In Favor Of Newsprint

The key to producing information is accessibility and newspapers just don’t have it. Our generation, the “microwave society,” needs information to be received quickly and conveniently. Most people are not concerned with “day-old” news, they feel it is pointless, irrelevant, and of course untimely, which causes them to resort to internet for current news.

But have we ever thought about the cost of convenience? Just like drive-thru meals at McDonald’s sacrifice taste, we are sacrificing accuracy via internet. Just think…How can internet outlets get a story, gain facts, conduct interviews, check for accuracy, edit, and post the article online within a short period of time? To me it seems like it is impossible, and I believe that newspapers have more time to gain accuracy.

The internet is a storage system that contains “the world's information,” and because it has so much information it easy to “get lost” or distracted. This song and this video made me think if it is really wise to try to gain newsworthy information when you can venture to another

*article,

*news source,

*or pop-up ad at just a click of a button? Or the internet just another distraction?

Internet has increased and shaped the way we view journalism. Journalism has become accessible for everyone and allows for the increase in democracy. Citizen journalism has caused everyone to be able to speak their minds about political and social issues through blogs and even social networks such as facebook and twitter.

Before there was television or internet there were newspapers, and everyone, within a certain proximity received the same stories and current events going on. But, now with the rise of online newspapers and broadcast we can easily learn about national and global issues. I think this is definitely a positive change, but I think that by a lot of people gaining their news from different sources has caused the idea of unity to be lost.

---Allesha Gilbert-Ewing

Problems with Journalism

The newspapers' audience decline creates both problems and new choices in journalism. Writers and editors continue to lose their jobs as The New Yorker expands on, because technologies give many options to society today.

Journalism will improve after newspapers die in some ways. News will be made in much easier ways of organization as discussed in Jprof. But would all news be credible, or simply opinionated statements of anyone releasing information to an audience?

Opinions are not always as good as facts and not as credible as facts. The hard work of producing a newspaper makes it credible. Technologies release information easily but not always credibly.

Another problem comes along with the options of news on the internet people naturally select the news they are interested and agreed with, and ignore the rest. That makes people uninformed and it is a problem.

The Newspaper may find itself in the Obituary Section

Newspapers prepares for extinction and all viewers can do is speculate from the sidelines what they knew would ultimately be the fate of print news. When I say that I can actually count how many times I have read the newspaper on my fingers, this will not come as a surprise to 46 percent of other Americans who do not read the newspaper during the week.

With the recent economy, job loss has become more prevalent than usual; however, the newspaper has been standing under the noose for a while now. According to journalism.org, the decline in newspaper purchases can be dated back to the 1940’s, but did not drop in significant numbers until the 1990’s. So, why the changes?

Tech Daily News shares that the internet is the third most popular way for how spectators receive the news, while 61 percent of people get their news online, 73 percent watch national news broadcasts and 78 percent hear the news from local TV stations. These alternate forms of news sources are not only free, but also update citizens throughout the day. The newspaper’s information is set in ink with the news from previous days.

Some of the public believes that online news is not credible because they are leaked out so quickly that there may be false information and no fact checks. Even if this situation were to occur, the internet holds hundreds of other news reports on the same story that any faulty information would stand out. The news’ purpose is to inform and it will achieve that whether it is online, in a newspaper, or on a broadcast network.

Though this crisis does not affect my everyday life, thousands of reporters and editors have lost their jobs. The public fears that a long known tradition of being able to wake up in the morning and actually hold the news in their hands will no longer be an option. This would be devolution to those seeing this part of their culture die out, and an evolution to those steering away from it.

I believe that many other citizens like me see the newspaper as an old tradition that does not live up to our standard of technology. Just because the newspaper is dying out does not mean that the news is being pulled along with it. The news is still being delivered to citizens in different forms that gets the point across as to what is occurring locally, nationally, and around the world.

Unfortunately, there are people who do not have access to the newer technologies and rely on the newspapers to inform them. This is an important issue that illustrates how the demise of the newspaper would affect our democracy. On the other hand, citizens with access to technology are able to set up a blog that allows them to practice their freedom of speech. No method of receiving the news is superior to another, and if people find that the newspaper is not for them, then there’s an extra $1.75 in their pocket.

Sorry newspaper, we like your hotter, younger sister

Lets face it ladies and gentleman, relationships never last forever. Something always comes along that is better. I've had the best girlfriend ever, she was amazing. We lasted for years and years. Everything was perfect!

That was until I saw her sister.

Sorry newspaper, it's over, I have already changed our Facebook relationship status. I'm sorry.

