I read two article recently; one dealing with apple's new gizmo titled the apple "tablet"(http://bit.ly/C0y1V), and another discussing the future demise of print newspapers. Both article's i felt discussed the same issue but from different perspectives.
The first article (go to http://bit.ly/XBVaB) addresses the wave of new online media that is revolutionizing newspapers as we speak. The article claims that print is loosing its value because audiences are all going online for their news. Print subscriptions are dropping for all major newspapers across the country. News organizations are trying to keep up by downsizing their employee numbers and by moving more content onto the internet. Government bailouts have been spoken of but most agree as does the writer of the article that this is a bad idea. But does print journalism need to die and is the sooner it dies the better?
Its obvious with the appearance of gadgets like the apple "tablet" or the "kindle" that the future of print is bleak. However, their is something artifact-esqe about having a tangible paper or magazine in your hand that holds value and will throughout the ages.
I remember being a kid and going into my parents basement and on the bookshelf their were hundreds of yellow National Geographic magazines lining two or three entire shelves. It was sacrilegious to throw one of those magazines away. One of my favorite possessions is the 1983 National Geographic with a cover portrait of the Afghan girl.
Besides the timeless value of physical print, the truth is advertisers are still paying to put their ads in newspapers and not online. Sure, most larger national newspapers or struggling but local newspapers are doing reasonably better. Frankly that is where newspapers are doing a decent job; covering local stories (not international news).
Preparations for handling online audiences need to be made by every major and minor newspaper organizations, its true, but as long as people are still confiding in their local print papers and as long as advertisers are still willing to put their ads in the printed papers and not so much online, then print will be around to stay.
very true. i think there is nothing like finding an older newspaper or magazine. you can get that from an online archive now, but having it physically in your hands, with the ink smearing and the smell of old paper, is something that we will probably miss in years to come
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