Something I’ve been hearing more and more about lately is the lamentation of the possible demise of the Newspaper… And frankly I don’t get it. I never have. Being perhaps from a younger generation like many of you on sharenotes.com, it’s perplexing to me how the slowing of an industry strongly rooted in the distribution of printed news could in any way be linked to a demise in the dissemination of information. Not with the web around.
Granted, you cannot believe a great deal of what you see on the web, but what are we talking about? Small opinion / rumor based blogs? Not really. There are plenty of legitimate news sources, moving at the speed of life, keeping pace with the world in which we live. So why the sudden concern? The news will be available, with our without newpapers.
They are talking congressional bailouts and the failure of democracy if newpapers die. Who are we kidding here? The speed at which news changes and develops can never be matched by mass paper distribution. There was once a time when that’s all we had but those times are long since gone. When Michael Jackson died, everyone I knew found out via TMZ almost before the coroner had pronounced him deceased. Are we really trying to hang on the idea that there are people out there that found out about this the day after in the morning paper?
Afraid we’ll lose some form of free speach, or perhaps thought provoking discussion? Not likely. On the web as I speak there are probably more discussions happening right now, than were generated by a year of a local newspapers circulation. I don’t have any stats to back that, but what better forum to provoke discussions, than a .. forum? Blogs like sharenotes.com are provoking thoughts every minute of every day. On every site you may leave your comments, thoughts. emotions, ideas, are being expressed probably more so today than ever in the history of the world. We are connected now in ways that the printing press could never do.
I was reading an article on Newsweek.com on this very topic and they pointed out quite deftly that a bailout of Newspapers stands to benefit only the newspaper themselves. The truth of the matter is that newspapers were once a very very profitable and powerful endeavor. Ever been to Hearst Castle? You can see for yourself the kind of opulence newspaper money could buy back in the day. But readership is down, and these once giant corporations are tanking and panicking. Time to call in the favors in Congress like a drowning man clings to his last gulp of air.
It’s not like I am against Newspapers. I don’t read them true, but if they were wildly successful then so be it. But I don’t want to take part in saving them from the inevitable. The Digital age has been here for quite some time, I cannot remember the last time I picked up a news paper? Probably when I was a kid, but as an adult? No way! Where were you during the inauguration? Waiting around for the paper to cover it or were you steaming live coverage on the web?
Have an opinion? Well here’s a great way to start a new discussion… leave your comments below and let your fellow readers hear your voice. Should we bail out the Newpapers? Think they should die a slow death? Lets hear your thoughts.
Hi, I’m an “old” newspaper junkie. Grew up in a household where we read a.m. and p.m. dailies – everyday! Then I became a news reporter. I still love newspapers: the smell, the ink and yes, the news. I don’t feel wedded to saving them and yeah, now we’re all streaming all the news all the time. Two things however and but. One, I think small community papers can and will survive. Local news is important and not digitized – yet.
Also, I’m still concerned about the accuracy and accountability issues. I know this can and will and perhaps has been addressed.
Great read; insightful. Thanks.
I have agree with Jo Galante in how local papers are still in demand and are not really threatened with internet-based news.
In response to the statements revolving around the idea that online sources are not trustworthy, they actually provide more views and perceptions on the news. There are only a handful of old-fashioned newspapers available to the general person. However, online sources are easily accessible to anyone, and the wide variety provides many perspectives on a situation or event, as opposed to the few that mainstream newspapers may provide.
Ronald / Jo,
Thanks both for your insight. I would tend to believe that we all are saying much of the same in our own ways. I don’t think any of us would say we have a personal vendetta against papers, maybe just let them sink or swim on their own. I think we all also tend to agree that with the web’s pervasive nature, the info is out there, and so is thought provoking discussion and accurate reporting. There’s a lot of crap too, but one might say that is everywhere… Weekly World News? I think my initial impetus behind pointing this out is that some have lamented the possible demise of the paper linking it to a loss of some kind of public empowerment. I would submit for your consideration, the notion that it’s simply the by product of the evolution of our society. And if you will, a necessary step.
I would prefer if we didn’t spend XXXXX??? of taxpayers dollars to delay that inevitable outcome.
Thank you both! Please comment again, your thoughts are always welcome!