Planes, Trains and Fax Machines

Tracks

This post was written by regular contributor Katie Wall.

I’ve been thinking about trains lately (mostly because there’s one that goes behind my apartment all throughout the night blowing its whistle…), but who uses trains? Where on earth could that train be going at all hours of night? And who or what is on board?

I can’t say I’ve ever really taken a train aside from the one at Tweetsie Railroad, but I know that they used to be the preferred mode of transportation before modern cars and planes. The thing is, even though trains may have lost their popularity, they haven’t gone away. Sure there are fewer people lined up and kissing their lover goodbye as the train slowly rolls away, but the show goes on!

Why? Because trains can still serve certain markets.

I think the same thing applies to the news and communications mediums.

While print newspapers and magazines may be dwindling, I don’t think that they can’t still serve a specific purpose to different groups of people. And just because we have things like Google Wave and Twitter, I don’t think e-mail or even snail-mail are going away.

What do you think? Do you think that old channels will become obsolete? What do you think the next big thing is? How can you utilize “trains” while still fitting into the modern world? Is it even worth trying to?

Image from: gearfuse.com

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Tags: communications, katie wall, social media

Carlee Mallard

Everyone else has already made some great observations, but nobody has specifically hit on trains.

I love trains, but you're right that they don't serve the same purpose in the same way that they used to back in the 1800-1900's. Our society keeps picking up the pace, so that traveling by train is too slow. But in places where they modified the trains to fit in with a faster society, the trains are still utilized quite well (ie. bullet trains, high speed trains from DC to NYC). There are plenty of "older" mediums out there that we just need to innovate to find a "newer" way to utilize them.
GoKTGo

Great insight, Carlee!!

I think you hit the nail on the head - we live in a faster paced world now and we want news immediately - that's not something print can keep up with (even if they put out an extra edition)!

Where trains have been able to make that switch to a speedier model, I think it will be interesting to see if print can make a change like that in it's truest form and keep up...
Tim Jahn

When you think about it, have ANY old channels become obsolete? The radio is still used, fax machines are still used, television is still used, postal mail is still used. Telegraph is the only one I can think of that we no longer use.

As you said, some of these older channels may serve smaller markets, but they're still very important to those markets. I think as communications evolves (as it did then and will continue to), the mediums will evolve into each other. Sort of like how Internet content is gradually evolving into television sets.
GoKTGo

I totally agree, I always think it's interesting when people call something an "email-killer"...etc. You worded it so well >> "some of these older channels may serve smaller markets, but they're still very important to those markets."

On that note, I think I'm gunna bring back Morse Code! :)
Bethany Rae Cramer

I agree that old channels are still valuable to certain audiences; not everyone has a Twitter or reads blogs for their news. I think the next big thing may be newspapers working together with online writers. Perhaps there will be blog references in articles or a section devoted to "online news". Who knows! But if you can't beat 'em, join 'em... or at least work them to your benefit!
GoKTGo

Thanks for commenting :)

Yeah, It'll be interesting to see what the "next big thing" is! It always makes me a little bit nervous! I want to invest in things 100% but sometimes it's hard to when I think that things are going to change (especially when I want to buy all of the classic Disney movies on DVD but then they have BluRay and who knows what's next!!) :)

But I'm looking forward to seeing mediums overlap in new ways!
Danny Prager

I think the best answer to this question is integration. You can get your message across on a variety of mediums, but you need to make them all work together.

Putting social media accounts on direct mail is a little example of how the old can work with the new.

Many stores use online coupons that only work in store, to drive sales the "old fashioned" way. In my opinion, the biggest challenge of communications today is having relevant content at every entry point.

Thanks for the post Katie, hopefully you've gotten used the sound of the train by now!
GoKTGo

Your response seems to be pretty popular, Mr. Prager :)

I think you're absolutely right - there's got to be some sort of integration...I doubt if one medium will ever fully lapse another.

someone told me once that TV will never go away as long as there's people out there who want news but can't read.

I guess there's always going to be people who need things one way or another, but it's cool to see how each of the mediums influence eachother now - ie. one of the news stations in ATL post people's tweets about certain hashtags (like #ATLSnow) on their Web site & scrolling on their TV channel...gives a lot of power to the iReporter and the cross-over media people! :)
Tom O'Keefe

Good post, KT.

People are always so quick to declare this or that "dead". How can e-mail be "dead" if people still use it across the board? How can print be "dead" if people still read newspapers and magazines? As Tim says, we still use a wide variety mediums and communication channels, both old and new, to get our information, share it, and discuss it.
GoKTGo

Thanks, Tom!

