Will Newspapers Ever Use Digital Printing?
Speed of 300 m/min is equivalent to 5 m/s, but newspapers GEOMAN and any others runs with 11-12 m/s which is allow to print many titles at night durung 2-3 hours (In general, in the newspapers house are printed several titles every day). Nontheless of short runs it is important factor so far.
InkJet will be proper only for regional newspapers, and I think already it is in real life.
Today's paper was delivered to the driveway instead of the front door. It was only raining though, no snow last night, so that's okay, Not.
Tomorrow's paper will be delivered to the laptop, tablet, or phone. I just have to convince my wife. More papers on the driveway ought to do that just fine. I don't see Inkjet delivering to the tablet. Do you?
I think the problem is more complicated than simply supplying variable content to subscribers. Most newspapers have no database on their subscribers, so they have no idea what content to provide in a "personalized" newspaper. Some have even outsourced their subscriber lists to third party distributors. Then there is the issue of the subscriber. Do I really need a personalized newspaper when so much content is available digitally? And, is the consumer of tomorrow going to sit down with a morning cup of coffee, and a newspaper... or a tablet, which allows them to do many things other than read news. Until these questions are answered, why would a newspaper want to invest the capital these presses require?
When traveling abroad I have always relished the opportunity to read the brief news summaries provided by many hotels xeroxed on 6-8 A4 pages which they have gotten from API or some publisher. Obviously a short run, compact timely product crudely printed.
On flights abroad there is more time to read the entire edition of The Financial Times, which is more difficult to get (even in many airports before the flight). This same 20-24 page summary would seem to be well targeted to this captive audience.
Granted the tablet might easily replace these short run printed versions ... in time.
I would think that one or more book printers that had HP TC200 or 400 already installed might try this product development initiative in a metro area since books are already covering the monthly nut.
The only argument for printing newspapers digitally is variable data. For a newspaper that means to know what a particular reader wants to read and then find a way to distribute this special issue to this reader. This is were digital newspapers on media tablets excel, so I think we will not see general use of digital printing for newspapers. Sorry Kodak and sorry Jack this is not were the money is.