PRINT VS DIGITAL

DIGITAL MAGAZINESAs technological developments become more frequent and advanced, audiences are seeing more and more development in digital magazines through technological convergence. Technological convergence has allowed digital images and files to be more detailed and bigger, allowing the idea of magazines being published in an online format to be acceptable and in fact useful. Developments in phones and the creation of tablets and e-readers have allowed crisp digital images from magazine to be in an app based format. Furthermore, as most smartphones and tablets have sensitive touch screens, they allow the experience of a digital magazine to be very much like that of the print format. It is therefore easy to see why digital formats of a magazine have become more popular as technology has developed.

PRO’S AND CON’SAdvantages Disadvantages

Print Based Magazines

• Transportable• Sense of

something to hold.

• Suitable for any target audience.

• Interactive though QR codes.

• Copies can be damaged.

• Takes up space.• Some titles only

available in certain shops.

Digital Magazines • Lots of magazine can be stored on one device.

• Interactive – the chance to post comments or watch videos.

• Links to other websites such as Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest.

• High definition images

• Available anywhere through a internet magazine retailer.

• Files can be lost.• Not suitable for

all target audiences (E.g an older audience for knitwear or gardening)

THE PUSH FOR DIGITAL MAGAZINES

With the need to keep up with new technological advances, magazine have to look at new ways in which they can sell magazine. I have looked at NME and how they are adapting to a new media platform.As soon as you go onto the NME websites, a Pop-Up advertisement comes up advertising a digital copy of their magazine that can be downloaded onto iPads through the iTunes store.

NME MAGAZINE On different pages of the websites they also include

advertisements on how the reader can access the magazines on different media platforms. In this case in print, digital and online formats. They also include links to the NME Twitter and Instagram page allowing the reader to be constantly up-to-date with news.

NME MAGAZINE The website also include an interactive

preview of what can be found in the print magazine, encouraging the reader to purchase the magazine on any format.

This interactive feature allows interested readers to read parts of the magazine to entice them into buying it. It would be similar to a print magazine being on a newsstand, but this digital format can be done at ease online.

FURTHER READING http://

www.guardian.co.uk/media-network/media-network-blog/2013/mar/07/fall-rise-magazines-print-digital