The difference between Prepress and Premedia?

[Gregg]

Curious to hear how folks are differentiating Prepress from Premedia. I've always thought of Premedia as a more updated, trendier term for prepress. However, I do see articles/descriptions in which both prepress and premedia are referenced in such a way that they are clearly different.

For example, from IDEAlliance's site: "Color Management Professional Premedia describes the principles of color management with a focus on both prepress and premedia processes"

What do you think? Do you differentiate the 2 terms? If so, how?

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

 

[gordo]

Not all files go to press.
Prepress = before press
Premedia = before media (may never be printed - e.g. The web)

 

[chevalier]

Premedia is a marketing catch-phrase for "design" to make marketing people sound smart and sophisticated. As in it is before publishing to web, print, whatever.

 

[Raymond Ramirez]

Maybe premedia should be called RGB world...Or BC (Before Cmyk)

 

[Whitaker]

I've always thought that Premedia is just a modern term for the Prepress operator. As Gordo pointed out: "not all files go to press.", so a new title was needed for the prepress operator, and premedia fits well. I might be working on a job for output on our Canon digital press, or a job that is a poster for our Epson, or a job for our Heidelberg press. So, Prepress operator doesn't fit anymore.

 

[Stephen Marsh]

Digital toner, digital inkjet, web graphics, variable data, email campaigns etc., all have different demands than an analogue press. Prepress operators today may have to concern themselves with more than one *media* or device for their graphic communications work.

Prepression: Acrobat Pro - Converting CMYK Black PDF Content to RGB

For example with many toner based devices (solid or liquid), a file prepared for press may come out with sub-standard results unless it is re-worked for the device in question.


Stephen Marsh

 

[Gregg]

While Gordo's breakdown is the most straight-forward and logical, I do feel that premedia is beginning to replace Prepress - especially outside of an actual print vendor. I work in publishing and have many friends that work at some of the big 6 publishing houses. In most cases, in-house prepress job titles have been re-branded to premedia job titles. In some cases these roles have expanded to include preparing files for digital publishing, but they are still mainly working on files for the printed edition. I am a member of NAPP (National Association of Photoshop Professionals) and about a year ago all of there "prepress specialists" or "production specialists" are now listed as "premedia specialists". It will be interesting to see if the term premedia sticks, or if it evolves into something else.

 

[kishdxb]

Pre-press and Pre-media

Pre-press and Pre-media

Pre-press is a function of the production department and Pre-media that of Studio.
kishore

While Gordo's breakdown is the most straight-forward and logical, I do feel that premedia is beginning to replace Prepress - especially outside of an actual print vendor. I work in publishing and have many friends that work at some of the big 6 publishing houses. In most cases, in-house prepress job titles have been re-branded to premedia job titles. In some cases these roles have expanded to include preparing files for digital publishing, but they are still mainly working on files for the printed edition. I am a member of NAPP (National Association of Photoshop Professionals) and about a year ago all of there "prepress specialists" or "production specialists" are now listed as "premedia specialists". It will be interesting to see if the term premedia sticks, or if it evolves into something else.

 

[Gregg]

I've always thought that Premedia is just a modern term for the Prepress operator. As Gordo pointed out: "not all files go to press.", so a new title was needed for the prepress operator, and premedia fits well. I might be working on a job for output on our Canon digital press, or a job that is a poster for our Epson, or a job for our Heidelberg press. So, Prepress operator doesn't fit anymore.

This explanation makes perfect sense.

 

[mrtomy]

Where I work we have 3 different departments. The Graphics Dept. creates whatever is needed. The Premedia Dept. prepares files received from the clients for accuracy, low-res images, fonts etc. They also prepare files for digital printing according to their specifications. I work in the Prepress department and we take the files given to us by the Premedia department and prepare them for press, such as, trapping, bleed, creep etc. and configure it for web presses as requested by the Production Dept. We all work together, but have different objectives.

 

[chevalier]

Where I work we have 3 different departments. The Graphics Dept. creates whatever is needed. The Premedia Dept. prepares files received from the clients for accuracy, low-res images, fonts etc. They also prepare files for digital printing according to their specifications. I work in the Prepress department and we take the files given to us by the Premedia department and prepare them for press, such as, trapping, bleed, creep etc. and configure it for web presses as requested by the Production Dept. We all work together, but have different objectives.

I have never heard of such logical organization and certainly never seen it. Points to whomever is responsible for organizing this.

 

[mrtomy]

What's nice about it is all of our responsibilities are clearly defined, and we watch each other's backs!

 

[DCurry]

Where I work we have 3 different departments. The Graphics Dept. creates whatever is needed. The Premedia Dept. prepares files received from the clients for accuracy, low-res images, fonts etc. They also prepare files for digital printing according to their specifications. I work in the Prepress department and we take the files given to us by the Premedia department and prepare them for press, such as, trapping, bleed, creep etc. and configure it for web presses as requested by the Production Dept. We all work together, but have different objectives.

Sounds like a union shop.

 

[mrtomy]

Not a Union shop but a large corporation involved in data communications, document management, court reporting, etc., and we are just a small part of the overall company, but employ about 50 people in our plant. We run 3 shifts and work also on many weekends. Been here nearly 15 years, and three of the other four operators are here longer than I am. I feel fortunate to have this job since printing in general seems to be going downhill.