My new hot babe? Say hello to Ms. Internet. She is everything I want. She is faster, more up to date and best of all shes CHEAP!

Those two words, cheap and faster, are what have murdered the modern newspaper and continues to take on any challengers. New York Times, USA Today you just wait, you don't have a chance against this growing juggernaut.

NO NO not him. It is more like this...

It was no secret, newspapers make 80-percent of their profits from advertising. Websites like Craigslist is like asking a girls father for permission to take out his daughter, you just rather go through someone else.

The Newspaper Association of America expects advertising sales to drop 9.7-percent in 2009 after falling a staggering 16.5-percent in 2008. Looks like Craig is getting the last laugh, that jerk.

According to naa.org in 2004, some six years ago, 45-percent of U.S adults who went online for any kind of news during the past week visited a newspaper-affiliated web site. That was six years ago, just think of how we have changed in six short years.

I loved my ex-girlfriend but I have fallen for her younger, hotter sister.

The Newspaper Death Watch

Is the state of American journalism in danger? Media will be apart of our lives forever; but the form and the way we receive it is changing on a regular basis.

What is the point of buying a newspaper that kills trees? Or why would you choose to get news once-a-day, when you can get CNN notifications on your phone every time there is breaking news? Convenience is a huge factor when considering the ramifications of the newspaper declining.

David Johnston, a Pulitzer Prize Winner and a reporter for his whole life weighs in on the demise of the newspaper. He argues that journalists are the culprit of this dilemma by stating, "Use your independent judgment and you stop letting sources tell you what is news."


Bob Garfield, the author of "The Chaos Scenario," believes that there has been a collapse of the mass advertising model. He is optimistic about the future, like some journalists are.

Bob Garfield on Media in Chaos from Paul Gillin on Vimeo.

Reliability remains a key issue when debating the collapse of the newspaper. How can you tell which sources online are credible? There are literally thousands to choose from! When your teacher tells you not to use Wikipedia because it is not 100% facts, is there still hope for the newspaper? Online advertising is the most lucrative aspect of the internet. I feel that newspapers will slowly die out and figure out a way to make money online. This seems reasonable if the Newspaper corporations are losing money from the stand on the street.

This may be a great thing for the media and journalism. Competition naturally breeds better journalism, and better journalism means an engaged and informed public. To me that seems to be most important, engaging and informing with factual information.


Most importantly, the Onion makes a phenomenal point about the pros of the good 'ol newspaper.............
Don't forget about the Stack-ability factor !!!

The Demise of Newspapers

Over the past few decades our current generation has grown in a favor of obtaining news through online sources as opposed to an OLD FASHIONED newspapers-GO FIGURE. As a result a lot of old OLD FASHIONED news fans complain that this decrease in newspapers is creating a devolution. NEWS FLASH- we're not going down by any means, in fact we're taking it up a notch!

I mean obviously unlike newspapers not ALL online news sources are as 100% reliable and efficient but if this decrease is so terrible , than WHY IS IT NATURALLY HAPPENING? Clearly the American public favors the accessibility, timeliness, and free cost of online news for a reason. Sure sure maybe not all online news is completely credible but if you REALLY want lugitiment information, go to a LUGITAMENT NEWS SITE.

OKAY SPEAKING OF, whats whats with this nonsense about online news NOT being credible becasue theyre always rushing to post first? Isn't that the goal of all news industries INCLUDING NEWSPAPERS? A writer that works for a real news company is still going to get in trouble for posting false information EVEN IF ITS ONLINE.

The newspaper may at one point have been a cultural must have, but its not like if the newspaper industry does diminish into the oblivion of time that citizens will no longer be informed. WE THE PEOPLE of this democratic society have chosen online news, it wasn't like it was forced upon us. Unlike newspapers, online news not only provides us with the information we need to maintain civic culture in the united states, but its also always being updated at a constant rate- NO MORE WAITING TILL THE NEXT DAY.

OH AND whats with this 24 hour news network being blamed for the downfall of newspapers as if its soooo terrible to have news at any time of the day? Pleaseee spare me the horror of the non-existance negatives. If you want newspapers because you like having that tangible paper feeling in your hands, PRINT THE ARTICLE OUT.

Print is Dead

Okay, not quite yet...but it's going to happen. Soon.

According to a recent article in Time, by 2013 an additional 150 million individuals will have a television set in their household. By the same year, more than half a billion people will have television access through their mobile devices. In a country where televisions outnumber Americans, these may not seem like very high numbers, but the truth is that television is bridging the digital divide, and as it flourishes, print is suffocating.

