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The of new technologies of print media

Chhabra, V. N.

1988

Chhabra, V. N. (1988). The impact of new technologies of print media. In Consultation on New Technologies for Small Newspapers : Trivandrum, India, 14‑17 June 1988. Singapore: Asian Mass Communication Research and Information Centre. https://hdl.handle.net/10356/85984

Downloaded on 26 Sep 2021 23:04:21 SGT ATTENTION: The Singapore Copyright Act applies to the use of this document. Nanyang Technological University Library

The Impact Of New Technologies Of Print Media

By

V N Chhabra

Paper No.6 ATTENTION: The Singapore Copyright Act applies to the use of this document. Nanyang Technological University Library

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ASIAN MASS COMMUNICATION RESEARCH AND INFORMATION CENTRE 39 NEWTON ROAD.SINGAPORE 1130. REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE

- V N Chhabra The Statesman Ltd New Delhi

The Impact of New Technologies on Print Media

"Freedom of the Press belongs to those who own one" — A J Liebling

Not since Gutenberg's invention of the in the 15th Century has there been an innovation with so great a potential to revolutionise communication as computerisation.

The Information and communication technologies in which advances will dictate the pace of changes in print madia are :

* Integrated circuits (ICs) or microprocessors, which are the operating controls for electronic devices of all types.

* Software which is the 'brains' directing the operation of sophisticated systems for enhanced data based management, , advanced colour separation.

* Speech processing systems which would bypass (or substantially reduce) the need for keyboard based input of material.

* Optical storage system such as high density optical media for archival storage or compact discs for publishing.

* Inpage processing systems such as electronic cameras, proof systems, colour separation, pagination equipment and automated integrated demand' printing.

* Computer output printers such as the laser printer, which will be part of remote comrunication (Printing) systems.

* Electronic displays, which will be basic elements of high quality portable electronic readers such as electric book, and lastly

* Data transmission systems such as fibre optics. ATTENTION: The Singapore Copyright Act applies to the use of this document. Nanyang Technological University Library

local area networks, high compression facsimile (FAX) end oatolliteo.

The primary beneficiaries of the future technologies will be the publisher? t*ith nominal capital investment. TMs group will be able to increase its control of quality, publish in a variety of media to Dottor servo more focused market nitches and reduce editorial and production costs. In many cases the'in-houso publisher will be able to docreaso the time to produce and distribute e finished print product. The in-house publisher will, for the firr.t time, be able to effectively integrate available office automatic systems with hi<>h quality print production system. Print no longer has a monopoly on the presentation and processing oi intonation as the g rowth of television and dota basescbmon3trates. Electronic developments have provided users with new products — publishers i'ith new ways to reach th^ir markets — ways that the recipient finds easier to use than print. Now technology has ooenod the way for a wide range of alternatives. Technology ha;-- also revolutionised the production methods of print production. Colour ocanninq, pagination systems, digitisad tyoosetting, computerised Job bidding and preparatory systems illustrate a few of today's appl icstion. Electronic developments have provide- now communication systems b-tween publ iohetr and printers. These methods arc more ->conomical and efficient and result in batter quality. Many ro .'uco opcrrtor skill requ 1 remert s while some require higher lev 1 of manag-vnent skill. Th

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plate makers or cylinder etchers and colour separation equipment is expanding. Sophisticated ink and web control systems are available. Binderies are applying computer controls for address imprinting. Folder counting and collection and paper cutting operations have been automated. The driving force behind these changes has obviously the need of the printer; technology has provided the means to satisfy these needs. The impact of new technologies has been gradual but persistent. The rate of expected technological improvement does not indicate that sudden breakthroughs will occur. This perhaps explains that in many countries, old and new technologie co-exist alongside. In India, according to a recent survey, letterpress continues to be a dominant printing process for majority of small printers. The pace of change in the newspjaper industry was however influenced by the fact that the manufacture of hot raetol equipment and essential inputs like linotype parts, matrices and storeo flongs was discontinued. Lead was dead in Europe, the major source of such equipment. Impact of Technological Change on the Newspaper Industry

• • • The technological changes have impacted on the newspaper industry in a substantial manner. The automation of type­ setting, shift to , growth of word processing and improvement in image manipulation and handling have transformed the Industry to doing business in a manner radically different from the past 100 years or so. Growth in technology has enabled segments of the industry to survive and become more prosperous. The number of letterpress printers has declined dramatically; not all have closed shops many have adopted new technologies and have undergone major changes. Products of new technology covering critical news­ paper publishing and printing tasks can be grouped as follows i

Create t These devices speed up the capture of information. They includei

•Portable Computers which permit stories to be key entered at remote sites and sent via telephone lines to the home office word processor or phototypesetter. ATTENTION: The Singapore Copyright Act applies to the use of this document. Nanyang Technological University Library

