While traditional print media outlets in the U.S. and Europe are losing readers and revenue, Latin American newspapers are growing at a sustained pace and still have potential for further growth, says Christoph Riess, the executive director of the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA).
According to Riess, the number of print media readers in Latin America grew 5.1% from 2005-2009, while advertising proceeds grew 65% at a time when revenue fell 33.1% and 13% in the U.S. and Europe, respectively, AFP explains.
However, Riess cautions that "Latin America should not just relax and say, 'it's never going to get here.’” Regardless, there is reason to be optimistic he says, as there is “more time in Latin America to prepare for digital changes, and this is an opportunity to learn from the good and bad experiences from other regions.”
Riess’ comments at the inaugural meeting of the Latin America division of WAN-IFRA complement other studies showing the relative health of print media in the region.
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Note from the editor: This story was originally published by the Knight Center’s blog Journalism in the Americas, the predecessor of LatAm Journalism Review.
