Posted on 03/31/2010 7:11:47 AM PDT by KippLanham
It is well known that the newspaper industry is struggling. Subscriptions are down and advertising revenue has decreased drastically while at the same time the costs of maintaining a news organization have continued to increase.
A major player in the collapse of the traditional newspaper is the Internet. In December of 2008, the Pew Research Center for People and the Press published a study showing that the Internet had overtaken newspapers as a news outlet. At the time, 40% of those surveyed said they received most of their news about national and international issues from the Internet — a substantial increase from 24% in September 2007. Importantly, this was the first time a Pew survey found that more people relied more on the Internet for news than on newspapers.
The Internet’s rise as a purveyor of news came about because it increased the amount of information available and gives users the ability to learn about breaking news when it happens, without having to wait for the morning paper. Sites like the Huffington Post and the Drudge Report are two of the most trafficked sites on the Internet today because they provide the latest news — ahead of the traditional news cycle.
In short, the Internet provides more content than traditional media, and provides it faster than traditional media. The trick for newspapers and other traditional media outlets now is to find a way to effectively harness the power yielded by the Internet and direct media to bring back older readers and amass a strong following of readers from younger generations who spend a majority of their time online.
(Excerpt) Read more at pajamasmedia.com ...
There has been and will be a need for two things:
1. Content creators. Someone has to “be there” with the mic or camera, write the story, and provide background and context.
2. Content delivery channels. Print, voice, video, or all of the above. The internet is rapidly expanding in this role but that’s not to say it eliminates all others.
Smart business people will evolved as content creators or deliverers. A few will be able to do both, but probably not in the same way as they’ve done it in the past. And if the money is not in delivery, well that leaves one other choice.
Yes, but can the liberal newspapers present news without their usual bias?
Shhhhh...
The LAST thing we want is for the “tradition” aka Left-wing, drive-by media to survive, much less thrive.
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