Discussion

By Robert Godwin on Dec 19, 2014

Frank,
First stop shoving the newspaper in my face!

In isn't our responsibility to "save the Legacy" of the newspaper. That's the job of the free market.

Second, inkjet technology can pencil out, but your argument does not include increasing the value of the newspaper. A primary reason the newspaper is smaller and has fewer pages is because it cannot get the advertising revenue. And that is because fewer people read papers that buy things. Old people (hey, you said it) have most of what they need already so advertisers don't see the ROI on a newsprint ad.

What inkjet technology can do that addresses the 'value proposition' of the newspaper to advertisers is to:
1. have more relevant content
2. better design aesthetics

Inkjet supports VDP and so it is possible to customize the content to the reader's local and personal interests. That makes it relevant.

The two newspapers you shoved in our faces, with 100 years separating their creation, have not evolved the design aesthetic. The printed matter read by younger audiences looks interesting through the design. this will attract the younger demographic that does buy things.

Relevant content, attractive design. Must haves to succeed.

The opportunity exists, but it won't be your Father's paper!

By David Avery on Dec 19, 2014

There were a couple ink jet newspaper systems at Drupa.

One thing is that a "newspaper Press" and a "Commercial Press" in the ink jet world may be synonymous - or only have different front ends. It takes me less than 5 minutes to change DFE's on a digital press. So your "newspaper" may continue their news gathering business and outsource the print production to a local job shop.

Ink jet allows more personalization and localization, and "maybe" push deadlines back.

As for design - newspapers haven't changed their design much because they have a design that works.

Trying to find the information in between the blinking ads and the popups makes reading the news on most internet sites annoying.

Also - paper training your puppy would be very hard to do using the Huffington Post.