A switchable printing couple particularly suited for use in newspaper and periodical printing is disclosed. A counter pressure cylinder and plate cylinder cooperate to print a moving paper web. An ink fountain, which does not require ink keys, supplies ink to a hard surfaced screen roller. Ink from the screen roller is transferred either directly to an elastic flexographic printing plate or indirectly through ink cylinders to a hard letterpress printing plate. The screen roller which dips into an ink fountain and from which excess ink can be removed by use of a doctor blade, is capable of being engaged with and lifted off the plate cylinder so that the printing couple can be used either in direct printing with an elastic flexographic printing plate or in indirect printing with a hard letterpress printing plate.