It shouldn't be too much of a shocker – the world of print media is nearing its end. Today, Newsweek announced that it will transition to a digital-only platform by the end of the year.

I don't totally buy into the notion that print is dead, as I think that for at least one more generation there will be some form of publication going out to groups of people ... but I don't think this is the only property we will see making this move.

"Newsweek Global, as the all-digital publication will be named, will be a single, worldwide edition targeted for a highly mobile, opinion-leading audience who want to learn about world events in a sophisticated context. Newsweek Global will be supported by paid subscription and will be available through e-readers for both tablet and the Web, with select content available on The Daily Beast," Tina Brown, founder of The Daily Beast, wrote in the announcement.

As tablets become more accessible for more people, and with technology advancements, it makes sense for journalism outlets to get out of the logistical battlefield of publication distribution. The cost of newsprint and paper has not dropped in recent years and there is always the overhead costs of maintaining the staff that oversees printing and transportation.

Locally, this move may have some impact, as Wisconsin-based QuadGraphics printed the weekly publication. Newsweek itself said there will be layoffs as it goes through its transition period. The question remains ... rather than an if, and more of a when, of the future of the behemoth in the market. What will happen when The Journal Sentinel faces the same transition? Journal Communications itself is more than just a print publication, however, I'm sure the impact will be tremendous here.

Like many other writers here in the digital space, I too started my journalism trek in the newspaper world. Print will always hold a special place in my heart. I have fond memories of reading the Green Sheet in The Milwaukee Journal back in the day. As an editor, I loved the days when I was in charge of putting the paper to bed – meaning getting it prepped for the presses. In summer, while in college, I worked on the inserting machines, making sure the retail flyers were put inside the paper in the early hours of the morning before sunrise.

I had the opportunity to run down the stairs to the pressroom and yell, "Stop the presses!" I actually got to do that twice ... those were thrilling and exhilarating experiences. But alas, times have changed. Now, I just hit "Send."

WISCONSIN SPEED: The "OPTIMA's Search for America's Ultimate Street Car" that was filmed in Milwaukee and at Road America this past June will air Sunday on the SPEED network at noon. In this installment of the miniseries, viewers will get behind-the-scenes looks during the OPTIMA Faceoff in Elkhart Lake. You can see a preview here: