Industry’s trade & technical media isn’t going anywhere
Industry, like many specialised sectors, has always faced a gap in understanding between those who work in it and those who don’t. That’s always created misconceptions – and the challenge for communications and media professionals has become more pressing with the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) and large language models (LLMs).
One misconception is that audiences are turning to social and digital channels as the primary source of information. While this may be true for consumer media, traditional trade and technical media continues to thrive and evolve, providing invaluable news, opinion, and project case studies for industry insiders.
Oliver Batt, Editor for MEPCA Magazine says: “I believe there will always be an audience that favours legacy and print media over social or digital channels, and I count myself among them.
“While the romanticised image of the hands-on engineer is common across technical media, there is truth in it, and print media differentiates itself by offering a tactile, sensory experience that screens cannot emulate. Social and digital channels can be “noisy” spaces where readers are assaulted by competing coverage and invasive advertisements.
“For technical content, specialised publications offer a higher quality reading experience. Not least because of the care taken over the content by dedicated writers and editors who strive to convey the nuances of highly technical topics to their audiences. As media continues to drift in a digital direction and AI produced content becomes more prevalent, I’m convinced that the value of traditional technical media will increase.”
Expert insight
One emerging misconception is around artificial intelligence and its impact on the media. AI is increasingly being used to produce streams of content in the B2C world. However, it struggles in the specialist industrial space, where its training data is unlikely to cover:
- Facts, figures, and ways of working that are not documented in the public domain, that are rooted in standards and specifications, and that need to follow the laws of nature. That’s because AI often has hallucinations that present untruthful data as fact.
- Stories that are the first of their kind. AI uses statistical likelihood to rework existing content. So it can’t easily create content about an emerging technology or how industry is reacting to a new trend. While AI might be helpful, it has limits.
- Perspectives from industry insiders. LLMs naturally adopt a perspective that represents the average or most prevalent opinion – for example, you may find AI characters saying the Shawshank Redemption is their favourite film because many people say that. However, when applied to industry, it will be led by reporting from major media outlets and may overlook the views of professionals working inside an industry, which could lead to unintended consequences.
These points highlight one of the strengths of the UK’s specialist trade media. Its publications serve as a point of trusted information for informed audiences, with editors meticulously sourcing, reviewing and creating content that is relevant, interesting, and not overly promotional. When subscribers flip through the latest issue of their chosen trade title, stories are not only relevant but accurate, insightful, and tailored to their job role.
Editors also take on the task of verification and fact-checking to maintain the trust of readers. This level of trust has recently come into question in the B2C world, where the Press Gazette recently uncovered thousands of stories featuring fake spokespeople. Trade publications go beyond surface-level reporting because they understand the readers they serve, the challenges they face and what they need to overcome those challenges. It’s a role that requires knowledge of an industry’s past and present, as well as the ability to filter the best news from a huge number of pitches
Focused messaging
For readers, one of the significant advantages of trade and technical media is that it cuts straight to content that meets their needs through practical information, case studies and opinions from industry experts. This helps readers make informed decisions to stay ahead in their fields and progress industry.
For PR and marketing professionals, a trade publication’s influential position also pays dividends when aiming for wider awareness. That’s because journalists at top tier national newspapers and business magazines will turn to the trade and technical media to get the lowdown on a specific company or technology. Where PRs add value is knowing which publications are right for a given story.
The human touch
So while AI is increasingly used to generate content, the articles in the trade press need to be written by experts who understand the nuances of industrial operations and can provide insight. Just like the human operator remains a permanent fixture in any industrial operation, no matter how technologically advanced, the human editor adds layers of context that go beyond data presentation.
Through the diligent efforts of trade editors, technical publications (whether online or in physical print) continue to deliver high-quality and reliable information. This gives the trade media a secure position as a trusted source for the future.