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* Electronic Cameras will pormit still to bo taken and sent electrically to the home office graphics processor. * Wire Service scanners which ie an automatic system to scan the wire cervices end select end partially format information* Manipulate These devices permit the editing, transformation, storage and merging of information. They include cempund document processors, t/hlch permit the manipulation and merging of text with graphics and allow manioulation and addition of colour. Format These devices speed up the layout and desion and Improve the appearance. They Include * ffutemetic layout system which employs arti­ ficial intelligence to design a peps layout. Printing & Distribution These devices transmit the information to be copies to the printing plant, xp provide prepress proofs, prepare plates and perform the reproduction and/or finishing, * Soft end hard Copy Electric preorens systems which'permit previews of the . * Laser plate makers which prepare the plates from an olaetrically otorod renditions of a page* * satellite Printing slants which permit local

or regional px replicetion. Process Integration Those systems lir.k together the above operations and permit the automation of tasks, reduce the labour content, Improve quality and reduce the lead time for production. They includei * General process integration from creation of copy to distribution providing linkage and automation of flow of information between all procesuaa in the oyetera. ATTENTION: The Singapore Copyright Act applies to the use of this document. Nanyang Technological University Library

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State of the Art Facing the challenge from colour television and electronic media newspaper publishers worldwide have been in the forefront in adopting the latest technologies. Enhanced image processing in the use of colour, Improved operating controls throught the printing plant, the potential of electronic linking of the publisher, type­ setter and printer in layout and proofing decisions are bringing about beneficial changes and improvement in print quality. Elements in colour advertisements can now be exchanged electronically and various combinations viewed on a screen to see how they will look on a page; pictures can be picked up and computer enhanced for reproduction in magazines. Japanese equipment is available for recording photographically images from a video, colour and typesetting are being integrated to permit one- stop page generation. Data compression and satellites have made whole page transmission in colour feasible around the world. Two U.S. weekly magazines do so every week by printing simultaneously throughout the United States, in Europe, Australia, Japan, Hongkong and Singapore. •U.S.A. Today* which, according to its publisher William D. Rinehart, represents print medial answer to colour television, prints full colour on every pace. Entirely made up pages are transmitted facsimile to some 13 cities and printed simultaneously on receiving a signal from Washington. The new generation of printing presses are not only required to print attractive colour in newspapers but alsr ' i commercial quality colour for inserts and variety of c nercial work during spare time. Publishers abroad, and so in India, are finding that income from commercial util .tion of the new presses is needed to amortise the heavy investment in new technologies. In USA over 60 percent of publishers of dailies use their press capacity for commercial printing. ATTENTION: The Singapore Copyright Act applies to the use of this document. Nanyang Technological University Library

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Impact on Print Media in India

The impact on new technologies on the print media in India considering its size has been slow but persistent. Main line newspaper, because of heavy investments in the traditional technologies and unioq problems, have been, with some exceptions 1 ike The Hindu a step behind their smaller counterparts particularly language news­ papers in switching over to new technologies. Availability of almost all major languages on phototypeaatting systems, locally made processing equipment and web offset presses at reasonable costs have provided incentive to new entrepreneurs to launch literally hundreds of new pub­ lications from all parts of t he country. Colour magazines are booming. According to a 'State of the Art' report published on the occasion of 'Comprint International' conference held in Vienna in June 19871

"India is witnessing a newspaper explosion. The Indian Post, just launched in Bombay and entirely by the new technology (centrally on American made direct input system costing 4 million) , has started with a modest print run of So,COO and a target of 100,000. If it reaches that, with 5o/5o editorial/advertising, it will produce a Delhi edition. Increasingly business tycoons are being tempted into the newspaper world. In India the English language press is the most influential among 750 million population which is estimated to include 100 million 'middle class' readers whose desire for consumer goods is fuelled by a growing economy, and who buy three to four papers each as well as news magazines. If the Indian Post succeeds it will probably impel other Indian newspapers to adopt direct input and upgrade their production equipment! nothing succeeds like success. One Indian magazine modelled on Time and Newsweek launched 12 years ago with a sale of 10,000 has hit 370,000. Last year the Hindi edit ion, expected to sell 75,000, reached 2,00,000.

"Tha else o£ India makoa focoimilo transmission essential for the development of big circulations. The Times of India, published from Delhi, Bombay and Ahmedabad, has increased it3 circulation to 700,000 in two years by ATTENTION: The Singapore Copyright Act applies to the use of this document. Nanyang Technological University Library

