E-Paper, AI, Independence: What the BDZV Trend Survey 2026 Really Means for Publishers

The study identifies three top trends for 2026: print soft landing as the foundation of future strategy, consolidation and collaboration as a structural response to cost pressure, and AI as an efficiency lever in the implementation phase. 62% of managing directors are optimistic about the economic situation, and 56% feel well prepared for the digital transformation. At the same time, 59% expect the printed newspaper to disappear within the next 15 years. So the industry is not in crisis, but in a critical phase in which every strategic decision counts.

At Purple, we have been observing these developments in the industry and beyond for 19 years. Every day, working with publishers of every size. That is why we are putting the key findings in context: fact-based, practical, and with an eye on what follows from them.

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Chapter 1: E-Paper. From Transition to Destination

What the study shows

77% of the publishers surveyed name growth through digital subscription revenue from e-paper as the biggest opportunity of the next twelve months, well ahead of AI efficiency gains (52%) and plus-subscription growth (51%). The expected increase in e-paper distribution revenue is +21%.

Even more striking is the projected development through 2030: the e-paper subscription share is set to rise from today's 22% to 40%, almost a doubling. Print falls over the same period from 59% to 35%. The study itself puts it in a nutshell: "The e-paper is the transformation anchor. It combines willingness to pay, product logic from print, and digital scalability."

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Why this matters for publishers

E-paper is no longer the stopgap for habitual print buyers, but the strategic core product of the next five years. Any publisher that does not consistently expand its e-paper offering today loses the most important growth curve in the distribution mix.

We see this confirmed in practice. reiff medien consolidated five separate individual apps into a modern multi-title e-paper app, including a split-screen function, XML article import, and consent-free analytics. The result: 40% more e-paper subscriptions in just two years, with zero minutes of post-processing effort per issue. Michael Lehmann, publishing director at reiff medien, speaks of a combination of technical stability, innovative features, and continuous development.

The potential is also evident at Galledia Regionalmedien in eastern Switzerland. When early-morning delivery was discontinued in one delivery area, the e-paper app became the central alternative. Since its launch, e-paper subscription sales have risen significantly and reader reactions have been consistently positive, says Martin Oswald, head of the regional media division. This fits the trend survey exactly: 36% of publishers state that they can no longer maintain classic print timeliness. Early information is moving to digital.

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Chapter 2: AI. From Pilot to System Architecture

What the study shows

97% of publishers are convinced that AI will deliver positive effects, above all in efficiency, quality, and cost reduction. 2026 is seen as the year of implementation: AI is being systematically rolled out, automated, and anchored organizationally. One publisher puts it this way in the study: "For us, AI is no longer a project, but part of the system architecture."

Asked in which area of the company AI will have the strongest impact, the newsroom ranks first. The expected savings there average 8.9% within the next twelve months, and in administration as much as 9.3%. Double-digit savings are expected in isolated cases, but clearly remain the minority.

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Where the difference is made

The difference between publishers that test AI and those that integrate it will become measurable in 2026. The newsroom is the natural starting point, because that is where most processes, resources, and repetitive tasks lie.

In our joint webinars with a&f systems, we regularly show how AI is being used productively in newsrooms today. The key is to embed prompts and AI functions directly into the editorial workflow. As part of the CMS, not as an isolated solution. Purple takes the approach that prompts should be part of the editorial process: in content creation, automatic tagging, SEO optimization, and article generation.

In the webinar "AI 2.0 in Everyday Editorial Work", this was demonstrated with concrete use cases, from the one-click article to automated page production. The finding matches the study: according to the trend survey, the biggest efficiency gains arise "in the mind, not in the engine room," that is, in the editorial core business.

Benjamin Kolb, CEO of Purple, sums it up in the webinar with a&f systems: "We do everything we can to automate as much as possible of the work in newsrooms that is needed to serve digital channels. So that there is once again more room for relevant local content."

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Chapter 3: Consolidation. Independence Needs the Right Foundation

What the study shows

Consolidation pressure is increasing. The market is moving clearly toward fewer, larger groups. Structural cost and technology drivers leave few alternatives. At the same time, small and medium-sized publishers are securing their independence through cooperation in technology, shared editorial content, and logistics.

One publisher puts it in a nutshell: "Small, agile publishers can survive if they enter into sensible collaborations, invest in the digital transformation, and stay close to the customer."

According to the study, technology costs will rise by 10% over the next three years, driven by AI investments that act as a significant cost driver in the short term.

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What matters

Independence does not come from cutting costs, but from the right infrastructure. Cooperation also means sharing technology instead of building it yourself.

Particularly with CMS, e-paper platforms, and analytics, there is a central lever for economies of scale. When several titles or cooperation partners work on the same platform, operating costs fall and administrative effort is pooled. The reiff medien example shows this effect at the publisher level: five separate apps were consolidated into a multi-title solution. Updates only once instead of five times, store listings maintained only once.

In the context of the Publishing Circle by a&f systems and Purple, this modular approach is already being put into practice: publishers choose the building blocks that fit their requirements, from topic planning through AI-supported content creation to delivery in digital channels and print. Without having to buy into rigid systems.

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Chapter 4: Platform Dependency. Direct Reader Loyalty as the Answer

What the study shows

45% of publishers state that they are strongly or existentially dependent on big-tech-generated traffic. 66% expect measurable reach losses from Google's AI Overview in 2026, compared with 36% who already feel these losses today. 85% of the affected publishers estimate the decline at up to 25%.

The strategic answer, as formulated in the study, is clear: "Away from traffic, toward customer relationships."

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What follows from this

Reach based on platform algorithms is not a business model. E-paper and plus subscriptions are the structural counter-model: direct, paid, platform-independent reader relationships.

E-paper readers are loyal, willingness to pay is high, and customer loyalty is significantly stronger than with pure online traffic. Unlike web-based paid content, the success of an e-paper subscription does not depend on search engine rankings. Any publisher that invests in a strong e-paper strategy today builds exactly the direct customer relationship that, according to the trend survey, is meant to secure the industry's future.

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Conclusion

The BDZV Trend Survey 2026 describes a feasible transformation, provided the foundations are right. E-paper is not a transitional product, but the central growth lever. AI unfolds its impact not as an experiment, but as part of the system architecture. And independence comes from the right infrastructure, not from isolation.

For us at Purple, the study confirms what we work on every day: equipping publishers with technology that unites e-paper growth, AI integration, and efficient workflows on a single platform. Regardless of publisher size.

If you would like to find out how your publishing house can activate these levers in concrete terms, get in touch.