How to make print work for news in 2025 and beyond – and why you shouldn’t ignore AI either

By Rob Golub

Print isn’t doomed, far from it. Print can thrive. I’ll tell you how, but first, let’s get realistic about our techy world.

I’m what they call an early adopter. Decades ago, when I used a digital video camera as a reporter for a daily, some fellow journalists wondered why I bothered.

Today, I’m all over AI. I use ChatGPT-4 constantly, and I encourage you to play with it. Imagine how it could benefit your work and life. It might feel easier to ignore it — but don’t. This moment feels like the early days of the internet, when no one knew what to do with all that reach, all that power. Those who embraced that new tech often thrived.

Feed your imagination. Ask ChatGPT-4 a bunch of questions about what interests you. Chat with it. Then ask it to tell you about yourself. You’ll quickly learn that the clunky, stilted AI of science fiction isn’t reality anymore. My AI makes jokes, tailored to my personality – and they usually work. Usually. Scary, right? But that’s our world.

I tell you all this because you must know that I am not rosy on print because I view it as a refuge. I’m not fleeing tech. We must embrace tech.

Print isn’t outdated; it’s just a hammer that’s not for every nail. In 1979, we were told “Video Killed the Radio Star.” (Fun fact: That song by the Buggles was the first music video played on MTV.) But today, we have tons of “radio” stars — from Howard Stern to podcasters with massive influence.

The journey for print has been messy and diminishing, sure. But that doesn’t mean there’s no demand for it. What’s changed is how and why audiences connect with print.

As I’ve written before, the kids love print — they devour manga. People still open those envelopes with coupons, sent to their mailboxes. Many people prefer books in print.

Unlike digital, print offers innocence, permanence, and a break from algorithms and nasty comments. People are overwhelmed by screens and crave relief, especially from social media’s relentless pressures. Print journalism can deliver this.

What we need is a print product that connects with readers and provides a strong alternative to other media. Here’s how to make it work:

1. Fight for multiple entry points.

People don’t read a print product linearly. They flip through it, enjoying the tactile experience, like a friend sitting with them in the kitchen. Your print product must lean into this joy by providing multiple entry points – everywhere.

Pull quotes, breakout boxes, captions, and photos are essential. Big blocks of text intimidate readers; best to avoid that.

 The Square Tissue Box Rule: Before the jump – where content continues on another page ­– place a square tissue box on your layout. If it lands on nothing but text, you’re doing something wrong. That box should touch a photo, caption, subheadline, or other visual element.

Collaboration among editors, reporters and designers is key to making this happen. It's too easy to say this kind of thinking is someone else’s job.

Implement a human system that works. Reporters can suggest breakout boxes in their drafts. Designers can create templates for added elements, and they should look for ways to include the elements, jumping as needed. Editors who love words must prioritize photos and design. Fight for this. Journalism is worth it.

 2. Offer what they can’t get elsewhere.

Think of your print product as a newsmagazine, not a daily newspaper.

Your print product comes out after social media and the internet. This means you need to provide exclusive content — stories important to your community that no one else bothers to cover. If you cover a local community, tell us about the family that opened a local bubble tea shop, not national trends in bubble tea. Stay in your lane.

Consider hyperlocal stories, in-depth analysis, and features that the internet’s quick-hit culture overlooks. Avoid obligatory news. Don’t cover what you should.  Cover what they can’t get elsewhere.

3. Emotionally connect.

Emotion is half the battle — or more. See the rest of this site for tips on how to connect with readers on a deeper level.

Print has its place in the future of journalism, but only if we meet readers where they are. Give them something tangible, valuable, and unique — something worth flipping through in their kitchen or keeping on their coffee table. The beauty of print isn’t just in its tactile nature; it’s in the emotion-bound, more private, just-us connection that it can deliver.