17% Suggest a Digital Platform To Preserve Weiner Zeitung’s Legacy

Austria’s Wiener Zeitung daily newspaper, one of Austria’s oldest newspapers founded in 1703, will discontinue its print edition and shift its focus to digital media primarily, following a decision from the parliament on April 27, 2023. The newspaper serves as the official publication used by the Government of the Republic of Austria for legally-required announcements and also serves as the official gazette for all things related to the government.

The decision was met with opposition and criticism, given the historical value of the newspaper. However, it is not permanent as the paper will still maintain a minimum of ten print publications per year, depending on the available funds.

Hence, Real Research, an online survey app, launched a survey on Austrian parliament’s decision to discontinue historic newspaper’s daily print to hear what the public thinks about the discontinuation of Wiener Zeitung’s print edition.

Highlights:

• Wiener Zeitung adapting to the changing media landscape would make it more competitive in the current market, according to 17.88% of respondents.
• As a disadvantage, 15.66% said Wiener Zeitung may lose loyal readers who prefer Wiener Zeitung’s newspapers in print.
• 15.85% stated that the impact of Weiner Zeitung’s decision to move digital would increase the innovation of digital media in the industry.

According to our survey about the discontinuation of Wiener Zeitung’s print edition, we found that 55.83% of the respondents were well aware of the discontinuation of Wiener Zeitung’s print edition, compared to 44.17% who were unaware.

Afterward, we asked the respondents about their opinions on Wiener Zeitung discontinuing daily print after 319 years, the poll results indicated that 15.71% considered it a sign of the shift toward digital media. 13.67% believed that discontinuation could be a loss for readers who prefer newspapers in print, while 13.53% thought the decision was necessary to adapt to the changing times.

Furthermore, 13.33% of the respondents were uncertain, 12.86% found the discontinuation sad as the newspaper was legendary, 10.76% said the decision was a mistake and they would revert, 10.29% said focusing on digital media was smart, and 9.85% stated that the move was overdue.

We also asked respondents about their agreement with the discontinuation of Wiener Zeitung’s print edition and shift to online platforms. Of those surveyed, 41.11% somewhat agreed, while 28.38% strongly agreed. In contrast, 22.61% somewhat disagreed, and 7.9% strongly disagreed.

Exploring the Advantages of Wiener Zeitung’s Shift to Digital Media

Wiener Zeitung’s announcement sparked a significant discussion among the newspaper’s loyal readership, with many expressing concerns about the move’s impact on the paper’s tradition and reading experience.

In response to this, we asked the respondents about how this decision would benefit Wiener Zeitung. According to Figure 2 below, 17.88% of respondents believe that Wiener Zeitung’s adaptation to the changing media landscape will make it more competitive in the current market. Additionally, 15.22% of respondents feel that discontinuing print publication would allow Wiener Zeitung to focus on its digital presence and reach a wider audience.

Moreover, 14.35% of respondents think that the move would allow Wiener Zeitung to reallocate its resources toward more profitable areas. 13.33% of respondents opined that the shift to digital media would open up new innovative ways for Wiener Zeitung to deliver content.

Furthermore, 12.46% of respondents cited cost-effectiveness as a reason for discontinuing print publication, while 12.27% believe that it would be more environmentally friendly than newspapers in print.

Exploring the Disadvantages of Wiener Zeitung’s Shift to Digital Media

Likewise, we asked the respondents about the disadvantages of Wiener Zeitung’s shift to digital media. Weiner Zeitung may lose devoted readers who prefer their newspapers in print, according to 15.66% of respondents, while 15.57% of respondents stated it could lead to job losses for Weiner Zeitung staff members who work in print production and distribution.

Additionally, 14.51% said it might be difficult for Weiner Zeitung to stand out in a crowded digital market, followed by 13.93% who said it might have a bad effect on Weiner Zeitung’s reputation, it might make readers less trusting of the publication (13.38%), and it might lower the caliber of its journalism due to resource redirection (12.18%).

Impacts on the Newspaper Industry

Respondents were also asked to share their views on the potential impact of Wiener Zeitung’s discontinuation of the daily print edition on the newspaper industry as a whole. Of those surveyed, 15.85% believed that the newspaper’s shift toward digital media could lead to increased innovation within the industry.

Meanwhile, 15.38% expressed concern about the potential loss of the historical legacy associated with one of Austria’s oldest newspapers. Another 15.23% of respondents believed that the discontinuation would accelerate the shift toward digital media.

Interestingly, 13.95% believed that the discontinuation would have no impact on the industry at all. In addition, 13.69% believed that the shift toward digital media could increase competition among digital media publications, while 12.31% believed that it could lead to an increase in digital media relationships.

Lastly, the survey delved into the respondents’ opinions on preserving Wiener Zeitung’s legacy and history. A total of 17.4% believed that creating a digital platform or website that showcases historical content and stories from Wiener Zeitung’s print archives would be the best approach. Meanwhile, 16.01% suggested promoting the preservation of print media’s history and legacy with other newspapers and media publications.

Other suggestions included creating social media campaigns to raise awareness of Wiener Zeitung’s historic legacy (12.05%), digitizing Wiener Zeitung’s print archives for online access (11.8%), hosting events and workshops that reflect Wiener Zeitung’s impact on journalism and society (11.58%), creating an exhibition space or gallery (10.26%), and offering educational resources and teaching materials to schools and universities (10.01%).