Assessing the Response of the Newspaper Industry to the Threat of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT): A Case of Zimpapers

The study sought to assess the response of the print newspaper in Zimbabwe to threat of ICT in order to determine the level of the industry’s preparedness to cope with the challenges. This study used the Zimpapers Group as case study with particular focus at the Herald and one hundred (100) participants were used as research subjects. Questionnaires and interviews were used as instruments. Records were also used to gain insight on the extent to which the organization was adopting ICT. The study established that ICT has radically transformed the landscape of the newspaper industry in Zimbabwe. The study also showed that organization was slow in embracing ICT owing to the fact that it lacked financial resources and human resources expertise to implement ICT. This delay in adopting ICT resulted in circulation figures for the print newspapers decreasing as the organization’s traditional readers and advertisers migrated to online platforms. This forced the organization to invest heavily in a new printing press and latest technologies in order to serve its customers better in both print and digital domains. This study recommends that the organization should adopt a diversification strategy that combines both print and digital products because there are still many readers who like the printed paper. On the other hand, there are a growing number of people who now prefer digital platforms and the organization needs to build its distinctive competencies around this emerging market. As such, this study proposes that the organisation should introduce digital business models that can complement existing print models in order to gain competitive age and succeed in the long term.