As the world changes, so does journalism. Life becomes more convenient: we no longer need to leave the house to do groceries, we can order Swiss Chalet whenever the hell we want, we can hire someone to clean our homes and cut our grass and plow the snow out of our driveways.
With these changes comes the need to consume information differently. People are figuring out that with a few clicks of a mouse, they can have any kind of news they want, whenever they want: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. No longer do they need to go to the effort of subscribing to a magazine or paper, or picking one up from the store. They don’t need to wait until the news comes on on the radio. All people need to do is go to a news website and look at the headlines.
Some say that we are info-snackers; we consume information in the shortest, tiniest bits as possible. We don’t look too far into a story. We just get the basic facts and then move on to something else (Exact definition).
So how can print journalism survive in a world like this?
Even the Simpsons have picked up on the decreasing trend in newspaper use:
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=527_1205782611
So, we know that the Internet is beginning to take over where print is leaving off. Some newspapers even offer an electronic version of their paper on their website, for a small fee. And although print is nice for those who appreciate tradition, newer generations are much more technology-savvy and carry their laptops with them wherever they go. It is all about convenience.
With the advent of RSS feeds, I don’t think newspapers will survive more than 5 more years.
I’ve read this entry. Enjoyed the clip.
d.