“Print is awesome”

As i read this article on the website of Calgary’s weekly zine FFWD about a local magazine shop and the printed news industry, i thought about print and the physical. I agree with the commenter Melly Mel, that print is awesome and FFWD rules. But i really do appreciate adding comments to articles, subscribing to RSS feeds (which FFWD’s website lacks unfortunately), and saving trees. To me the limitation of the screen boils down to its resolution and versatility (so far) in contrast to paper. I don’t have a problem with taking my laptop and reading blogs or news outside/beyond a desk setting, but paper is in some respects still far superior. Yet, everytime i see those free magazines at C-Train stations and on campus i ask myself is it still worth it? Does printed broadcasting like this still make sense?

I have been to the store mentioned in the article before and i agree it has a nice selection of national and international magazines. But as i read and work more online than on paper, i think i am exposed to a wider range of information and inspiration that i could ever afford to access (read: buy) in such a store. While this may have bad consequences for news/magazine shops, i think there are still opportunities to “make money” off of our information needs. But maybe less directly. Maybe we will rather pay for coffee, muffins, and a nice atmosphere. Coffeeshops and teahouses are already experiencing a new bloom, as we yearn for more social and physical interaction.