by Stephanie Chadek
No one wants to get his or her news a day late. Unfortunately for newspapers, this is exactly how they deliver information. The minute significant stories break, Americans are naturally more inclined to flip on television news or scan internet headlines to stay in the loop, rather than wait overnight for a paper delivery.
Newspaper Association of America statistics show more and more newspapers are disappearing from circulation, or switching to an online only format. This noteworthy shift away from a print medium we've depended on for centuries is a natural transition that capitalizes on an online culture in which we receive what we want, when we want.
Online news offer several features that newspapers do not:
- customizable search options
- immediacy
- customizable content
- accessible anywhere there is an internet connection
- no subscription fees for news content
- eco-friendly
- clean, convenient format
- expanded subject coverage
- interactivity
Ultimately, the newspaper is becoming a secondary supplement to Americans primary news sources: broadcast, cable, and Internet news. This change worries many who have valued print media's dominance for ages, but this change is an inevitable one. Our culture is driven by a desire for immediacy and ease. The ways we choose to receive our news are certainly no exception.
You bring up some excellent points, especially in the context of the print papers being "secondary supplements" to these new media.
ReplyDeleteYou don't present print journalism as a dead media, which I agree with, and believe to be a correct way of handling the situation. In fact, it isn't dead, just merely less effective. Millions of Americans are still subscribing to physical newspapers, while others pick them up at street corners, and I don't see them all suddenly switching to getting their news online. Are newspapers losing readership? Absolutely. But not to the point where newspapers need to become obsolete.
Another good point you bring up is interactivity, which seems to be a core principle in anything Internet-based. Blogs, responses, forwarded emails- these are all ways that the citizen helps to shape the context of the story, eventually delving into citizen journalism and going beyond what options are offered in print journalism.
Interactivity, to that level, combines with immediacy. If a story develops, we, as citizens, can help to shape the news by sending in news tips, blogging, or posting updated comments in regards to the story. For example, a person who reads a newspaper at 7 in the morning will be out of sync with the rest of the world until 7 the next morning if that is the only news source. However, developments will undoubtly be revealed throught the day, those of which can all be accessed and updated 24/7 on the Internet. In a sense, this also applies to the "expanded coverage" you brought up, as the article's length has no virtual limits- the initial post may be confined, but developmental comments and responses are infinite.
-Amir Hamizadeh
You address a great point when referring to the timeliness of news and when we the public want that information. I do agree myself, that most of us would rather turn on the telivision or pull up MSNBC on our web browser for the most current, up to date issues. Though I do disagree with thinking the print era is dead, it is only struggling and trying to make it through these tough times, determined by the support the citizens show.
ReplyDeleteThis new era of the web seems to be dominating and sinking print media, a transition bound to happen sooner of later; in this case it is much sooner. When you use the word "noteworthy" it helps the reader understand the importance of this issue and how this downfall is historic. The bulleted text was a good idea. Not only does it draw the eye to that specific area, it is easily and clearly understood.
Referring to the "secondary supplement," newspapers prove to be falling underneith this failing economy and internet boom. Adding the cultural side to this issue was a smart choice. It is easier for individuals to understand an issue such as this, when thinking about how it fits into our cultural status.