Yall are all right - I hate when people say things are "dead" - it's like people calling different phones "the iPhone Killer" - I have yet to see a phone that has bumped the iPhone out of place...

I love e-mail (and snail-mail), so I hope it doesnt die any time soon :)
Ryan Knapp

The market also changes based on location.

In the US, a 6 hour drive isn't considered 'long' by any means, we fly to distances that are 45 minutes and trains are underutilized as a long distance form of travel.

In Spain, any cartrip over 2 hours calls for weeks of preparation, flying is kinda-sorta the same, but train travel is EVERYWHERE. It is so cheap and efficient that I took the train pretty much across God's green earth when I was there, and loved it.

So in the sense that old channels may not be valuable in one location, they may be essential in another.
GoKTGo

That's a really interesting point, Ryan!

I hadn't really thought of the variation globally (or even regionally) for preferred mediums! I think that would be something really cool to look into - to see who is using what & where!

You have inspired me, sir! haha :D
laurenfernandez

I think it depends on the person. Sure, our generation might be inclined to go digital, but I still get the hard copy of the NYT every morning. I grew up reading a paper and watching the news, and I kind of like the feel of the actual paper. Its a habit, yes, but I do like being able to look up stuff online.

Several mediums work for one location, and not others, like Ryan said. Make it unique to the situation, not to the mass market.
GoKTGo

I feel the same way - I get so much more out of a hard copy of a paper - when I read things online I tend to skim and get bored easily! I also feel the same way about books - I love the way they feel (and smell!) which is why things like Amazon Reader & Kindle weird me out :/

I guess it's like most things where you really have to feel out your audience and figure out how the people you are targeting get their news/communicate! :)
laurenfernandez

I think if I had a Kindle, though, I might actually use it for newspaper reading. It's still bigger than my iPhone, and I wouldn't get ink smudges!
GoKTGo

haha! but ink smudges are all part of the newspaper experience!! ;)
Tim Jahn

The key to remember here, though, is that OUR kids won't grow up reading the newspaper. The newspaper will still be here but by and large, I imagine our generation's children will be consuming digital mediums from a very young age.

Which means THEIR children won't read newspapers, etc. There will always be people that like paper for the emotional/feel part, but I think each generation will see less and less of this.
GoKTGo

If that's the case (which I totally agree with ) that our children and their children won't be reading traditional print, do you think that it will eventually completely die out? Or do you think it will hold on in some form like vinyl records or other things like that are considered "retro" or "trendy"?

Or will there even be an availability in the future? And how can we know when the *last* person on earth who cares about print news is gone? Is it going to be one of those things that we keep around to make people happy or are people eventually going to have to get over it and adapt to digital because it's just too expensive to produce?
Christa Marzan

Great post, KT.

I agree with Danny in the fact that integration is the best option. By doing so, it will help keep certain mediums alive, even if their popularity/use dwindles.

Let's face it, different demographic groups are attracted to different media. I see that at my job on a daily basis- we still use radio advertising for a lot of our programs (I work in marketing for a non-profit) and that's the best medium for that program's consumers, who are older. Online works for others, who are younger and more tech-savvy. Direct mail works for others. Print advertising works for others, still. It all depends on who you're targeting. But I think familiarity and awareness is still key, even if you're not using a specific medium.
GoKTGo

I think it's great that you bring up radio, Christa! As someone who is always glued to CDs (and yes, I mean CDs not an iPod!), I don't listen to the radio very often, so I tend to forget about the influence it can have!

The idea of making sure you recognize the familiarity of the medium for your audience is huge! I think that's when it's hard when a client wants to move forward and explore new technology even if their audience isn't ready for that yet...

I guess I'm still trying to figure out how you meet the needs of a client who wants to keep up with the times but a target market that might not be ready for it...
Tim Jahn

Radio is a funny medium to me, because I don't commute in a car to a job. So the only time I really listen to the radio is when I'm tooling around in my car on the weekends or running errands.

But to someone that drives in a car to work everyday (like my wife)? The radio is invaluable! She listens to Eric & Kathy every morning on the way to work and often informs me of weather updates, funny celebrity trivia, etc. that she got from that morning radio show.

