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🇦🇺 Australia /Culture & Society

Phone books are still being delivered, but does anyone use them?

From ABC Australia · (1h ago) English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Phone books, once essential, are now a niche product in the digital age, with shrinking sizes and declining distribution.
  • Publishers like Thryv Australia and New Zealand acknowledge their diminishing relevance but note continued reliance by some demographics and small businesses.
  • While print phone books may disappear within a decade, they still offer value to specific user groups, including older individuals and those in regional areas with limited internet access.

In an era dominated by smartphones and instant online searches, the humble phone book is facing its twilight. Once a ubiquitous household item, as thick as an encyclopedia, it has dwindled to a magazine-like size, often relegated to an afterthought. Yet, despite its apparent obsolescence, the printed phone book persists, a testament to a segment of the population that still finds value in its tangible pages.

Everyone is online these days using websites, digital tools and technologies, but there is a part of the community that still uses phone books.

— Elise BalsillieThe head of Thryv Australia and New Zealand explains the continued relevance of phone books for certain segments of the population.

Elise Balsillie, head of Thryv Australia and New Zealand, the publisher of Yellow Pages, acknowledges the shift. "Everyone is online these days using websites, digital tools and technologies, but there is a part of the community that still uses phone books," she stated. This sentiment is echoed by the continued delivery of these books to doorsteps across the country, even as publishers themselves once predicted their demise within a decade.

The phone book's survival is largely attributed to its continued utility for small businesses seeking to "capture the whole market" and for specific demographics. Thryv targets distribution to individuals over 55, those in regional areas, and people with poor internet connectivity. This strategic approach ensures that the product, while niche, still provides an "incredible return on investment" for listed businesses and remains a useful resource for its intended audience.

Will they still be produced in 10 years? I doubt it, but for the time being, they are definitely still producing value.

— Ms BalsillieMs. Balsillie reflects on the uncertain future of printed phone books while acknowledging their current utility.

While the White Pages have largely transitioned to an online-only format for business and government listings, and residential listings are being phased out, the Yellow Pages continue to be printed. The question of whether they will survive another ten years remains uncertain, but for now, they occupy a unique space, bridging the gap between the digital divide and serving a community that still relies on the familiar, albeit shrinking, phone book.

small businesses were still relying on phone books to "capture the whole market".

— Ms BalsillieMs. Balsillie highlights the importance of phone books for small businesses seeking broad market reach.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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