In the early 80s, video may have killed the radio star. Although it is not acting alone, television sure is playing its part in print's demise.

With twenty-four hour news networks spanning the globe and even the poorest portions of the poorest countries in the world now have news access. Satellite services are provided inexpensively (and often as a free service provided by the government) all across the globe, and are quickly expanding. There are cases of people living in homes with no electricity who power their televisions using batteries.

Members of this new globalized society are expected to process massive amounts of information at an increasingly rapid rate. The global economy is twenty-four hours and the world can only run in unison through technologies providing us with instantaneous updates à la television, mobile phones or the internet.

While living in Morocco, whenever my host mother was home, the television was on. Despite rarely leaving our neighborhood, she dutifully sat every evening watching the evening news every night. Stopping by my favorite restaurant for lunch, I'd pass the time waiting for my food while watching al-Jazeera on the restaurant's big screen television. The only people who seemed to be reading newspapers were middle aged people and older.

A sea of satellites on rooftops in Fes, Morocco. This image is commonplace in major cities across the developing world.

What does this mean for democracy? For the moment, not too much. Despite spreading into the farthest reaches of the globe, it is still very easy for governments to manipulate media through the television (yes China, I’m looking at you). Regardless, where television fails, there is always the internet--sorry Mahmoud, now the world knows that even your own people realize you’re
crazy.

Jason Bourne carefully maneuvering around satellite dishes while kicking ass in Tangiers.

Print is sighing its last breaths as it prepares to fall into the eternal abyss of history. Don’t run off to write your eulogies yet. Although the digitization of information will become more and more commonplace in this new technological age, nostalgia is still a powerful force and there are many of us out there who prefer reading things on paper instead of a screen.

Just don’t expect your offspring to have the same sentiments.

Newspapers are disappearing, but don't panic.

The demise of newspapers isn’t new information. “The decline and ultimately the demise of newspapers has been an ongoing theme since the emergence of the radio.” Then came TV, full of more news and now even 24-hour news channels! Our society is definitely not news deprived.

If you haven’t noticed, people in the U.S. love technology. Have you ever seen the crowds lining up at the Apple store? Maybe not everyone can afford personal Internet access, but even the public library provides Internet. For college students like me it’s really easy to get on the Internet at school.

A lot of today’s younger generation may not even know what it’s like to hold a newspaper in their hands. Holding a tiny digital newspaper is quite common though thanks to devices like the iPhone and the NYTimes app. Online news is immediate and people like to know what’s going on at all times.

The immediacy of news from online news sources is a plus, but fact checking may not be as much of a priority. This isn’t a problem though. From real news sources like the New York Times and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, journalists have always been dealing with quick deadlines so deadlines for online sources aren’t new. Non-print news sources can also be updated frequently, so mistakes can be corrected promptly.

Citizens need to be informed in a democracy; with news coming from TV, radio and Internet this isn’t a problem even if print newspapers are declining. Better yet, citizens can be part of the news themselves! Blogs are popping up everywhere; you don’t need to be a professional journalist to start one and everyone’s opinion is being heard.

Don’t like what you see on a blog? Comment! Let the blogger know what you think, and start a discussion with other people about topics. You can’t really do that when reading a print newspaper, unless perhaps you are having a debate with someone who is reading the newspaper with you.

Newspaper is an important part of our culture, so it will hold on for as long as it can. But who says saving some trees by printing less paper is a bad thing? News is readily available all around us, which may cause even more citizens to be informed rather than only newspaper subscribers.

Newspapers may be dying, but the news is booming.

-Lauren Krueger

Information

At a Hacker's conference in 1984, American writer Stewart Brand said 'Information wants to be free.' Brand is also the founder of the WELL, an early version of the internet.

Brand says that over time the cost of disseminating information continues to go down, but information is naturally expensive because of its value. What we characterized in class as being the demise of print journalism could possibly be seen as the rise of freer information. Anyone with an internet connection is able to connect to loads of news and information, which allows citizens who would have otherwise been at the mercy of one news organization to diversify and develop their own opinions about the information they consume.

OK. For those that feel the death of print news is tragic because you are going to miss that feeling of having a paper in your hand: do you think farmers miss that 'ole nostalgic feel' of spending 18 hours a day farming their fields with a horse driven plow? The newspaper is archaic when compared to the internet, and to be perfectly honest I can't believe it has even made it to 2010.

