Print Is Dead. Just Don’t Tell Microsoft.
Print magazines weren’t expected to survive the digital age, yet they’re still holding on, if not always thriving. In 2024, several news stories highlighted a small but notable resurgence. Publications like Vice, Nylon, and Playboy, which had previously abandoned their print editions, began reviving them, albeit in limited runs. Print shifted from the default medium to a luxury item—a premium add-on for those willing to pay extra. And now, as Axios reported recently, even corporate storytelling is going analog, including among companies driving the digital revolution. Last week, Microsoft launched Signal, a hundred-and-twenty-page magazine targeting business leaders. The first issue includes an essay by Bill Gates; a Q&A with Satya Nadella, the CEO; and a lifestyle section at the back.
Related Knowledge Center: State of the business model
The traditional journalism business model has long since collapsed, and news organizations have shrunk or disappeared entirely. While a number of promising experiments are under way, the public has not shown a willingness to buy what news organizations are selling.