Is Print Media Dying? Is It Still Worth Pitching?

Elections aside, there's been continuing talk about the prospects of print media. There was even a reporter for a PR trade that asked the question, "Are print outlets still worth pitching?"

And while there's still turmoil in the print world -- witness Newsweek's move to online-only and this recent headline: "Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia to Lay Off Staff and Reduce Magazines" -- the online-only media isn't a sure bet, either.

So here are five reasons why print is worth pitching.

1. People are still reading print media. Depending on your target audience, print may be the preferred medium.
2. Most print media also publish the same content online (just under SEO-optimized headlines). Even if online-versions of the articles are hidden behind a paywall, subscribers can still access them.
3. Although you can't pin print-only coverage on Pinterest, you can still highlight print coverage on your website, blog, Twitter feed, etc.
4. Your parents -- who still may not understand what PR is -- as well as your clients' parents are more familiar with print media. If you tell them you got a client mentioned in the New York Times, they'll be able to appreciate that whereas they may not have heard of or care about getting a placement on Mashable or GigaOm.
5. You can more easily frame a terrific print hit to hang on your wall -- while online coverage doesn't always look as good hanging on your wall.

To be clear, I am not suggesting that you should only pitch print media -- just that there's really no reason to not pitch print media. You can continue to pitch online outlets and continue your social media programs. For most clients, It just doesn't make sense to not pitch print.

Let me know what you think.