Pixels or Paper? The debate continues.
by C.Asaravala

Happy New Year. It's hard to believe that 2007 marks eight years since the launch of FordMuscle. For those of you who have been reading FM since 1999, we offer a big thank you for sticking with us. For those of you who have only recently joined us, rest assured that you have found the best Ford magazine there is. Notice I didn't qualify my statement by adding "on the web." FordMuscle is a magazine that happens to use the internet as its method of delivery.

Many of my friends and colleagues in this industry often ask what the biggest challenge has been over the years in succeeding as a web business. While many web-based businesses struggle with technology- problems, or issues with their revenue model, the challenge for FordMuscle has always been in gaining acceptance from readers, potential advertisers, and competitors, as a legitimate publication. In a recent debate with the editor of a print magazine I was recently reminded that this challenge still continues.

The "print versus web" debate is faced not only by FordMuscle but by many other digital-only publications across all industries. The debate has evolved over the years, and the general consensus is that digital publications have gained widespread acceptance in the past several years. In fact, Internet publications have become such a large influence that many publications that were formerly print-only have started to quickly make their way to the web, following in the footsteps of their readers. Just take a look at what is happening to the newspaper industry. The San Jose Mercury News' circulation reported a 7.1 percent drop in its daily circulation for the six-month period ending May 3, and a 9.9 percent drop in its Sunday circulation. The San Francisco Chronicle dropped 6.1 percent daily to 468,739. The Los Angeles Times declined 6.5 percent daily to 907,997.

This exodus to web-based publications is driven by two things, timeliness and the access to information. Internet technology allows information to become available almost instantaneously. There is no need to wait for a press to run or for a mailman to deliver. With search engine technology, a massive amount of information from around the world, on any topic, can be sorted and precisely searched within a few keystrokes for next to no cost. It's this accessibility that really makes digital publications superior. When you come onto FordMuscle you have access to eight years and counting worth of content. This is simply just not possible with any printed publication, unless you are willing to source and store every issue they've printed.

The few that minimize the legitimacy of web publications argue that such publications are inherently less credible because they can be produced by virtually anyone. Sure, a web site or blog can be launched in a matter of minutes, but it takes much longer to develop credibility. In fact, it likely takes about the same amount of time for a publication in print, or on the web, to develop trust amongst its readers because credibility is a function of time and quality of information. Whether you publish on paper or in pixels an audience of humans still has to read, verify and accept the information for the source to be considered trusted and credible. Very few people would mistake the Wall St. Journal website with JoesNewsBlog because they both happen to be on the Internet Furthermore, I argue, that the more people that have the ability to publish, and the greater the audience, the more likely higher credibility content will emerge. When the ability to create and share information is held in the hand of a few, there is an inherent lack of scrutiny. Think how skeptical you'd be if your daily news came from a single source.

My friends in the print industry like to remind me that at least I can take their product in to the bathroom. I always chuckle because I feel like saying "true, it's a good backup in case you run out of toilet paper." In actuality they are right, a printed magazine has advantages in portability. It's less bulkier than the smallest of laptops and much easier to operate. There will always be something tangible about holding a glossy issue of HotRod in your hands while you lay in bed. I think this will be the case for a number of years to come. However, it is inevitable that the content in most printed media is evolving into information that is not required to be timely or sought after "on demand". While I don't foresee myself ever reading my laptop in bed, I also don't ever go thumbing through back issues of print mags when I'm in need for a how-to on tuning my Ford EFI system. Nope, in that case I'd check the best Ford magazine that just happens to be online.



 

In This Article:
2007 marks the eighth year since FordMuscle first launched. Editor Chirag Asaravala reviews the biggest challange for this publication.