Print media is dying: Saudi official

Newspapers can no longer compete with the fast growing electronic papers and a steady decline in their sales shows the print media is dying, a Saudi information ministry official was quoted on Thursday as saying.

With the quick spread of online media worldwide, the employment of new technology is now the only way for the print media to survive and slow down its decline, said Saud Al Kateb, the ministry’s assistant undersecretary for foreign media.

“The new electronic media can no longer be ignored as it is now all over…these papers are online, on Facebook, on Twitter and on YouTube…all statistics worldwide show that there is a steady decline in the distribution of printed papers,” he said.

“This is a confirmed sign that the printed papers are slowly dying…they have lost most of their young readers, who have become fond of computers and smart devices and want to see continuously updated news and events, which are not provided by the newspapers…I believe that these newspapers have no chance to compete with the electronic media and the only solution for them is to employ new technology.”

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