Adapting to Survive: How the Print Media Sector Responds to Sustainability Pressures

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Engetani Lucia Mabasa and Boikaego Dolphus Seadira (Department of Media Studies, University of Limpopo, South Africa)

In the digital age, the print newspaper sector faces numerous challenges. The rise of digital media has contributed to the decline of print media. Traditional media, especially newspapers, face both challenges and threats from digital media. Some newspapers have closed, while others have shifted to digital versions as a result of these challenges and threats to print media. The purpose of this study was to determine how print media can continue to be viable in the face of ongoing competition from digital media. This study looked at the tactics used by the print media industry in South Africa to adjust and survive in the digital age. Six officials from six chosen national newspapers were the subject of the study. Guided by the Mediamorphosis theory and the Niche Theory of the Media, the results of qualitative semi-structured interviews show that audience engagement, digital integration, revenue source diversification, content innovation, and brand repositioning are examples of adaptation tactics. The study advances knowledge of how print newspapers struggle to survive in a media environment that is changing quickly.