The newspaper's demise is a sad tale. I wish that the traditional past time of information translation would be part of life for years to come, but that most likely isn't the case. Older generations will keep the paper pushin' for some time; but new, impatient, information hungry citizens of 2009 want the simpler, quickest access to news in life. Older citizens can still find a hard copy paper, newspapers are not instinct, just far more prevelant. Jack Shafer shares in a Slate article "The only group that holds a consistently high opinion of newspapers is newspaper people. They're the ones who do the bragging about how newspapers enrich democracy by uncovering pollution, malfeasance in office, abuses of power, and unsafe consumer goods," this view holds consistent of how I see newspapers; real, informative and reliably safe, as well as intellectual, consistent and honorable. Newspapers are hisotry, they won't ever die.
The save on paper and resources to produce a hard copy is a major reason I appreciate the switch to technology based distribution. The price: FREE, isn't so shabby either. But the nostalgic newspaper reader will want the tangible evidence of what is, has and will be going on in life.
I don't trust technology, I think that if something did go wrong with the distribution of news the people and cyberspace troubles you would have to find then bother to fix the glitch would be exhausting and frustrating. I think that newspapers are more reliable but not practical compared to the internet in this day in age. Access and possibility are key here.
Not all newspapers will die. The New York Times will thrive in hard copy world forever, the respected "upscale" paper has won Pulitzers and is so inluential in news and history. It is believed the best writers write for the NYT and audience and admiration will stick with the best.
Citizenship will not die with newspaper's circulation dwindling. People are still taking part in the spreading and understanding of knowledge through news, they just don't have to wait around for it. Time and energy is saved and now is news. Citizenship is stronger then ever in CMC, computer-media communication, people are online, together, at once. Practicing a new retrival of assets to life and inner peace in news of the day, knowing all. People will be able to relate and share within the websites and resources online are tagented to so many fresh areas of life and options, the future is thick with possibiltiy, but newspapers will be missed.
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Although I agree with majority of what you said, there are some things that I disagree on as well. The fact that you believe that the newspapers will continue to sell to our generation seems a little far fetched. At an early age, schools introduce the internet to kids, who then take it and apply it to basically all educational aspects as well as leisure activities as well.
ReplyDeleteAlso with the world becoming more and more technology based, its more convenient to check the news on the net vs. buying a paper. I say this because you don't have the leave the comfort of your home to check the news, or read the paper. You can look current events on the internet along with more stories that are related to them.
Even newspapers are coming to this sad realization, that newspapers are not being brought by our generation. So if the older generation purchases them, what good would it do the newspapers in the future. That's why they all have websites now where you can view the news via web.
Maybe the newspapers should think of alternatives to keeping their papers alive. Like maybe having online subscriptions just to view the papers on the internet. Then it might persuade the younger generation to go out and buy the original newspaper.