Print is not dead, it is evolving – Witbooi

The news cycle no longer waits for tomorrow's newspaper. A story can break on social media, travel across thousands of screens and become yesterday's news within hours. In an industry built around the printed page, that speed has created one of its biggest challenges yet.

Rudolf Witbooi, however, believes these developments have not yet sounded the death knell for print.

Witbooi was appointed executive director of Print Digital Hub, an entity under Emeraldsand Platforms (ESP), in May this year – 10 years after joining the company in 2016, when it was still known as Newsprint Namibia. Over that decade, he has watched the media landscape transform, and rather than seeing technology as the enemy of print, he sees it as a reason to rethink what print can become.

“The biggest challenge print media on paper faces today is time, because information is shared instantly through social media,” Witbooi said.

His observation captures the reality facing traditional media. While a newspaper or magazine requires time to produce, digital platforms can deliver information almost at once.

Yet Witbooi believes print still has something valuable to offer, if the industry is willing to change with its audience.

At Print Digital Hub, that change is already underway.

“We are moving to smaller, more focused print runs to capture a certain audience,” he said.

Instead of simply producing large quantities and hoping to reach everyone, the hub now identifies specific audiences and creates print products with those readers in mind.

It is a strategy that reflects a changing world where audiences are increasingly divided up and expect content to speak directly to their interests.

For Witbooi, innovation is not simply about having the newest technology. It is about understanding what the market needs and being prepared to respond.

That thinking has led the company to invest in a digital press, expanding the possibilities of what it can offer clients.

“We acquired a digital press to adapt to the changing landscape and offer our clients and the market more variations of print,” he said.

Embracing change, preserving print

The investment is a statement about the future of an industry often portrayed as being in decline. While digital platforms have transformed the way information is consumed, Witbooi believes print still plays a meaningful role.

“Print media will not become obsolete, as print media is an important part of sharing information,” he said.

For him, survival will ultimately come down to one thing: a willingness to innovate.

“Only the strongest and most innovative individuals will succeed in the future,” he said.

That philosophy extends beyond printing and into leadership. Witbooi believes that in an industry undergoing constant change, leaders cannot simply tell people what to do. They have to demonstrate the standards they expect.

“As a leader, you should lead by example,” he said.

And while talent may open doors, Witbooi believes it is character that determines whether someone can stay the course.

“Talent, skills and charisma can get you started, but character, commitment and discipline will let you finish well."

Even artificial intelligence, one of the most disruptive technologies shaping today’s creative industries, is something Witbooi sees as an opportunity rather than a threat.

“AI could be a great help in designing print material and, as a result, faster material to print,” he said.

The possibility of AI assisting with design and production illustrates Witbooi’s broader philosophy: technology does not necessarily have to replace traditional industries. In the right hands, it can strengthen them.

Print’s unfinished story

Yet beneath all the talk of presses, platforms and artificial intelligence lies something more important to Witbooi.

“Media is not only a career but also a responsibility to make an impactful difference to the world,” he said.

That belief gives his vision for print media a deeper dimension. The future is not simply about producing faster, cheaper or more technologically advanced products. It is about remembering why media exists in the first place: To inform, connect and make an impact.

The presses may be changing. The audiences certainly are. But for Witbooi, the story of print is far from finished.

His message is simple: Print does not need to become digital to survive. It needs to become smarter, more focused and more innovative.