Posted on 03/14/2005 8:50:10 AM PST by Coastal
At the rate newspapers are losing circulation, the last reader is expected to croak in 2040.
In April to be exact.
Philip Meyer, author of The Vanishing Newspaper: Saving Journalism in the Information Age made that grim prognostication on Wednesday, during a live webcast about our impending extinction. Since I myself will be dead or defunct by 2040, it's not really my problem — unless I am still trying to collect my Star denture benefits.
Don't misunderstand: People will still be talking, online or on whatever new forms of communication will arise. The question is, what will be the quality of the information they receive?
All Whacko Jacko coverage and partisan rants, as we see on TV newscasts? Or will newspapers turn around the Titanic to continue producing original and credible reportage on events and issues critical to an informed citizenry in a democracy?
These were among the themes discussed during the webcast hosted by The Media Center at The American Press Institute, a non-profit think-tank.
The panel, archived at http://www.mediacenter.org, brought together five media visionaries who, along with moderator Jeff Jarvis, made it clear that the industry is at a crossroads. "We're running out of time here," warned Tim Porter of Tomorrow's Workforce, a newsroom development project.
Trouble is, he added, newspapers "really don't know how to change."
(Excerpt) Read more at thestar.com ...
Does he know how I'm going to die?
Sunday morning I read news that I read Saturday early evening on the internet. The wife gets the paper for the coupons. We bought Sunday only paper and the Columbus Dispatch (Ohio's Greatest Home Newspaper, BTW...) gives us Saturday for free. On occasion they will have another promo where we also get the rest of the week for free for a period of time. The weekday papers usually go straight to the recycle bin.
Let's think about this. I want to know what's going in the world. I can
a) grab a newspaper (updated every 24 hours)
b) turn on the TV (news updates every half hour)
c) log on to the internet (updated continuously)
Newspapers are the latter put in the mail in the age of cell phones, emails and instant messaging.
I hate getting all of that newpspaer ink on my hands...one of many reasons why I don't read them.
The ink is made from soybeans. Its good for you.
The trouble is they don't want to get rid of their barf-inducing liberal content. If they would go back to some semblance of reality, they could at least hold onto their present readers if not gain new ones. There are only so many Birkenstock-wearing, latte-sipping, hirsute readers to go around. If they keep trying to tailor the news to them and them only, they will continue to spiral downhill.
Better than the tripe that the usual ass-clown journalist is capable of today.
Were it not for crosswords, I'd never touch a paper.
If I could ever get my paper delivered on time I would renew my subscription. However, these idiots that deliver the paper in my town can't grasp the same concept that a twelve year old can master.
It's been about 10 years since I bought a paper with any regularity. I get my news from FR. I see stuff on FR 3-7 days before it gets into the papers. Why bother?
My wife and I finally admitted that we spend $1.50 for a Sunday crossword puzzle and Jumble.
You'll be bored to death reading Doonesbury and recycled shortened news stories you could have read on the web three days earlier. A Molly Ivins opinion piece will finally cause the coronary. Good thing I stopped reading newspapers.
Tired of crosswords long ago.
Cryptoquotes, better at puzzles than typing, sorry.
If you can be bothered to cut out the coupons, you can recoup your $1.50 and some.
Since my accident, I can't write, so I work the crossword first in my head and my wife works it with a pen and I give her clues when she gets stumped.
That's a marvelous compromise.
Is there some newspaper somewhere that's doing that?
Oh, I just noticed this is a Zerbisias tantrum. Where's the BARF alert?
I do not enjoy reading articles on a computer screen, besides, in my favorite chair, I would have to use my laptop, and that would be even less pleasant....also, my dog really looks forward to getting me the paper in the morning.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.