The role of print in a digital future

For enterprise media organisations, understanding print's enduring power lies in appreciating its unique attributes, complemented by advancements in the field of print automation. So, let's explore why print remains a key player in the media industry and how IT professionals can leverage cutting-edge solutions to optimise its production and monetisation to the greater good of the media organisation.  

Despite the rapid growth of digital content, we witness how print still holds a special place for a significant audience segment globally. One argumentation is that less digitalised countries might need it to distribute news properly in the population. However, in most countries a smartphone is used by large majorities of the population, creating digital accessibility to news. Another argumentation would be an older audience clinging to a trusted format. Yet, we see trends in some segments of the younger generations turning towards the printed product as well. Why? Our conclusion is: because its tangibility fosters a sense of permanence and trust.  

Printed newspapers carry with them an inherent sense of authority. The editorial oversight behind print production signals to the audience that the content is carefully curated and fact checked. Whilst AI-driven content speeds up news cycles, print represents the antidote to digitised information overload by offering carefully packaged credibility. Something that AI should never be allowed to touch, but which well-built automation can support. 

There's something uniquely engaging about holding a newspaper. The tactile experience creates a connection between the reader and the content that digital media cannot replicate. For many audiences, including older demographics and younger premium consumers, print offers an experience of luxury and presence that complements the immediacy of digital content.  

Contrary to the common belief in the industry that digital replaces print completely, our belief is that the two can coexist in harmony. When used strategically, print complements digital efforts, creating a diversified media offering to the audience. 

One reason print is seen as cumbersome is the labour-intensive production process. However, advances in print automation are turning these challenges into opportunities. With automation, newspapers can update section layouts, insert last-minute advertisements, and adapt to breaking news quickly. The native integration into enterprise-level platforms, like our CUE platform, makes the production process seamless, reducing the burden on design teams while maintaining high-quality standards. Imagine your design teams not being panicked when “breaking news” hits in the final hour of layout approvals. Or having them smiling, when receiving additional ads to include in the newspaper, because the labour of adding it is so minimal, that it won’t take away any time from designing a special edition or front page. Nice, right? 

By automating the layout and design process, businesses can also speed up general innovation across your print products. Suddenly, creating custom editions, special sections, and targeted content for niche audiences becomes not just feasible but cost-effective. And it makes your brand stand out.  

Amongst fluctuating digital advertising revenues and increasing competition, print serves as a vital and dependable revenue source for many publishers today.  

Currently, 45% of total income, among surveyed news publishers in the World Press Trends Report 2024-2025 by WAN-IFRA, still comes from print sales – despite its decline from 57.5% in 2023. For media organisations focused on maintaining profitability, print remains critical even as they diversify revenue sources with podcasts, newsletters, and block it behind paywalls. The industry simply cannot afford to lose print. At least not yet. But should it?  

With the right tools, print can be repositioned as a premium product. Reduced print production costs through automation means that IT departments can transform print into a scalable part of the product suite, available for consumers who value it as a high-quality, luxury experience.  

When paired with exclusive content, limited-edition copies, or collector features, print also provides opportunities to target a niche, high-value audience, creating an excellent return on investment. And as a side bonus, any good Print solution will provide you with an e-paper version that can be accessed by online-only audience.  

Sanoma in Finland successfully onboarded all their local newspapers to print automation in 2024, streamlining their production processes and increasing operational efficiency. This year, 2025, the company is focused on extending this initiative to include all remaining titles, ensuring a fully automated workflow across their portfolio. Additionally, they have begun testing the implementation of print automation with their magazines, exploring how the technology can enhance their magazine production and deliver consistent quality across all formats. 

Hearst Newspapers in the U.S. use print automation to streamline production and boost efficiency. Automation allows for quick production of straightforward pages, easing pressure as deadlines approach and freeing teams to focus on complex, time-sensitive tasks. Community papers reusing content from larger dailies and those sharing content across editions benefit greatly, completing workflows much faster. This approach ensures quicker production cycles, consistency, and quality across the portfolio while empowering teams to meet modern publishing demands. 

Meanwhile, we see our CUE Print Automation solution posing significant value to regional media groups who have been able to thrive by using tailored print products for local news. Supported by CUE Print Automation, these publications maintain their connection with local audiences while managing production costs effectively, by allowing CUE Print to setup each local edition quickly and nicely, only for designers to go through the product to verify the desired outcome.  

While print ultimately won't hold the same value as it used to, it is far from dead. For IT departments in media organisations, its survival is not a question of nostalgia, but one of strategy. Automation has fundamentally changed what is possible with print, from reducing costs to improving scalability and innovation. In other words, the IT department who considers updating their print tech stack to accommodate for the next decade would gain significant value, such as:  

Print's role as a thoughtful, premium product is more relevant than ever in an age dominated by AI-driven digital content. Whether it’s combating content oversaturation or maintaining a significant revenue stream, print represents an indispensable tool for media organisations willing to innovate while maintaining tradition.  

By rethinking how print fits into broader product strategies, IT departments can shape an integrated, forward-thinking collection of media offerings to their audiences.