In an era where TikTok trends and 280-character tweets dominate news consumption, the once-revered discipline of print journalism is facing a legitimacy crisis, not just in the marketplace, but in the minds of the very students training to be tomorrow’s journalists. Many now view print as a relic of the past, slow, dusty and obsolete. But this narrative is not only shortsighted; it’s dangerous. Print journalism is not dying. It is evolving. And its enduring values, rigorous reporting, narrative depth, ethical integrity, remain foundational to the digital storyteller’s craft. The real crisis, then, is not with print itself, but with how we teach and talk about it.
As a journalism educator and international affairs columnist who has seen both newsrooms and classrooms shift under the weight of technological disruption, I argue that now is the time to reposition print media, not as a dying form, but as the bedrock of all journalistic excellence. To revive interest in print journalism, we must reimagine how it is taught, perceived and practiced. How can innovative strategies make print journalism both relevant and irresistible in a digital-first era, particularly within the Ghanaian media landscape?
Teaching Print Media as a Core for Digital Fluency
Too often, journalism education presents print and digital media as separate entities, one “traditional” the other “modern”. This dichotomy undermines a critical truth: the core skills honed in print journalism are the very ones that power effective digital storytelling. Story architecture, accuracy, coherence, research, and ethical rigor are born in the newsroom and matured through print. Teaching students to craft solid feature articles, investigate with patience or structure persuasive editorials prepares them to create compelling newsletters, digital op-eds, podcasts and immersive multimedia packages.
To bridge the print-digital divide, instructors should frame print as the “syntax of journalism”, the structural language that underpins every platform. For example, assignments could require students to write a traditional print feature and then adapt it for multiple formats: a podcast script, an Instagram carousel, and a newsletter. Courses like Print Media Practice should emphasize “legacy skills for modern storytelling”, positioning print journalism not as a tombstone, but as a training ground.
Rekindling Interest
Ghanaian students, like their global peers, often perceive print journalism as old-fashioned, uninspiring, and unprofitable. To revive their interest, educators and institutions must reposition print journalism not as static or outdated, but as a foundation for innovation.
Encourage students to create themed print zines or newspapers on pressing issues (e.g., climate change, youth unemployment), blending investigative journalism with graphic design and narrative storytelling. Moreover, set up newsroom simulations where students produce print content and experiment with digitizing it in real time. Use simulation tools that allow students to role-play as editors, reporters or publishers responding to breaking news through both print and digital formats.
The goal is to replace nostalgia with innovation, making students see print not as a dying medium, but as a creative discipline ripe for reinvention.
Reshaping Perceptions of Print Journalism Careers in Ghana
In Ghana, print journalism is often perceived as a “second-tier” profession due to declining newspaper readership, low remuneration and limited visibility compared to broadcast or digital media. However, this perception overlooks the growing relevance of long-form, investigative and enterprise reporting in a media landscape saturated with fleeting content.
To rebrand print journalism careers, Ghanaian journalists who began in print but now lead digital investigative platforms or serve in editorial roles at international media houses should be highlighted as role models. Collaborations with legacy outlets such as the Daily Graphic, Ghanaian Times and The Daily Guidecan also be leveraged to offer internships and mentorships, while encouraging these institutions to embrace digital transformation.
Entrepreneurial journalism should be promoted by supporting student-led print magazines that focus on niche areas such as the arts, community development, policy or gender issues.
Ultimately, economic viability is key. Students must see how print-trained journalists evolve into editors, consultants, researchers or documentary producers. The emphasis should be on transferable skills, not just the medium.
Integrating Legacy Values with Digital Agility
The great paradox of our time is that while formats have evolved, the hunger for trustworthy, in-depth journalism has never been greater. The brevity of tweets and the chaos of clickbait have left many audiences yearning for the credibility and clarity that legacy print journalism offers.
Journalism education must therefore integrate the core values of print, fact-checking, verification and narrative integrity, into the fabric of digital storytelling.
Each theoretical module (e.g., editorial judgment) should be paired with a digital lab (e.g., content planning for social media). Use print case studies, such as the Watergate scandal or Anas Aremeyaw Anas’ investigative work, to teach fact-checking and source protection, and then apply those lessons to digital practices like content moderation and misinformation detection.
Finally, promote student-led investigations or in-depth reports that take weeks to develop but are published across both print and digital platforms, demonstrating the enduring value of depth over speed.
Ghana’s Print Landscape
Ghana’s media terrain remains rich in legacy publications, even if under pressure. The Mirror, Junior Graphic, Business and Financial Times and others continue to serve dedicated audiences. However, many of these outlets struggle with declining ad revenues, digital migration, and outdated production systems.
This challenge is also an opportunity. Media houses should be encouraged to hire younger reporters who understand digital trends but are grounded in print journalism. Moreover, promote a hybrid newsroom model where students observe reporters working across formats, writing for print, producing newsletters, appearing on podcasts and moderating online forums. Teach students how to mine historical print archives to enrich digital stories, connecting past and present in ways algorithms cannot.
Towards a Holistic Pedagogy
Reviving interest in print journalism isn’t just about updating the curriculum; it requires rethinking the entire culture of journalism education. This includes reimagining assessment methods, classroom environments and mentorship models. Encourage students to build professional portfolios that feature print articles, digital essays, multimedia features and personal reflections. Pair them with practicing journalists who emphasize the enduring value of reporting skills, regardless of platform. Transform classrooms into simulated newsrooms with daily editorial meetings, rotating roles and real press deadlines.
Educators must become facilitators of curiosity, not merely transmitters of information. Print journalism can then be taught not as an obligation, but as a versatile toolbox of skills that transcend time and technology.
Conclusion
The future of journalism belongs not to those who chase trends, but to those who master the craft and evolve with intention. Print journalism, with its structure, ethics and depth, offers a durable foundation upon which every digital expression can be built.
In Ghana, reviving student interest in print journalism will require educators to be visionaries, not curators of nostalgia, but designers of dynamic learning experiences that bridge legacy and innovation. If we reposition print as the grammar of all journalism and if we teach students to carry its core values into every tweet, video or podcast they create, we won’t just preserve print, we’ll future-proof journalism.
The writer is a journalist, international affairs columnist and a journalism educator with a PhD in Journalism. Contact: [email protected]
