The print revival comes to news
We’ve seen a swathe of print magazine launches, relaunches and frequency increases this year, leading to the general acceptance that there is something of a print revival. This has generally been confined to magazines as readers turn to trusted expertise and seek physical reading experiences.
There’s no question daily newspapers will continue their decline, but I believe there’s a real opportunity for news in a printed form in 2025. Whether this is weekly roundups like many newspapers already produce with weekend-style editions, monthly Economist-type deep dives or even a more magazine-like format such as The Week.
A “finishable” print product from a trusted source which takes the time to explain and consider news would be right for the growing wave of news avoiders who are overwhelmed by the 24/7 news cycle, and offer a way to stay up to date without the existential dread that digital news provokes.
It’s not that these products don’t already exist. More that the time is right for those publications to capitalize on industry trends and actually market them, rather than having print tucked away on subscription pages.
Esther Kezia Thorpe is the co-founder of The Publisher Podcast & Newsletter by Media Voices, and Director of the Publisher Summits and Awards.
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