What will the press be like after the pandemic? Initial diagnosis attempt (as of January 2021)

Abstract

The aim of the article is an attempt to estimate the changes that took place in the press in the last year, directly or indirectly related to the coronavirus pandemic. Some publishers experienced its effects painfully, losing readership and advertiser clients, which caused financial losses that are difficult to counteract. Hence the decisions to close press titles, suspend or abandon the printed version to the electronic version. In the latter case, we will have to wait for the gains to offset the losses. But digital editions are gaining in importance. The information provided before the end of 2020 by the press giant – the New York Times – about generating more revenues from sales of digital editions than from printed ones (sic!), should encourage publishers to develop this form of sales. This is a historic moment for the world press. The abandonment of printing press, announced years ago, may now accelerate even more. Not because of a pandemic anymore, but because electronic newspapers may generate higher revenues than traditional ones. Thus, the last arguments for staying in print may lose their raison d’être.