…print news can survive by transitioning to digital printing, using what are essentially souped-up laser printers in multiple locations—perhaps even a printing machine at every sales outlet.

Small acknowledges this would require great capital expenditures from what are often debt-laden publishers. He also acknowledges that digital printing’s currently more expensive per copy than offset printing, and a lot more expensive than the hi-volume printing used by newspapers. But he thinks that could change.

Paul also briefly mentions Printcasting, a fledgling software platform that promises to easily turn ad-supported Web sites into ad-supported .pdf files for either home or commercial printing.

The demo images at Printcasting’s site reveal some pretty bland looking design templates. I hope the final software, when released, offers more visual flexibility.

Speaking of which, page design for 8.5 x 11-sized paper pages or screens is a far different animal from design for current Web pages, which in turn is a far different animal from design for broadsheet or tabloid pages. A “newspaper” designed at that size for home PC printers or for “eInk” devices would likely take on a more magazine-y or newsletter-y appearance. I can think of only one print publication in that size that maintains a poppy, newsy aesthetic—The Hollywood Reporter.