Digital Media and Decline of Print Media: News Paper

Running head: MEDIA DISSERTATION
Digital Media and Decline of Print Media: News Paper
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note

MEDIA DISSERTATION 1
Abstract
At the beginning of the Mass Media and Communication industry, printed-paper was the only
dependable platform. However, from the beginning of the digital technological revolution the
scenario began to change quickly. After the intervention of digital media and incorporation
of web 2.0, the social media also has took the largest space in the field of mass media and
communication leaving a unrecognisable space and opportunity for print media.
The primary aim of the research is to determine the effect of digital media in the decreasing
popularity and usage of print media. The secondary aim is to understand the areas in which,
people are deflecting from using print media globally. This research has made an initial
hypothesis about how the digital media has become the reason behind the dearth of print
media. Therefore considering the hypothesis this research follows the secondary data
collection while conducting a qualitative analysis with case study analysis.
The data collection, analysis and case study have clearly indicated that the reason behind the
dearth of print media is the dependency on digitalization and the popularity of digital media.
Therefore, the hypothesis of this study has been also proven successfully.

MEDIA DISSERTATION 2
Table of content
Chapter 1: Introduction:.............................................................................................................4
1.1 Background of the study...................................................................................................4
1.2 Rationale of the study.......................................................................................................5
1.3 Research aim.....................................................................................................................6
1.4 Research Hypothesis..............................................................................................................6
1.4 Research objectives...........................................................................................................6
1.5 Structure of the study........................................................................................................7
Chapter 2: Literature review......................................................................................................8
2.1 Introduction............................................................................................................................8
2.2 History of Print media:..........................................................................................................9
2.3 Role of media and print media as a part of it:........................................................................9
2.4 The shift in the paradigm:....................................................................................................11
2.6 Theoretical analysis:............................................................................................................14
2.7 Intervention of digital Medias:............................................................................................16
2.8 Social Media and Communication:.....................................................................................17
2.9 Summary:.............................................................................................................................18
2.10 Literature gap:....................................................................................................................19
Chapter 3: Research methodology...........................................................................................20
3.1 Method outline.....................................................................................................................20
3.2 Research onion.....................................................................................................................20

MEDIA DISSERTATION 3
3.3 Research philosophy and justification.................................................................................21
3.4 Research approach and justification....................................................................................22
3.5 Research design and justification........................................................................................22
3.6 Research strategy and justification......................................................................................23
3.7 Data collection method........................................................................................................23
3.8 Sample size..........................................................................................................................24
3.9 Data analysis method...........................................................................................................24
3.10 Ethical consideration.........................................................................................................25
3.11 Summary:...........................................................................................................................26
Chapter 4: Data collection and findings...................................................................................27
4.1 Data presentation.................................................................................................................27
4.2 Data analysis and discussion...............................................................................................30
Chapter 5: Conclusion..............................................................................................................33
5.1 Conclusion...........................................................................................................................33
5.2 Proving the hypothesis.........................................................................................................34
5.4 Limitation............................................................................................................................35
5.5 Future scope of the study.....................................................................................................36
References................................................................................................................................37

MEDIA DISSERTATION 4
Chapter 1: Introduction:
1.1 Background of the study
At the beginning of the Mass Media and Communication industry, printed-paper was
the only dependable platform. The paper printing has been introduced long before its
utilisation as mass media through the process of publishing literature and artworks. After the
evolution of mass media and communication printed media was being utilised is news
agencies in form of printing newspapers1. Apart from that, the print media had also been used
for marketing and promotional activities in form of flyers, posters and other forms. Along
with the mechanical advancement in printing science and technology the separated activities
of mass media and communication including, newspaper and printed promotion overlapped
with each other in form of various kinds of magazines. The invention of the colure printer
added another feather on the crown of the highly developing mass media. However, from the
beginning of the digital technological revolution the scenario began to change quickly. This
digital technological revolution is commonly known as digital journalism, which was
developed as a contemporary form of journalism in which, information, news and other
important data were provided to the readers via internet in the place of broadcasting or
newspapers2. Few examples of digital medium through which, such data is provided to
readers are Online Website, Internet system, cloud network, E-news, E-promotion and other
digital media based technological advancement have already demolished significantly the
population of print media based audiences. With the intervention of Web 2.0, the internet
based mass media and communication entered a new era of establishment. The induction of
social media worked as a game changer in mass media and communication industry. Primary
1 Pavlik, John Vernon, and Shawn McIntosh. Converging media: A new introduction to mass communication.
New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2013.
2 Couldry, Nick. Media, society, world: Social theory and digital media practice. Polity, 2012.

