The lasting value of physical, printed media in an increasingly digital landscape
As DACS Account Manager Pete Woronkowicz returns home from the Frankfurt Book Fair - we’re taking a moment to explore why physical media still matters just as much as it did before.
Each year, the Frankfurt Book Fair brings together thousands of publishers, rights managers, artists, and agents from around the world to explore the latest topics and trends in publishing. For DACS Licensing team, it’s an opportunity to connect directly with the publishing community, strengthen relationships with rights professionals, and champion the importance of fair pay for artists whose work appears in print.
While much of the global conversation around publishing now centres on digital transformation and AI, the Fair serves as reminder of the continued cultural and economic power of physical media. Books, magazines, and printed materials remain essential to how we experience and value creative work and to how artists sustain their livelihoods through copyright and licensing.
As DACS Account Manager Pete Woronkowicz returns home from the Frankfurt Bookfair – we’re taking a moment to explore why physical media still matters just as much as it did before.
Why print still matters
Despite rapid advancements in technology, physical media may be making a resurgence. Its physical existence offers something that digital formats can’t replicate; content in a tangible, real, and collectable form. With so much of our media consumed online, it’s no wonder that we're wanting to return to the experience of physically holding art, whether that be books, DVD’s or vinyl.
Nostalgia may be playing a part here, with Rolling Stone noting that the saturation of streaming services is making physical media ‘cool again’. But there may be other, more serious explanations at play. Print offers us a trusted source of information that cannot be edited after its initial release. Social media users are becoming increasingly aware of misinformation and the need to fact check information that they encounter. Whilst books can still fall victim to incorrect printing and errors – its physicality means that changes can’t be made under the radar.
For visual artists and illustrators, print also provides visibility and recognition. When their work is reproduced in books, catalogues, or journals, it reaches audiences in a context that values depth, attention, and craft. That visibility often translates into ongoing income through licensing - ensuring that creativity doesn’t just circulate but sustains the people who make it.
How licensing supports artists across different formats
At DACS, we work to make sure artists are fairly paid and credited when their works are reproduced - whether that’s in a printed publication or online. Collective licensing schemes, like DACS Payback in the UK and the Public Lending Right overseas, play a key role in this. Members receive annual royalties for everyday uses of their work that are hard to individually track, like scans in libraries, photocopies in offices, or recordings for educational purposes.
We also facilitate copyright licensing - the process of getting permission to use someone's creative work, like a painting, photograph or graphic design. It enables visual creators to earn through reproduction and uses of their works, whilst ensuring that their rights and legacy are upheld and protected. The potential with DACS Licensing stretches far and wide, bringing a variety of physical media and digital projects to life. These systems form part of a wider ecosystem that keeps creative value circulating fairly between artists and publishers.
As the publishing industry continues to evolve, maintaining that fairness across both physical and digital formats will be crucial to the sustainability of creative practice and the longevity of impactful media.
The future of publishing and creative rights
Innovation in publishing isn’t only about technology; it’s also about ensuring creators remain part of the value chain. As publishers explore new formats, subscription models, and AI-assisted tools, the principles that underpin copyright remain vital. Licensing is how those principles are put into practice.
Physical media embodies those values in a tangible way: it’s evidence of creativity as a labour, a craft, and an economy. As long as books continue to be printed, collected, and loved, they will serve as a powerful reminder that fair payment for artists isn’t just a digital concern - it’s a universal one.
