The rapid growth of the internet has made it a major source of news and information (Cassidy 2005, 264). Interest in online services has had a major boom over recent years and online news has significantly grown in importance (Fitzgerald 1994, 36).
Many believe that the continual growth of the internet will eventually cause print newspapers to disappear. “In recent years, it has become increasingly popular to predict that by the time today's teenagers reach middle age, video images will have replaced the written word as the principal conveyer of messages, and that newspapers, along with most other forms of print media, will be on the verge of extinction” (Nash 1994, 5). Wow, the wonders of web 2.0!
It’s easy to argue that the print editions of newspapers are not relevant because of the ease of use and the speed of updates of online editions. But research shows that while 99 per cent of Australian homes own at least one television, 44 per cent of these homes do not have internet access (Adams, 2006). It also depends on a person’s lifestyle; some may prefer online editions, but many will be so familiar with print editions, that they will have incorporated them into their daily routine.
As the debate over whether daily newspapers are still relevant in an age of online and global media continues, for the moment I’m sure it is safe to say that newspapers are not going to disappear in the near future. Print newspapers are still a vital and necessary part of people’s daily lives, and even thought the internet is slowly taking ever, the following of loyal readers will not diminish. Newspapers are not going to die, but in a few years, it seems they will not hold the prominent place they currently do in the media sector as the online versions will continue to thrive. Therefore, it is evident that daily newspapers are extremely relevant and vital in the online media age that is before us.
Reference List
Adams, D. 2006. Queensland University of Technology, KCB104 Online Learning and Teaching Web site: http://oltfile.qut.edu.au/download.asp?rNum=3230505&pNum=409849&fac=CI&OLTWebSiteID=KCB104&dir=sec&CFID=5993860&CFTOKEN=30781123 (accessed April 23, 2008).
Cassidy, W. 2005. Variations on a theme: The Proffesional Role Conceptions of print and online newspaper journalists. Journalism and Mass Communication Quartely, 82 (2):264-281. (accessed April 23, 2008 from ProQuest Database).
Fitzgerald, M. 1994. Survey: Newspaper interest in on-line services is booming. Editor and Publisher, 127 (11):36. (accessed April 23, 2008 from ProQuest Database).
Nash, W. 1994. Newspapers: Gearing for the future with electronic publishing. Newspaper Financial Executive Journal, 47 (8):5. (accessed April 24, 2008 from ProQuest Database).
Schoenbach, K., E. de Waal. and E. Lauf. 2005. Research Note: Online and Print Newspapers: Their Impact on the Extent of the Perceived Public Agenda. European Journal of Communication, 20 (2): 245. (accessed April 24, 2008 from ProQuest database).
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3 comments:
I agree with you Elyse that newspapers are still relevant in today’s media environment. Although there has been an emergence of online news and participatory journalism, newspapers are still a necessary source of news for many people. What is interesting is the different ways in which online news production is changing democracy and the way in which ordinary people not only access news, but produce it. With online news production, many more people have a voice; it is not just journalists in the traditional sense that are creating content. Democracy, therefore, is becoming more participatory. Although, as you say, newspapers are relevant in that they give a person access to many different topics and issues that they may choose to ignore on the internet, people online can become increasingly involved in their niche interest.
For example, if a person were to have a special interest in politics and election news, they could access a website such as On Line Opinion, which is an e-journal that “aims to provide a forum for public social and political debate about current Australian issues”. This website provides daily articles on a range of issues affecting the Australian political environment, and users can become produsers (Bruns, 2007) by adding comments to the articles with their own thoughts and ideas, or join in the forum and engage in social and political debate.
I find this topic very interesting and have posted a blog which may complement yours at Lucy’s Blog (http://lucyfdc.blogspot.com).
References
Bruns, A. 2007. Produsage: Towards a broader framework for user-led content creation. http://snurb.info/files/Produsage%20(Creativity%20and%20Cognition%202007).pdf (accessed April 2, 2008).
On Line Opinion. 2008. On Line Opinion: About On Line Opinion. http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/ (accessed April 28, 2008).
Print media has played a fundamental role in the modernization of Western society and contributed significantly to the rise in popular culture. Newspapers in todays society still hold a prominent place with perhaps a loyal readership base, however newspapers are beginning to see the trend in moving to a virtual world, bringing into question the real future that lies ahead for print media.
Although I agree print media is a vital part for information in today's world, studies conducted by numerous print media sources have discovered the growing trend of users going online and are developing user generated genre's in order to involve the consumer (KCNN, 2006).
With new technologies emerging, I do believe print media will become the niche market - with organisations preferring the minute by minute updated service provided by the World Wide Web. We Media, a non profit and research organisation predicts that we are beginning a golden age of journalism and predict by 2021 citizens will produce 50% of the news peer to peer (We Media, 2003).
Elyse, while you provide statistics on the amount of households that currently use TV and the internet - the growing trend towards the virtual environment suggests users growing dependence on the web as a source of day to day information is drastically increasing (Adams, 2006).
There is an unquestionable growth towards user generated information, which print media struggles to facilitate without the interaction of an online forum. Print media may be relevant now, but the emergence of newer technology is only a click away from replacing newspapers.
References
Adams, D. 2006. Queensland University of Technology, KCB104 Online Learning and Teaching Web site: accessed May 12, 2008
http://oltfile.qut.edu.au/download.
asp?rNum=3230505&pNum=409849&fac=CI&OLTWebSiteID=KCB104&dir=sec&CFID=5993860&CFTOKEN=30781123
KCNN,2006, Hyperlocal diversity accessed, May 12, 2008, http://www.kcnn.org/research/citmedia_chapter1_page3/
We Media,(2003), The Media Centre: How Audiences are Shaping the Future of News and Information. Accessed, May 12, 2008, http://www.hypergene.net/wemedia/weblog.php
Elyse, I completely agree with what you have said. There is no denying that daily newspaper has declined over the past decades and with continual advancements in technology trends, it is suggested it will continue on this path. I don’t believe in its entirety however, that people are turning away form newspapers as a medium running directly to online sources. It’s vital we take into account that many people use these technologies in conjunction with each other.
It is interesting to note the relationship we share between ‘new’ and ‘old’ media. This relationship is “rarely linear, in either their patterns of use of their trajectories of development.” (Flew, 2005, XV). What the internet has done is presented varied ways of consumption. Many believe believed that television would bring the death of newspapers however, people continue to submerse themselves into the convergent world of technologies where they combine the media forms they have available. Terry Flew puts it quite aptly in his New Media book describing “ As convergence develops, the employment demand of new sand media outlets is increasingly for journalists who possess media multi-literacy’s and are able to develop stories in formats that include short online pieces, online video, television, broadcasts, edited stories, and longer feature articles” (Flew, 2005, p.88-89). The convergence of these new media technologies plays an important role in the continuing life of newspapers throughout society.
References:
Flew, T. 2005. New Media. 2nd edition. South Melbourne: Oxford.
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