MEDIA DISSERTATION 5
reason of the holistic spread of digital media platform throughout the world was ease of
creativity and presentation that provided journalists to explore their unique ideas, which was
restricted in print as well as broadcasting media3. Further, it also provides the reader with
ease of gaining knowledge and distributes within a second to a larger population of readers,
hence increasing its reach to a larger population.
1.2 Rationale of the study
The current press media throughout the world is facing a decline or deep crisis that is
affecting the business of such media houses. As per the data of World Association of
Newspapers magazine, the number of readers of newspapers is decreasing constantly as the
people have started reading news on their phones. This has created a competition for the
printed media options as the number of readers are shifting from print media to digital media
because of its easy availability. In Singapore, the newspaper organization Singapore Today
conducted a survey in 2013 that determined that the number of people reading the newspaper
dropped by 145,000 readerships that constitutes to the loss of 14.3%. Therefore, the primary
reason for conducting this research was to identify the issues and reasons due to which, the
emergence of digital media is creating challenges for print media houses. Further, another
justification for conducting this study will be inability of the press media to maintain in
reputation in Singapore, whereas, in China and Britain Print media is still the best source to
get any news. Therefore, the rationale for the research will be identifying the actions print
media has taken is those countries, which the Singapore print media is unable to take to save
its reputation and reader base.
3 Wimmer, Roger D., and Joseph R. Dominick. Mass media research. Cengage learning, 2013.

MEDIA DISSERTATION 6
1.3 Research aim
As it has been observed that the number of readers of print media is decreasing in
Singapore, the primary aim of the research is to determine the effect of digital media in the
decreasing popularity and usage of print media. Further to determine the justified reason
behind decrease of reader’s base and profitability of print media organizations. The
secondary aim is to understand the areas in which, the digital media excels that prevent
people from using print media. There is a possibility of other reasons due to which the
consumers are shafting from print to digital media. Therefore, the third aim is to identify the
other reasons due to which the number of consumers using print media is decreasing.
Moreover, the research will also focus on the ability of print media to combat the increasing
base of digital media in recent times.
1.4 Research Hypothesis
For this research, the hypothesis will be as follows:
H1: The decrease in the popularity of print media is due to the increasing usage of digital
media among the population irrespective of their age.
H0: The decrease in the popularity of the print media is not because of the increasing usage
of digital media platforms, rather due to some other factors, which is hampering the readers
base of print media.
1.4 Research objectives
The Objectives of this research project are as follows:
 The primary objective of this research is to determine the effect of digital media in
decreasing the consumer base of printed media.

MEDIA DISSERTATION 7
 To determine the strategy used by digital media platforms or the areas in which they
excel, that make readers shift from print media platform to digital media platform.
 The third objective will be to determine the other factors that can also affect the usage
of print media platforms, if it is not affected due to the increasing consumers of digital
media platforms.
1.5 Structure of the study
Research structure is the outline of the entire research, which is used to enlist the
complete research components. The structure of this research will constitute abstract, in
which the concise detail of the entire research has been included. Further, a detailed
introduction has been included which contains the background\d details of the study, its
rationale, the research aims, objectives and the hypothesis depending on which the findings
of the research will be categorized. Further, a detailed methodology will also be included.
Using two case studies related to the research topic, the data of print media and digital media
would be provided, which further will be analyzed and interpreted in the later section.
Finally, a conclusion, limitation of the study and the future prospect of the research will be
included so that the gaps of this research can be identified.
1. Introduction
2. Literature Review
3. Research Methodlogy
4. Data presentation
5. Analysis and interpretation
6. Conclusion and
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