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How Do Print-Company Professionals Consume Media? Overwhelmingly Online

Anecdotal evidence from a VSS e-media conference.


Tony Silber By Tony Silber
08/12/2008 -13:42 PM






Every day, it seems, headlines scream about the challenges facing print publishing.

It’s not exactly a secret that there’s a major change occurring in media, as readers move online and marketing dollars follow.

But how pervasive is that change? Maybe far more than anyone realizes.

At a Veronis Suhler Stevenson e-media conference for portfolio companies in New York Monday, 29 post-conference dinner guests were asked by their host, VSS’ Jeff Stevenson, about their media consumption habits. The guests were senior and executive managers from Advanstar Communications, Access Intelligence and Red 7 Media (FOLIO:’s parent company) all of which are traditional media companies whose brand flagships are print magazines. The vast majority were over 30—what should, in theory, be the bastion of print users.

Specifically, the attendees were asked to characterize whether their personal and professional media consumption habits skewed toward print or online. Here were their responses:

  • More than two-thirds of all media consumption is online: 19 attendees
  • More than two thirds of all media consumption is print: 4 attendees, including one who is a commuter
  • Media consumption is split equally between print and online: 6 attendees

Said one of the four print-focused media consumers: ā€œI have to say I was surprised. I always assumed my media consumption habits were everyone else’s.ā€

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Media Consumption
Submitted by Ilene on Tue, 08/12/2008 - 15:03.

Yes, much of us in media consume info online, but I am quite skeptical of online editorial without a corresponding print resource. Anyone can set themselves up as an expert these days and suddenly become a publisher. Without print, credibility is lacking.
How we wound up in this mess
Submitted by Paul Conley on Tue, 08/12/2008 - 15:20.

I'm amazed by this quote: "I have to say I was surprised. I always assumed my media consumption habits were everyone else’s.ā€ That, I think, explains quite nicely how B2B media wound up in this mess.
It's not a mess.
Submitted by Barbara Shepherd on Tue, 08/12/2008 - 16:59.

It's a sea change, like the evolution of opposable thumbs or the advent of electrical power grids. And re credibility--Establishing credibility is the same online as it is in print (except of course print has many, many more resources and established procedures than onlin). All you need is a set of principles, reliable fact checking, separation of church & state and an audience with good judgment. Off the cuff, I can think of several B2B publications that are not in my opinion credible sources of information.
Another remarkable quote!
Submitted by Paul Conley on Wed, 08/13/2008 - 06:59.

Someone named Ilene says "Without print, credibility is lacking." Really? I guess someone should tell Bloomberg to get out of the news business. Bloomberg is the most successful news and information company in history. But if someone who declines to use her last name when posting a comment raises an issue about credibility, then it's time for Bloomberg to call it quits. I guess the same is true for Marketwatch, MarketingVox, InfoWorld, IT Security and hundreds of other Web-only publishers around the globe.

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