It may surprise some to learn that print media isn’t actually dead, it’s simply moving in different countries across the globe. In fact, the English-language paper that sees the largest circulation is the Times of India, beating out printed media across the US and UK regions by far.
Not only is the traditional newspaper subscription sustaining its daily readership, but the medium is actually growing in the area. The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) conducted a study that indicated a growth spike of up to two-thirds in the Indian newspaper industry, leaving some to be baffled by the numbers – an industry that was once worth $2.64 billion (US dollars) in 2005 had risen to $4.37 billion by 2010.
This successful upturn appears to be due to the expansion of the middle class, where more than 82,000 newspapers circulate across India, leading to a total of 110 million daily copies in the hands of readers. The expansion of the Internet also remains poor in the region, keeping over 80% of the population centered on their daily printed news source.
TV and radio may be growing slowly, but the various advantages of newspapers still hold strong. After all, delivery of these newspapers only costs around $2 a month. Therefore, the overwhelming majority of local advertising money is spent on print media, where the success of classified ads is high. The use of newspapers as educational tools for children also keeps the papers flying off shelves.
Meanwhile, in Mexico, the success of printed books has gained steam as well. Literacy rates increased from 10% to 90%, growing substantially in the 1990’s. Due to the increase in disposable income as well, the sale of literature continues to skyrocket, amplifying the continued success of printed media across nations.
