Digital media is supplementing traditional media, not replacing it

While digital media is gaining strength, there is still something to be said for the power of print and broadcast. Producers like the look and feel of magazines and print, and the mobility of radio.

Interview Group 2 (0:44)

Ken McCauley, a 59-year-old from northeast Kansas, realizes that the same information is being provided in different ways. “I still get more out of it, if it’s on paper. The information you get on the Internet is the same, but it doesn’t soak in as well.” Mary Ann Kniebel, a 48-year-old cattle rancher from Kansas, agrees, “We’re not going to give up print media, because it’s just easier to read.”

MaryAnn Knieble Interview (0:40)

Not surprisingly, media usage varies greatly by age and gender. The women we interviewed are all very involved in farming and ranching operations. They are comfortable with daily computer usage and perhaps more apt to receive and accept digital information. Kniebel agrees print and radio are the best ways to reach her, but she’s finding e-newsletters to be a great source of information, too. She reminds us, “If it catches your eye, you can follow the link and find out what you want.”

The source of information is more important than the channel

Interview Group 3 (0:29)

Barbara Downey - Interview (1:20)

E-newsletters and blogs have become an accepted form of digital engagement. Most producers may not be able to name the
e-newsletter, blog or publishing company, but they identify particular editors or writers as trusted sources of information.

While e-newsletters are a preferred source of information for her, Downey says, “There is something to be said for a magazine. They are always in our shop office. It’s an easier format to read. You have to know what you want when you are on your computer.”