I have a secret obsession with photographs, thick glossy paper and beautifully designed pages.

There is something beautiful, peaceful and just inspiring when it comes to reading a well put together magazine. This love of print and media led me to pursue a degree in Media and Mass Communication at Alma, and develop the desire and love of taking a blank piece of paper (or InDesign spread, or a blank WordPress template) and turning it into a well-pieced together layout.

A few nights ago I was flipping through the pages of Condé Nast Traveler and noticed this advertisement from the Power of Print Campaign. It said:

Young people do everything online. Like order millions of magazines.

Somehow amidst their infatuation with Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and the like, young adults are still making time for another one of their favorite pursuits: reading magazines.

Contrary to popular misperception, the phenomenal popularity of the Internet has not come at the expense of magazines. Readership is increasing, and adults between 18 and 34 are among the most dedicated readers. They equal or surpass their over-34 counterparts in issues read per month and time spent per issue.

What has changed isn’t people’s affinity for magazines, but the means by which they acquire them. Last year, nearly 22 percent of all new paid subscriptions were ordered online.

And just as the Internet drives magazine subscriptions, magazines drive Web searches – with nearly double the effectiveness of the Internet itself. Some might call it ironic.

The medium that some predicted would vanquish magazines is actually helping fuel their growth. And vice versa.

Just last night, in another magazine, I saw this clever ad, also from the Power of Print.

The Power of Print Campaign is was created in effort to quell myths of the state of the print industry, and to share the exciting story of magazine advertising’s outstanding value. It is chaired by five presidents and CEOs from some of the biggest and influential media outlets: Hearst Magazines, Meredith National Media, Time Inc., Condé Nast, and Wenner Media.

Ever since I started working for the school newspaper in high school (and then later on throughout college), I have had a dream of working in print journalism, specifically for a magazine. When I graduated from college and started looking at possibilities in getting into that type of career, it did not look too swell – the Chicago Tribune filed for bankruptcy, daily newspapers were cutting their print editions and moving to half print-half digital subscriptions, and online newspapers and magazines were taking off in popularity. It just wasn’t the right time. So to see these ads in the Power of Print campaign, it is exciting.

For a girl that loves technology, but also holding a glossy magazine in her hands, this is great news.