Two totally different uses of the radio, made different solely from the amount of time we each drive the car. Crazy.
GoKTGo

I think that goes back to what @RyanKnapp was saying about location being a direct influence on things - maybe people in cities where public transportation is king wouldn't be the best places to air a radio spot - maybe a poster on a train or subway would be better! But I think the amount of time you spend driving definitely plays a crucial role in how much you listen to the radio - This isn't the '50s...we're not huddling around a radio listening to Hopalong Cassidy :)
Tim Jahn

Great point Christa. I'm fortunate enough to own an iPhone and a laptop, which means my access to information is far greater than someone who doesn't own either or both. Two simple devices that I have access to (coupled with the fact that I definitely have a more tech slant) and I'm in a completely demographic information wise than somebody who relies on the nightly news as their sole source of information.
heatherwhaling

As someone who still subscribes to magazines and loves reading the hard-copy of the NY Times (archaic, I know!), I agree that the mediums are still necessary. That said, it becomes an economic issue. The train industry was forced to evolve. I'm no train expert, but it's probably safe to assume that the number of passenger trains has decreased, due to people's preference to drive or fly. Likewise, the "old" mediums (print specifically) are being forced to go through a similar evolution right now. Love the analogy :)

Heather
@prTini
GoKTGo

Haha, don't worry, Heather! You're not the only one who still reads the NYT in print! :)

A lot of the other comments stressed "integration" but I love the point you bring up about "evolution" - it's not just pulling together preexisting mediums, but also continuing forward as a new medium that can continue to grow and meet future needs!
Danny Prager

I love your idea that evolution and integration can, and need, to occur simultaneously. Like Heather said, integration is only successful if it is viable economically.

I am of the opinion that the power of innovation can lead to both integrated and evolved communications, but there are many who are more skeptical. Maybe I'm just naive.
Alexia Harris

Katie,

I love that a train sparked this post. Nice.

I agree with Danny. Integration is key. Since I'm on a computer for the majority of my day, being able read hard copies of newspapers and magazines is appreciated. The children that are growing up now no nothing but technology so they won't have the same love for traditional paper media as those who grew up without a computer or using both digital and traditional mediums.

A few months ago when I renewed my subscription to Elle Magazine, I was offered the choice to have the mag delivered via USPS or email. The digital subscription was cheaper (and greener), so I tried it. Hated it. It wasn't the same. I immediately switched the delivery method. When I'm finished, I donate it to my gym or use them in my lesson plans. (Much appreciated by my female students.)

Although the way news is delivered is constantly changing, I think it's best to have options for readers who prefer traditional over digital.

-Alexia
@alexiaharris
GoKTGo

haha! I wish I loved that this post was sparked by that pesky train! It woke me up again last night! lol! At least I'm moving soon! :D

I am totally with you as far as sitting in front of a computer all day and finding hard copy print refreshing! Sometimes I think I'm gunna go cross-eyed staring at a screen all day!

That's super interesting about the magazine subscription! One of the best parts about magazines is being able to thumb through the pages, etc.! It's also interesting how something like cost or the "green" movement can sway our opinions about things - even if only for a little while ;)

I love that you were able to recognize that digital isn't always the best for you!

What do you teach? My sister's a spanish teacher and she always uses magazine clips in her lesson plans too! :D
MCafiero

I, too, agree with Danny re: integration. And like Ryan said, it also depends on location. Not only that, we have to think about our intended audience and how they prefer to consume content.

I still subscribe to my print magazines and enjoy having something tangible to grasp. There's a sort of romance surrounding the "archaic" things - whether it's a newspaper or a train. I'd love to go on a train ride a la The Polar Express or Harry Potter's train to Hogwarts... it sounds magical to me.
GoKTGo

Haha! oh my gosh! Now I want to go on a magical train ride!!! :D

But you're right (and I love the way you worded it) - it depends on how your audience prefers to "consume content" - I think a lot of times when I look at news online I just kind of scan over it without actually pulling in any real information - but when I sit down with a book or a magazine things seem to stick a little bit more! :)
Scott Hale

As new channels grow in popularity, I think we will see more traditional channels take on new roles. We still use fax machines because email can't get you a hard copy. We still use trains because they're cheaper than planes (and for some, the ground just seems safer). As for magazines and newspapers, there is an artistic element with which a computer screen can't compete.

As an information channel, I think Danny has the answer. Content creators are going to find creative ways to differ the way they use each medium to engage audiences at all touch points while maintaining a connection.

Nice thoughts, Katie :)
GoKTGo

Wow! I *love* your comment, Scott! That entire first paragraph is perfect! haha! You did a great job of highlighting why each medium is really able to thrive (or at least survive)!

"Content creators are going to find creative ways to differ the way they use each medium to engage audiences at all touch points while maintaining a connection." - so smart. :)