In a recent blog post, Dickon Ross, editor-in-chief at Engineering & Technology, warns publishers that, “In terms of disruption, what’s gone before will soon seem like a drop in the ocean. Far greater upheaval awaits us.”
Despite the massive changes that publishing has undergone, and Dickon’s assertion that “Technology has totally and utterly changed the editor’s job,” he asserts that magazines have been less affected than industries based around other media.
“Yet in other respects, it’s surprising how slow the digital revolution is in magazines – compared to say the music industry or photography.”
This is probably true, despite Dickon’s title, Engineering and Technology now making more money onlline than in print, perhaps a surprising fact because nine out of 10 readers of E&T would choose print over all other formats.
Although he believes that print will continue, he strongly believes that in the future technology will have an even bigger impact:
“For other magazine brands, the remarkable thing is how slow the change is coming. Print will always hang on for some magazines but the digital revolution has barely begun. The Internet of Things, fast communications, haptics and other new user interfaces will usher in a new media revolution. These technologies often begin in the games industry first but they will spread and will in turn become new ways of telling stories as well as doing business, enjoying entertainment or even saving lives.”
Still not convinced? It’s because of the way we look at technology:
“We tend to overestimate the impact of new technologies in the short term and underestimate the impact in the long term. So the future never arrives on time. But when it does arrive, it makes a grand entrance and upsets everything we know. The combination of new technologies like the Internet of Things, VR and haptics will make the arrival of the internet look like the digital watch or pocket calculator – an important landmark but just one small stepping stone.”
This post is a fascinating look into the possible future of publishing and a great read for anyone who would like to know what changes the PR and marketing industry may be dealing with in a few years’ time.