For some reason the 'death of newspapers' conversation is attached to the 'death of reading news' issue. People aren't reading newspapers because they understand the value of the internet. Morons aren't reading their news whatsoever because they would rather watch TV. (Says the guy who has CNN on his TV while posting to this blog).

Either way, I think newspapers are dying because they are printing newspapers. If a news organization stopped buying paper, ink, printers and stopped paying for delivery service, I bet they could save some money for more servers. But oh no!! Can America ever be the same without their classic and trusty paper boys?? Change is hard!! The same types of complaints were being made when slavery was coming to an end.

The changes that news organizations are going through aren't easy, change is hard, I guess. But it seems once things change, people have an impossible time of going back to the way they were. Which is why I'll never pay for a classified ad ever in my life. Thanks to Craigslist.

I think a lot can be learned from Craigslist, whether you're a news organization or just any individual. Their aim to stay small and not seek to maximize profits has drawn some scrutiny from the business community, but hasn't put them out of business.

"As it turns out if you're not in the business of maximizing profit, there's all kinds of functions that you no longer need like sales, marketing, business development, etc. The amount of revenue we make is absolutely insignificant compared to the money taken in by the other large sites, but it's certainly significant for a small company of 23 employees....It's just not attractive to trade away a service that means a lot to us in exchange for putting some extra zeros on our bank account that likely we would never have an actual use for. ''

Definitely doesn't sound like anything that would come out of Rupert Murdoch's mouth, now does it?

Maybe that's why newspapers are dying.

-Ryan Nofsinger

Are Newspapers Expiring?

It seems like the inevitable doom of newspapers is approaching. The facts tell us so. According to The Washington Post, 2009 had the lowest newspaper circulation in over 70 years. It would seem to me like the bad news—that is, for print media-- will just keep coming. Is it only a matter of time before we see print news disappear? This website seems to think so.

Online news certainly seems to make sense. With the internet, information reaches consumers fast than ever. With the internet, readers can interact with one another and respond to the news with applications like blogs or twitter. Perhaps the biggest perk of reading news through the web is that it’s free to those with internet access.

Despite all this, I don’t believe the death of a news is entirely a good thing. While I certainly do enjoy reading for free, only reading online makes it pretty easy to simply not read the news. Truthfully which is more fun CNN.com or this fun game with a monkey that pops balloons? My point is that reading the news is difficult enough for our hyperactive, image-bombarded brains, and the internet only makes that job more difficult. Having the entire world wide web packaged with my news outlet allows for pretty easy distraction.

I wouldn’t really have a problem with online media if it ran the same as print media. However, in the online format, with ever changing stories, constant advertising and far more “infotainment,” as many like to call it, I feel many core news values are lost. When something appears on the front page of the newspaper, it’s important and stays there for a day. In contrast the front page of a website might change in less than an hour. Currency is important, but is it taking precedence over things like impact? It can be difficult to grasp the most valuable news when it’s changing as fast as the internet moves.

In order for newspapers to die I believe online news will have to become more profitable than print. If we had to pay for news online like we do a newspaper, would more people choose the hard copy? Many questions are left unanswered about the fate of newspapers, but to this question: Do I like newspapers? I have an answer: yes, and I hope for the sake of this cartoonist I don’t see the demise in my life time.

BLOG NEWS TRAVELS FAST

"Out with the old, in with the new" has been the way our country has always operated.  Before newspapers, we wrote letters to deliver the news.  Lets be honest, no one writes letters anymore.  Well, lets be even more honest... people aren't reading the newspaper anymore either.

The newspaper industry is well aware of its death; only 19 % between 18-34 claim they even look at a newspaper.  Therefore, newspapers like CNN, and Fox News, can be accessed online.  Now a new element has been added to allow citizens to voice their opinion: The Blog.  Although the decline of the newspaper means less people are broadly informed about what's going on, blogs allow people to respond directly to issues that influence them.  And blogging is fast!

"Bloggers are not chewing at the news, they are spitting it out" yet, there is the issue of credibility.  Yes, anyone can go on and comment on an article and have a completely false interpretation of the truth, but thats the beauty about blogs, they are mainly opinion that lead to further research of an issue.  Online newspapers strive to get information out as fast as possible, and because breaking news evolves over time online organizations might not be fact-checking.  However, by advancing to the use of the blog people can go in and add what the initial writer might have missed.

The Huffington Post is an example of an internet newspaper that embraces the news blogs.  The co-founder Arianna Huffington created this website because she wanted to discover a formula that confronted the problems of newspapers entering the Internet era, saying it offers "immediate information about stories that interest readers".  The Huffington Post is more popular than all but eight newspaper sites, rising from 16th place.

