CM. Communication and Media (Jan 2017)
Online press: The relations between the content in print and online editions of daily newspapers
Abstract
The purpose of this article is to observe the connection between the same content in the print editions of daily newspapers in Serbia and on their web portals, i.e. the changes that occur in the digital world as compared to the 'static' content that can be seen on paper (text and photos). In the digital era, the newspapers is struggling to retain considerable influence and manages to do so through synchronization, promotion and transfer of media contents from one platform to another. At present, we see the attempts to maintain exclusivity of content in newspapers, as much as possible, just by promoting it on a web portal (through a single photograph or some previews of the whole text). They serve as 'bait' in an effort to increase interest for buying the newspapers. Also, unlike the situation with the print, the placement of the same contents on portals can be enriched by adding multimedia elements. There we encounter a 'paradox', i.e. the fact that on the internet, where space is practically unlimited, we have a shortening of the textual parts due to the explications that can be obtained through multimedia contents and links. On the other hand, that is impossible in the case of print, where a longer text is required, although there are clear spatial limitations. No matter the advantages of multimedia enrichments, there we also find a distinctive 'trap', in terms that there is a possibility that the content disappears. With print, where we do not have 'half-finished' product and the contents cannot change once printed, there is no such risk. Further, the digital age gave the print media a possibility to generate, transmit and distribute exclusive audio-visual content.