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simultaneous publications, using whole-page fax and how // has editions from Jaipur, Patno, Bangalore and Lucknow*, Some constraints and Future Challenges For wide scole adoption of new technolgies, Indian Publishers face a number of constraints. Essential requirements of now technology are aircondltloning, dust-free environment, un­ interrupted power supply at constant voltage and a reliable telecommunication system. Unfortunately the unreliability of such essential services result In frequent breakdowns and frustrating delays* Heavy import duties on machines and essential inputs like graphic material particularly film, R.c. paper and pre-sensitised offset plates impose a heavy burden. Indigenously made newsprint, apart from being expensive, is unsuitable for colour printing. In the machine room wastages from damage to reels caused during transit and poor handling are alarming. Yet many printers may find it hard to come to terms with fast changing new technologies which are prone to obsolescence within a short span of time unlike the traditional technologies which remain viable for generations* The computer culture, very much visible in other countries, is yet to take roots in Indian newsrooms. The moving train of new technologies is gaining speed and the longer one hesitates more difficult it will become to Junp on it. The march of new technologies is relentless and there can be no looking back. What can be will be. The benefits of modernisation are very much visible — the prolification of language newspapers, the colour explosion, the specialised journals and the new entrants are all products of new technologies* It is imperative that the practitioners of print media equip themselves to face the increasing threat from the new cmoroina olootronio madia oo that both can oo»oxiot oido by side. ATTENTION: The Singapore Copyright Act applies to the use of this document. Nanyang Technological University Library

- II - The father of corrcnercial phototypesetting, Louis Moyroud, calls Desk Top Publishing as "the fourth revolution in printing" after the invention of moveable type, the lineca3ter and phototypesetting. While publishing in its accepted sense concerns itself essentially with the distribution of information through distribution network, it also involves interfacing with various disciplines including artists, writers, editors, printers, etc. Desk Top Publishing is a set of electronic devices consisting of a computer, usually Apple Mcintosh or IBM PC, a keyboard, laser writer printer and page maker DTP software, which when assembled at a desk is capable of performing most such functions at an affordable cost and in a minimum period of time. A publisher's dream!

In the 'traditional' method of phototypesetting (hot metal is long forgotten now) Journalists or authors send their typed copy to the 'phototypesatter' where operators key in the manuscript into the terminals coded according

to required specifications. A dot matrix printer produces a proof which is read by proofreaders and returned to the operator who recalls the story on his screen and gives commands to the phototypesetting machine which turns out bromides in a galley form. The author's manuscript now in the shape of galleys is trimmed and positioned by hand on a layout sheet which is known as camera ready copy and processed into an offset printing plate. This rather elaborate and time consuming process involves the use of photographic films, and bromide paper which are expensive.

With DfP this entire process takes place electronically. A manuscript written with word-processing software can be merged into a DTP programme such as Page Maker (a software) converted into type faces and authematically adjusted for size, leading (space between lines), (spacing between letters), hyphenations and at the same time positioned in columns, captions and headlines — all within minutes. Similarly, charts, graohs and ij. lust rations con ATTENTION: The Singapore Copyright Act applies to the use of this document. Nanyang Technological University Library

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ba transferred from data bases, spread sheets and graphic programmes. Unlike phototypesetting DTP screens provide what is known as WYSIWYG (what-you-see-is-what-you-get) display showing actual and size* The user can tell at a glance how changing a typeface or repositioning a chart will affect the way a page looks. He can even zoom in at 200 percent magnification for an enlarged view of detailed artwork or extteraely small type faces, DTP software is now available for setting most of the Indian scripts which can be merged on the screen for bilingual or multi­ lingual publications* Lager For final proofing Apple Laser Writer Printer provides a typeset quality printout on ordinary paper (phototypesetting machine requires photographic quality paper which needs processing in darkroom conditions). However laser-writer images have a resolution of 300 dots per inch (dpi) which is far superior to most 'dot-raatrix' computer printers but falls short of 1200 to 2000 dpi resolutions available from high quality phototypesetting machines* Laser printers with 600 dpi are already on the market but a vast majority of DTP users Including newspapers find 300 dpi resolutions acceptable* Those requiring higher resolutions can take their DTP disk to a 'phototypesetting' house where they have the option of choosing from much wider range of or install their own typesetter. The desktop publishing world has grown so rapidly that practically every type of sophistication is now catered for. The choice ranges between packages capable of producing the encyclopaedia and an in-houca nevesheot. Before taking a plunge into DTP ±H it is as well to remember that desktop publishing packages are only tools in th,e hands of authors, artists and publishers with a bit of imagination and flair for electronics. Desktop Publishing, a very user friendty device. is in ATTENTION: The Singapore Copyright Act applies to the use of this document. Nanyang Technological University Library

I

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many respects a misnomer, since it is not generally used for publishing but is essentially a system used for composing pages. In short, it is a means for producing screen based (WYSIWYG) camera ready copy and or camera ready artwork without recourse to the cut-and-paste. The traditional method involves cutting out bits of text and graphics from various sources and then pasting them into an acceptable format which is time consuming and requires operators with high levels of skills and expensive input.

Desk Top Publishing does away with the majority of this activity at an affordable cost and in minimum of time and has opened up new horizon for the practitioners of printing and publishing. ATTENTION: The Singapore Copyright Act applies to the use of this document. Nanyang Technological University Library

REFERENCES

•The Future of Print as We Know It' and •State of the Art' published by the International Confederation for the Printing and Allied Industries (Intergraf) and Printing Industries of America (PIA)

This paper will appear as a chapter in a forthcoming book of Media Foundation, published by Allied Publishers (Pvt) Limited, India.

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