This is merely the beginning of news traveling via internet.  Philip Meyer predicts that the final copy of the final newspaper will appear on somebody's doorstep one day in 2043.  That might seem far away, but times are changing and technology is only getting faster and more efficient. 

Is the newspaper dying effecting our democracy?  Yes it is! But it doesn't have to negatively effect us.  A democracy is directed by or for the people, so instead of having it be for the people, lets do it ourselves and use online newspapers and blogs to speak our minds about what is going on in our world.  

Online newspapers and blogs are more timely, interactive and allow users to read what interests them.  

If you still don't believe me, you can join these people who are still struggling to save the newspaper. 

SAVING THE NEWSPAPER MUSICAL

-Kylee Flister

The Newspaper Crisis

The newspaper is the way of life, its part of our culture, but do we really need it?

People that read the newspaper in the morning with there cup of coffee might be able to live without, but those who make there living off the newspaper industry might not be as fortunate. It is declining more then ever now.

If the newspaper is abolished for good what are these people going to do?

It is part of older peoples culture, but the younger generation is overpowering everything with the internet and all the abundance of information you get.

I think they should start promoting the newspaper more to maybe younger readers because soon all the baby boomers are going to be gone.

Might As Well Use It For A Fire

Newspapers are obsolete. Now a days the only people that actually read the printed news are hanging out in a heaven hotel waiting to move into their eternal resting place. The only thing that the young generations use newspapers for is to start fires in the summer time.

I remember growing up and running into the kitchen to grab my favorite parts of the newspaper. When I was real young I went straight for the comics. In high school I just went through the sports sections to see what there were saying about my high school and the teams I was on. Other than that I could care less.

As far as I cared the whole newspapre could be written by the writers of the ONION. Our generation is way to impatient to wait till 230pm everyday to see whats going on in the world. Our generation gets the privelage to see how Chad Ocho Cinco is doing every second of the day whenever we want to know.

The demise of the printed news comes down to instant knowledge can be had on the internet when ever we want or need it. Who needs a paper? If something that the President was bothering me and woke me up one night because it ended up in my dreams. I could jump on my computer at 3:23am and dig up some dirt to put me at ease.

I honest believe that deep down if anything the decline of printed news is a good thing that benefits us as citizens. As a US citizen you can always know what our politicians are doing. It is always at your fingertips. I feel that a newspaper cannot give you all the details. The internet is so huge that you can get every detail you want.

People think that the falling of the news papers is a bad thing. I see it as an very good thing. Just think if its a tough presidential race and you do not know who to vote for, you can look up any information you want to on all the candidates. Newspapers also limit what a reader can read about. You only get to read whateve the writers write about. With the internet there is so many different writers you can pick and choose what you want to read.

I may be an optimist, but I believe the depletion of newspapers and written media will strengthen our democracy. The internet and instant communication allows us to be more active and more informed citizens. Blaming the fall of written news for hurting democracy is absurd. You need to blame lazy people and not doing the duties of a citzen, but thats a whole other blog.

The Great American Newspaper: Becoming Extinct?

Communities across the United States are suffering from the demise of newspapers which could leave a dramatically diminished version of democracy in America. Newspaper companies are suffering from huge debt, high costs, declining subscription rates, and a plummeting ad base. Many newspaper companies are being forced to shut down which is causing a larger problem for American citizens.

First, the decline of newspapers is causing thousands of journalists to lose their jobs. According to TheNation.com, in 2008 there were almost 16,000 journalist positions eliminated. Soon network news operations will employ no more than a handful of employees causing many more job losses in the future.

Secondly, newspapers provide passionate, unbiased reports that explain what is happening locally and nationally to the everyday American. With the demise of newspapers, citizens will have to get their news and explanation of what is happening from another source such as the internet, radio, or television. However, radio and TV stations have shifted from concentrating on hard news to focusing on celebrity and weather based news that will generate a profit. Also, reading news on the internet allows readers to choose what they read and they can get the information they want to hear instead of an unbiased, balanced report of all sides.

Thirdly, America is founded on the value of the press, not merely as a watchdog, but essential to inform citizens. Because American citizens value newspapers and unbiased news, they feel satisfaction and accomplishment when they finish reading a newspaper. Reading news on the internet doesn’t provide that same feeling of accomplishment because they cannot physically hold it in their hand. Also, listening or watching news that is celebrity or weather based does not give citizens the same feeling of being an informed citizen.

