The Internet and Newspapers: Is there a symbiotic relationship?

Times are changing and so have the technological advancements that have occurred in the last century – however, nobody has discussed the way technology has changed the newspaper industry and itself as a medium. We are blessed with a wealth of news sources on the Internet to choose from, we have become less reliant on traditional printed newspaper as the main source for information about the world or our country. For both better or worse reasons, the internet has dramatically changed the way newspapers are read and run. In this blog, I will be discussing the benefits and consequences of the internet on the newspaper industry.

1. Declining Readership:
   According to the Pew Research Center’s “State of the News Media” report, both the number of newspapers and the number of adults reading them have declined since 1999! Sadly, this decline is true no matter what race, income level or education. Yet, there have been an incline of about 17% for online news sites since 2011 – so, in a way, the internet has helped newspapers branch out to a larger audience despite the decline of printed newspapers being read.
   
2. Cost Cutting:
   Just like with any business, newspapers also have to be careful about their finances and budgeting. When income declines, expenses have to be cut. Sadly, the first thing to cut off, are its workers – as such, layoffs or forced retirements occur. According to the 2010 census conducted from the American Society of News Editors, the number of jobs have declined at around 27%!
   
3. Changes in News Publishing Formats:
   As mentioned in our textbook, numerous newspaper corporations and companies are having to change the format and reinvented as people come to realize that they can provide the news about the environment they live in. Another response that newspapers are now doing is sharing information as its currently happening via social media. There are now more platforms than ever for newspapers to reach out to readers utilizing things such as: Twitter, Snapchat, and Facebook. This also changes the dynamic between readers and the newspaper companies because it allows its readers to respond to their work; whether that be criticizing, analyzing, accepting, or sharing it with fellow friends and family.
   
   4. Credibility
   The credibility of numerous news source are always at the brink of being called out due to the “fake news” movement. This, being an unfortunate time for journalists and reporters alike, has challenged the industry via online and on paper. However, a positive outcome of this, is that reporters have all gathered together to support one another during this hardship in their career. Not only pushing forth the right of the first amendment, but also the power of information and the belief to share that forward to society.

Surprisingly, I receive my newspaper readings via email – both because it is cheaper to receive them that way, but also because I want to save the environment by not throwing out paper. I like to receive my newspapers from various sources, such as: Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Boston Globe. I personally do not want to only stick with one located paper because they could have different viewpoints of the same story.

Sources:

“State of the News Media.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, 9 July 2019, http://www.pewresearch.org/topics/state-of-the-news-media/.

“Resources.” ASNE Resources, members.newsleaders.org/resources.

Baran, Stanley J. Introduction to Mass Communication: Media Literacy and Culture. McGraw-Hill Education, 2019.