India: Digital Media vs Print Media

The total number of people in India that claim to have used the Internet in 2009 is 71 million. That’s according to a recent report conducted by the Internet and Mobile Association of India and market research leader IMRB. The report also suggests that the surge in numbers has been primarily due to the increased number of the users in the remote urban pockets (small metros and towns) and among lower socio-economic classes’. So much so that they’ve overtaken top cities and higher socioeconomic classes. Also, the amount of time that people spend online has increased from about nine hours to almost 16 hours a week, and these numbers only seem to be soaring. So, you can imagine the pace at which the percentage of Internet penetration in the country might grow in the coming years.

One might rightly suggest that social media and increased Internet access on mobile phones have fueled the overall user base. But is social networking the primary reason for people getting hooked on to the information superhighway? I wouldn’t say so. The Internet is too far fetched and propagates happenings like wild fire across the globe, and news updates could never have found a faster way to reach the people. These are perhaps the main reasons why debates like online versus print favor the former. Before I explain why print media would never fizzle out, let me massage the egos of people who think I’m wrong.

See full article at: Tech2.com India > Digital Media vs Print Media > Features > General > General.