Lastly, another problem associated with the demise of newspapers is that internet news does not involve investigative journalism. Online bloggers are not investigative journalists and can sometimes report rumors or false information. Also, news posted on the internet is constantly updated. This is good because citizens will be informed quickly, however, it can also be posted too quickly and the facts may not be checked which could lead to false information. This may affect the quality of democracy when people can abuse their power or be provided false information because the story was not fully investigated before being reported.

Therefore, the demise of newpapers is not only affecting journalists but all American citizens.

So Newspapers are Dying...who cares?

Unfortunately, not many people. Researchers at the Pew Centre for the People and the Press found that only 43% of Americans think that civic culture would be hurt "a lot" if local newspapers ceased publication. Less than half of all Americans believe their local newspaper is necessary; no wonder newspapers are facing a crisis.
Citizens are no longer as active in their community as they once were. Why would a citizen pick up a paper about their community if it's not of interest to them? This is especially true for our younger generation. As Harvard University scholar Robert Putnam wrote in his book, Bowling Alone, "Young adults were far less likely than older people not just to read a newspaper, but also to attend religious services, sign a petition, go to a public meeting, write to an elected official or serve as an officer in a local organization." Older citizens seem to be the only crowd hanging onto the paper and as they become the minority, so do the newspapers.
However, just because the newspapers are dying, doesn't mean the news is. Sure the newspaper industry has been seeing a downfall, but where they see a loss other forms of media see a gain. The internet is the most popular example of this. One click and you are opened to a cyber world of endless information. Why hassle with unfolding pages and pages of flimsy paper when you can simply circle a mouse around. Why pay for a monthly subscription when you can access all you need to know for free online. The internet is the new "paperboy." Citizens are shifting their news outlets as newer and more convenient methods are introduced.
The fact is that there will always be a demand for news, whether through a newspaper or through an iphone. The problem with newspaper is that it has not evolved at a rate in which to keep up with current culture of technology and need for constant information. As trends continue, newspapers face even more of a threat. I try to say that I would be concerned if our newspaper died, but I couldn't tell you the last time I picked up our Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. It's a struggle between newspaper and technology. I guess the winner will be which ever context we read the results from.

ATTENTION: PRINT MEDIA IS A FAST SINKING SHIP!!

If you're like me, you've probably been too busy tweeting, browsing apps, playing "foursquare", and reading your kindle to really even notice.

But, despite the panic that has arisen in the last few years about the issue, I don't think printed newspapers are going anywhere soon. And I'll give you four good reasons why.

Reason #1:

Newspapers have already stood the test of time.

Remember when radios came out in the early 1930's? Probably not - most of you weren't even born. The spur of Marconi's ideals, the radio, was considered a technological miracle. Communication had never been this advanced. And, despite this machine's popularity, newspapers stuck around.

Then, in the 1950's, we were gifted with the television. By the 60's and 70's, news anchors were herding the nation to present their viewers with the best film coverage available. The aftermath of hurricanes became real to those viewing them from across the country. Even though it was easier to plop on the sofa and visualize world events rather that pull out a paper, newspapers stuck around.

Now, we are in the digital age. And, despite the convenience of online news, newspapers will stick around.

Reason #2:

Only 1,733,993,741 people are estimated to have access to the internet.

That is a huge number and doesn't seem like a very convincing statistic. That is, until you remember that the world population is estimated around 6.8 billion. So, 75 percent of the world without access to the world wide web get their news through word-of-mouth, radio, television, and the good ole' newspaper.

Don't believe me? Check out this site. It breaks down internet accessibility by country, if you're interested.

Reason #3:

The newspaper is changing with the times.

The new digital age has shortened all of our attention spans. We need colors! We need pictures! We need pizazz! Printed news is now beginning to understand this, and is changing to suit are needs.

Reason #4 (which is probably the most convincing of them all):

Newspapers make good wrapping paper.

Who likes paying extra for something that is just going to be shred apart anyways? Plus, if you use the comic section, you get brownie points for your stunning creativity!

Finally, if all else fails this guy has some pretty great ideas for how to save the newspaper.

Why Pay for Your News

The newspaper industry hit record lows in 2009. The Internet can largely be blamed for their failures. The Internet offers many benefits papers don't. Getting news online also comes without a cost.


People don't want to pay for their news. The Internet gives news that's fast, convenient, and free. Newspapers simply can't compete with those benefits.


Newspapers are also viewed as yesterdays news. Americans don't want to be the last to know anything. Using the Internet, the latest news is just a click away.


