I interviewed Janet White, managing director (print) at the Financial Times and Steven Renders, general manager at Roularta Printing, the Belgium-based printer of the FT’s magazines, including their UK distributed copies, for a sponsored article to run in the May / June issue of InPublishing magazine (not on the free mailing list? Register here).
With so much of our time spent in front of screens, why does print still matter?
Having spoken with Janet and Steven, these are my takeaways:
- It's curated. Readers know that a qualified and experienced editor has carefully compiled the content for them. They can be confident that their information needs are being satisfied.
- It’s credible. Because print can’t be edited after it’s come off the presses, publishers tend to take that extra bit of care with it; readers know this and that is why print is such a trusted medium.
- It’s digestible. The infinite scroll is not to everyone’s taste. A print offering is a finite package of content that a reader can complete. There is a beginning, middle and end and once finished the reader can move on, confident that they know what they need to know.
- It’s familiar. Readers know where they are with print; they know the sections, the running order and on which days their favourite writers appear. It’s a format they are comfortable with.
- It’s beautiful. Janet was holding the latest copy of How to Spend It, the luxury lifestyle magazine (printed by Roularta) which is visually stunning – beautifully designed, perfectly produced, with impactful photography and ads. For impact, digital struggles to match a DPS or the other special creative executions available in print.
- It’s successful. How to Spend It, which has no cover price because it’s part of the FT’s weekend offering has recently increased its frequency from 39 to 42 issues a year. Its high-end luxury advertisers love the format. The Financial Times’ digital revenues have been growing for some time, but print remains an “essential part of the business’s long-term strategy”, says Janet.
Print’s long-term future is also a key part of Roularta Printing’s offering, says Steven. Roularta Printing is part of Roularta Media Group, Belgium’s largest newspaper and magazine publisher: “Printing is a core activity of our group. The group has taken the decision to continue printing our magazines in our own factory for the foreseeable future and that gives assurances to our customers and prospects that we are a reliable long-term partner.”
You can catch James Evelegh’s regular column in the InPubWeekly newsletter, which you can register to receive here.
