OK, so this will be a followup to our question regarding the future of books, only in this case we consider newspapers. I would like each of you to weigh in on weather you think they will survive. If so, for how long? If not, when do you expect the end will come?
But yes or no and for how long won't be enough for this answer. I also want to to speculate about what role the Internet will play in either the longevity of the newspaper, or in its downfall. If you think newspapers have a future then explain how this legacy product will incorporate the Internet in a way that enhances, rather than diminishes its money-making capacity.
However, if you believe the Internet will slay the newsprint beast, tell me why you think this is so.
Answer by Friday please. I'll have more for us to consider on this topic as the week progresses.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posted by Rob for Angela Allen:
ReplyDeleteI predict that in the next forty years, the newspaper will die, and the Internet will play a big role in its downfall. With each new generation, we become more and more of a technology oriented society. For example, someone that is eighty five will most likely not be as into technology as someone who is fifteen. As the older generations fade out, the newer ones become more dominant, therefore creating a more technology oriented society. The Internet is faster and more convent than a newspaper. Schools have children working on computers in kindergarten, so essentially these kids live their whole lives with technology. This of course differs from someone who is 70, and grew up without using computers and the Internet. Eventually the Internet will win, because the younger generations are more technology oriented. Angela Allen
Now, if this is an modern world based question pertaining to developed countries then yes I believe that due to computers print journalism like many other things will be inevitably swept up and eaten by the more current easier way to get news aka the internet. The speed of the travel of information is why this will happen, I can go to BBC's news website and read all the information I need to on events that happened 10 minutes ago rather than waiting a day, or maybe a week depending the "importance" of the news being reported.
ReplyDeleteI have a hard time believing that newspapers as we now know them-and especially as we have known them in previous decades-have any real chance of a sustainable future in our continually evolving digital age. It seems to me that the newspaper industry is resisting change. They are still trying to rely on their former models of business, and are struggling with the fact that their main source of revenue-advertisements-is all but diminished.
ReplyDeleteI can see that new models of business are being explored, such as the community foundations, non-profits, university, family, or government ownerships discussed in chapter 3, but I really think that simply changing the ownership of newspapers isn't going to save the industry.
The main factor in the survival/death equation comes down to one thing: the Internet. The Internet is killing the industry as it is now because we all have access to immediate and free information. I cannot see how the newspaper industry can survive until these media companies learn to embrace change, and agree to utilize the Internet to radically change the platforms on which they deliver the news. (Such as the music industry has used the Internet and iPod for downloading and selling digital music.) Unless they are willing to make similarly radical changes, I doubt the newspaper era can survive another decade.
I think that eventually the newspaper will be extinct. Someday, I will be telling my grandchildren about how the newspaper man came to my house every day and delivered the newspaper, and they will look at me the same way I look at my grandparents when they tell me about the milkman or the coal man. I don't think newspapers will last very much longer. I think they have about twenty years at the most. The big names will definitely switch to the Internet for their reporting because it is so much cheaper. Digital news requires no dead trees, no ink, no big pieces of machinery...just several reporters with computers. People can still buy advertisement space on web pages, and now several companies are putting up pay walls, making Internet news profitable. I realize that I am a bit of a traditionalist, and I will definitely miss the Sunday Funnies, but the Internet is faster, more convenient, and ultimately cheaper.
ReplyDeleteThe newspaper, in physical newsprint form, will never again be the leading source of information. That much is certain. However, I do believe it will continue to exist, especially in bigger cities and larger population areas. If newsprint continues the trend of incorporating technological tie-ins that enhance its content (such as web links and the increasingly popular barcode tags scanned by smartphones), then it will continue to exist. For all the wonders and ease of digital content, people still like tangible things. The fact remains, the newspaper will forever be a diminishing shadow of its former glory.
ReplyDeleteIn its current form, mass produced print media -the newspaper- will be all but gone within ten or so years. With the internet, news producers have the ability to disseminate information instantly, and at will. Print media simply cannot keep up with that, nor our appetites for instant satisfaction. I think that the transition will occur in stages, with more and more newspapers moving to only Sunday editions, with their digital product serving customers for the remainder of the week. This will allow the papers to include inserts and other advertising materials. As soon as they figure out how to efficiently advertise digitally, and therefore obtain funding; newspapers as we know them will either be completely gone, or only continue to be produced in small runs to fill the gap for those who cannot access the news digitally.
ReplyDeleteI do not think that newspapers will fall into extinction. In so saying, yes I think the cherished newspaper will always be with us.
ReplyDeleteThe internet will always be with us. The government started it, and I can still feel the steely eyes of “big brother” every time I turn on my computer. There is no privacy to speak of. The government surely would not want to let loose of such a valuable tool. The internet is of infinite measure of value for keeping their eyes on everything in the world, but also propaganda and control. Another aspect is “hacking”. Even the government does it, as we are all well aware. Watergate was just the tip of the iceberg so to speak, in spying. Just imagine the ability to manipulate a respected rogue journalist’s viewpoint and musings in writing on the “internet newspaper”, especially about politics. Even if the hacker is caught, the journalist’s information corrected, the proverbial cat is already out of the bag as far as the information that was hacked or changed, and the medias will have moved fast, damage done. Therefore, newspapers strictly for It he internet, I do not believe is going to be as inviting as some may think.
The use of the internet for advertising and getting media attention will always be a possible ,viable source of income, to keep a company in profit and even advertise the newspaper (print or digital). Whether or not the newspapers can use it effectively, time will tell. Much to be known, and advertising specialists who have not worked in the marketing of business on the internet will be hard pressed to succeed. Successful specialists will need to recruited with scrutiny, and contrary to what many think, it is not cheap to be well placed and successful without experienced specialists in marketing (on the internet).At the point in time we are now, I believe people are weary of the distracting flashing advertising on a page that distracts from good journalistic content. Page impressions (as advertising) are a useless media for your ROI from what I have experienced. People will still use newspaper advertising, whether off or on the internet. All things seem to come full circle in time. Craig’s List is awesome, but for my $20 bucks, I would rather advertise in my local newspaper.
Looking at the ability to have a paid subscription on the internet for your morning hype, I do not believe will be entirely successful, for the serious reader, although, reverse psychology has being used to bring people back to the printed word (via inflated pricing). Good journalism I do not believe will go unrewarded in some manner, though perhaps not profitable at this time. I firmly believe that people really want good and great journalism, journalists with an opinion and not a puppet writing to please the masses for hype. With such genius in the newspaper field, I feel confident they will find a way to make their niche and have the quality people will willingly pay for (in print). A great example of opinionated success – although radio – and not newspaper, is Rush Limbaugh, like him or not he drew the profitable numbers. Journalism surely has these same types of individuals who you just cannot wait to read their opinion, input, forecast, warning, etc., and people will pay if they receive value. Yes, the printed newspaper is a wanted and needed source, and profitability can be found! If I knew how, I would be the hero and the one making the big bucks, I am not,so I leave it to those creative and learned experts.
I do think printed newspapers have a future, and a long one, I do believe it has the possibility to be sustainable.