Online news is not the only media that's killing newspapers. Television is also contributing largely to their demise. Similar to the Internet, TV has the ability to give viewers fresh news instantly.


The newspaper industry today is comparable to standard TV in the 1980's, when cable really took off. The Internet and cable TV provide viewers with the specific areas of news and entertainment they desire. What used to be considered part of a news broadcast, can now be the entire show. A paper has a sports section but there are 24-hour sports channels available that are updated by the minute.


We are certainly living in the information age. There is a vast array of information available at our fingertips. But are we more informed?


In order to be an active citizen of democracy we need to be informed about government and society. The success of the Internet and cable technology has led to many viewers not getting the full story. If your more conservative, for example, you probably go to more conservative websites and watch more conservative news shows.


Having multiple news choices allows for a more enjoyable news viewing experience but can lead to a one sided viewpoint.

I Don't Expect Too Many Tears At the Funeral of Printed News

While it is true that keeping the “papers” in “newspapers” is becoming a larger financial burden with each passing year, newspaper companies are very likely to successfully adapt to an online market. So far, this adaptation has not been an easy process for the wounded industry, but the Wall Street Journal may hold the key to a successful online business model.

The Wall Street Journal was the only newspaper to turn a profit in 2009 according to the Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism “State of the News Media 2010” report, and the newspaper's unique online content payment plan may be a big part of that success. Regular readers are able to view the website's content, but subscribers are given access to special features. A payment of 79 dollars a year grants subscribers personal notifications about news updates, and customization of their Wall Street Journal front page and Market Data Center. Rupert Murdoch made comments about utilizing this system on the websites for the rest of his newspapers, but has not put the plan into action yet.

By getting its dedicated readership to pony up a yearly, or even weekly, subscription, The Wall Street Journal offers its content with minimal advertising. Other than the tastefully sized ad near the top, it actually took me quite a bit of looking around to find others . Their “Partner Center”, where tiny advertisements are displayed near the bottom of the front page, shows a healthy respect for the reader's desire to view news instead of advertisements. The single image ad and three tiny “Google type” ads on every story aren't a massive eyesore either, especially compared to the ads that litter every page of The New York Times website and the pop ups spawned by The Washington Times home page.

News organizations wary of disowning ink and paper can be given hope by the success of The Wall Street Journal's website, and the fact that the website remains a viable asset without being crammed with tacky ads. The slow transition from a paper/online model to an online only model may be starting sooner than we anticipate, but will this have damaging effects on our democratic society? Probably not.

The fear of internet users surrounding themselves with nothing but content that favors their point of views has been proven false about 6 years ago by the Pew Research Center. According to the data, people reliant on the internet for news are more knowledgeable about various political viewpoints than those who favor newspapers, radio or television. With lively discussions going on under many articles online, a reader has to be well informed if they want to make a well met contribution. Since the internet is more depended on for news than radio and newspapers, only being outdone by television, it certainly seems that the online community has been doing its part to invigorate political debate.

Some may argue that certain groups, senior citizens in particular, will be left uninformed by the disappearance of newspapers. The truth is, 28% of seniors 70 and older were already using the internet in 2006. Out of those without internet ready computers, only 13% claimed that they were too old to learn how to use one according to a 1998 SeniorNet study. This means that most seniors are willing and able to learn how to use computers, and become fully able to read the news online if they needed to. New research also indicates that doing so instead of just switching over to television will make seniors happier and assist with their mental function.

If it does happen, the eventual demise of printed news will create upheaval in certain industries reliant on newspaper production for revenue. It won't all be good news. But I'm sure horse breeders weren't exactly thrilled to hear about the Model-T. As far its effects on the spirit of democracies across the world, the rise of internet news seems like it will bring mostly positive change.

"How am I going to feed my children? Selling horses is all I know!"

Internet Killed the Newspaper Star

It’s no surprise newspapers and print media in general are on the fritz: with modern day technologies of the internet and other devices, people are less inclined to physically handle newspapers but rather interact with news online or via television. In fact, according to a recent survey by The Washington Post, only 13 percent of Americans now buy a daily newspaper. But is it safe to let a 300 year old business die out? Many say yes, and some even go as far as to call it a “rebirth of journalism.”

The first major positive that internet journalism has over newspapers is the ability to be timelier. Internet websites and news blogs can post an event or news story within the next few minutes of it happening, pictures included! Newspapers have daily issues, and television has breaking reports, but neither come close to the speed that internet connections supply.

