“Print media will likely continue to exist alongside digital media, although in a smaller capacity”
NEXT month, the English language broadsheet Manila Standard will celebrate its 38th anniversary, flexing its print muscle as its competitors – they are single-minded and driven – continue to daily dive with their editorial, circulation and advertising noses down the digital media.
As the paper celebrates its 38th, the staff have agreed on a comprehensive theme, turned on by a supplement on Feb. 10, “Manila Standard @ 38: Empowering a Sustainable Tomorrow.”
The staff have geared up for a dated supplement which will focus on sustainability, reflecting the paper’s commitment to green initiatives and celebrating the progress made toward a more work-friendly future.
Put together by the staff, both byliners and the unsung heroes of the newsroom, the supplement aims to highlight the importance of sustainability in various sectors and showcase the innovations and practices of individuals or companies contributing to a greener world.
The supplement will both be read in print, the physical aspect of this newspaper, and online, where screens and computers and social platforms will address the requirements of readers and followers of this newspaper, raring to go at full throttle in its 39th year in a very competitive industry.
We remember what the publisher, Mr. Rolando Estabillo, a seasoned journalist, told the staff earlier during the monthly and planning session for 2025 attended by editors and senior staff from the other departments including circulation, administration, accounting and advertising.
He noted animated efforts by staff to get themselves familiar with the digital path and strategies, stressing “We’ve done good actually (but) much more has to be done. This 2025, much is expected of us; if we cannot show (our principals that) we can, they will put this group waiting in the wings.”
Then we are confronted by the question, perhaps an eerily stalking thought, whether digital media will, with the speed of thunderclap, replace the printed newspapers.
Industry experts have said while digital media is replacing many aspects of print media, it is not likely it will completely annihilate it, since the latter still holds value in specific situations and for certain audiences,
This means the print media will likely continue to exist alongside digital media, although in a smaller capacity.
Mr. Estabillo was precise, if mathematical, when he told the staff the printed version will continue to be there but the newspaper must begin to embrace a wider arena, which includes the digital format, given the earnestness of competitors to win more readers and a bigger slice of the advertising pie beyond their physical print.
Many of Manila Standard’s competitors, apparently aware of the advantages of digital media – instant access, interactivity, and the ability to reach a wider audience – have made a major shift.
Many now access news and information primarily through digital platforms like websites and social media, which have made a crucial impact on print readership.
Industry authorities are of course aware that print has advantages like visibility or materiality, potential for high-quality design and a more focused reading experience, making it more valuable for certain types of content.
But as the seniors at the Manila Standard – from Mr. Estabillo down to managing editor Joyce Pañares, news editor Virgilio DC Galvez, the online staff headed by Aytch dela Cruz, treasury manager Anita Grefal, ad solutions head Baldwin Felipe, circulation manager Edgard Valmorida, the section editors, the photo section headed by Lino Santos, the layout section headed by Vickie Ayeng – and the rank-and-file agree, they are prepared to roll up their sleeves as they march on past their 38th legend with the strategies they have sketched.
Can digital media really reproduce what some in the industry call the tactile and trustworthy experience of print, given that the world is now increasingly dominated by screens?
On the opposite side, digital media provides matchless accessibility, interactivity and convenience, making it the go-to choice for many in this fast-moving world.
Seniors in the industry will have to address major factors like accessibility, cost, engagement, and examine real world studies of newsrooms that have been successful in navigating the transition.
Evidently, there are pros and cons
The 67-year-old Sir Mark John Thompson, a British-American media executive who is Chief Executive Officer of Cable News Network, believes that while print may become more niche, it will continue to hold value for a particular audience.
Other experts like Emily Bell, founding director of the Tow Center for Digital Journalism at Columbia Journalism School, himself argues that we may be reaching a saturation point for digital content.
And as people experience digital fatigue, there may be a renewed interest in print as a ‘digital detox’ option.