Internet news companies and bloggers also offer the convenience of having free services. Most news websites provide free public access to stories and events, the same that would be covered in a daily newspaper. With only 13 percent of the nation actually buying daily newspapers, companies are also saving on printing and producing costs associated with running a business.

Lastly, newspaper companies can jump on the bandwagon and “go green.” By “going green” I mean embracing technological advances such as the internet and nixing those costlier ones. Not only will the newspaper industry save more money, they will also please customers with more environmentally friendly services, and add an extra little skip in TreeHuggers steps everywhere.

It’s no question that newspapers and society are closely intertwined. The sad fact is that the business model of “You’re gonna miss us when we’re gone!” isn’t going to work on our democratic society. I think blogger Clay Shirky puts it best when he said: “Society doesn’t need newspapers. What we need is journalism.”

A Newspaper Won't Fit In Your Pocket

The dissemination of information has constantly been developing over time. Recently the Internet has caused a heavy decline in the newspaper industry. As always with anything, society is looking for newer, faster, and easier ways to be informed.

The world today is fast paced and in constant motion. New developments in technology have become a large part of our lives. Internet capable phones are widely popular, offering instant access to online news outlets. So it’s important that information and updates are instantly available right in the palm of our hand.

There’s a constant push for new digital media so it’s important that news distribution evolves in the same way. In one day, of those ages 18-24, only 31 percent read the newspaper. Compared to those ages 65 and older readership was at 64 percent. The new generation is the future, so news on the Internet is an important evolution.


(Daily Newspaper Readership by Age Group, 1999-2008)

With newspapers there are less errors with accuracy and credibility. There are also issues with no profit from online-based outlets. Bloggers on the internet can be biased, opinionated, and have the wrong facts. But with the internet timeliness, exposure, and availability are more important. If we can fix these kinks, news on the Internet could be extremely successful.

The vitality of a democracy is important so citizens must stay informed. Since the Internet and communicative technology has become widely available, information is delivered quickly. News has more exposure, causing people to gain more interest. The demise of print to digital media has increased, so the transition is quite important to a democratic society.

The Demise of Newspapers

The demise of newspapers might be expected with the rise of a new generation.  It reflects our desire for progress and desire to create an easier way of living.

The advent of the Internet allowed for breaking news to be heard a few minutes after it happened.  News was now free and available 24 hours a day.  This appeals to the younger generation, because of their multi-tasking lifestyle they are less likely to sit down and read a paper.

Each generation born after 1920 has read less news than the generation before.  According to a study done by the Newspaper Association of America (NAA) in 1970, 72.7% of adults ages 18-24 read the daily newspaper.  That percentage continued to decrease and was down by 48.1% in 1997.      

The Internet allows for those who would not normally read the news to be exposed to it.  Popular homepages such as Yahoo open with breaking news as their headline.  When information is thrown at you on the Internet like this it is hard to avoid it.

It is important to be exposed to the news because in order to be an active citizen in a democratic society, one has to know what is going on in society.  Since newspapers do not appeal to the rising younger generation, it is important that a new medium for news (such as the Internet) is created that does appeal to them.

 

Future of Newspapers Hangs in The Balance

(Rupert Murdoch)


In recent years, newspapers and print media have suffered. Some say they are dying while others believe they are changing. The age of the Internet has inspired many tough questions that media experts have yet to answer.

The question that seems will be answered first is if it's possible to start moving online content into a payed structure. News Corporation's president Rupert Murdoch believes this financial model might be part of the solution.

This strategy has never been tried on a paper as big as the Times or The Sunday Times before. However, Murdoch believes a simple and affordable model could be profitable. The idea behind this method is fairly understandable: people pay for the news in newspapers, so why not online?

Others believe that the future is not so simple. The idea that information wants to be free is an important one in this discussion. If information continues on its current path, another possible method of profiting from the news would be through advertising. Innovative and personal display advertising could be a strong first step in attracting consumers to media content. 

Of course once you introduce the idea that advertising may save journalism, then ethical questions start to arise. If journalism’s is completely funded by some miracle advertising technology, then isn't it logical to assume that the paper might be influenced by them? The newspapers could (or already do) create content that isn’t the most important, but instead the most profitable.

Wherever the future lies for journalism, the entrepreneurs who solve these difficult questions will be the most likely to profit.

Questions to consider:

Do you think Murdoch’s Paywall will work?

Do you think information wants to be free and will continue to be free in the future?

What are the best traits inspiring journalists can have to insure they’re part of whatever journalism’s future is?

Can we allow papers to be completely funded by advertisers?

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