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Newspapers are a dying medium
With the rise in internet and demand of search engines mainly through Google and Yahoo, the reading habit of users is changed. Instead of just reading newspaper in hand, readers show more interest in reading online blogs, different writers of their choice, online newspaper or search current affairs via search engines. (Flavián, p. 231) Even though, newspaper is still a widely sold, out news resource today but the sales have considerably declined, and the trend is that sales will continue to further drop. The newspaper industry has lately faced declining newspaper prices, loss of advertising by advertisers, slouching trend of ad sales and drop in circulation of the newspaper due to reducing customers. In USA, the newspaper companies have reported closures, filed for bankruptcy or job cutbacks. Since internet is an excellent news resource, the revenue of the newspaper industry has declined drastically. It is important to note that newspaper is still considered the best reading medium in many countries like China, India, etc. where the sales have risen lately. Even though, the newspaper is considered to be a dying medium, the point remains there is still need for political news awareness, new employment opportunity information and entertaining ourselves. This is accomplished with alternative resources.
Alternative Resources to the print newspaper
Online Newspaper
Online newspaper is readily available for its readers. It may be available as print newspaper online copy or a publication of its own. When the newspaper companies went online, it created many opportunities for them as compared to traditional newspaper medium. Such as competition with the other online journalism in using news breakers and presenting and the most updated current news. Many print newspapers then utilized their brand recognition and integrity in the industry and the strong relationships they held with various private and government advertising agencies to support their survival in online newspaper. The shift from the print newspaper to online newspaper reduced cost and has created better job opportunities online along with implementing the concept of freelance writers and bloggers. This facilitated the employees to work from home without any fixed working hours and earn a reasonable amount of money. (Kirkland, p.1)
Another difference between print and online newspaper which makes it possible for online newspaper to excel is that it provides easy 24 hour access to its users and keep the readers updated with all the current updates in the world especially current affairs and stock market. On the other hand, print newspaper has timings of publication and then all the current affairs will be published in the next day or late evening newspaper. With online newspaper, the reader stays more updated and well-informed. (Kirkland, p.1)
Social Media
With rising internet usage, the use of social media has increased. Companies now utilize the medium of social media for newsfeeds, latest product updates and also current affairs, blogs, social networks, etc. With the general public gaining access to internet and mobile computers in smartphones, the use of social media has increased and the readers who previously gained information from reading newspaper by sitting in one corner, can now access news across the world on their smartphones and tablets. With the help of this news medium, not only can readers read news instantly but also interact with different people and share their comments, suggestions and thoughts on the current news. Hence, it can be easily said that social media has increased the interactive capability of its users as compared to newspaper. With the help of social media, different mobile and internet applications are developed which are considered highly interactive platforms for both customers and companies. (Newman 1, p.2)
Since the declining prices of newspaper and journalist lay-off, journalists are taking making greater use of Twitter to use as an instant news medium and source to make updates and reflect their thought. This way the readers gain an opportunity to comment and express their thoughts and concerns too. It becomes a two-way interactive medium, rather than a simple page like print newspaper where readers can only read the news. (Newman, p.14)
Another difference between social media and print newspaper is the rate of recurrence of both news medium. Social media become flashy, more attractive for the readers, and they can avail more than just reading services as compared to print newspapers where they can only read their favorite news. Since news, current affairs and many other topics of news are readily available on social media, reader trend has drastically shifted now from reading print newspapers towards social media.
Television
Even though, television is older news medium as compared to social media and online newspaper but still an extremely attractive one. First and foremost, with rising awareness the number of TV channels has increased with attractive commercials and more glam light. The visual presentation and eye catching concept leaves a greater impact on the memory of an individual who watches news on television than reading newspaper. Watching news on television, is a lot easier for people to comprehend and remember as compared to reading
newspaper. For people who are not good with reading and consider it to be a very serious medium of information, television becomes an excellent alternative resource to switch too, and many has switched to it. Lastly, television news now acts like social media as well because mostly after 30 minutes the breaking news is available, and the user can stay updated with the latest news all across the world. (David, p.3)
Radio
There are many people who are good listeners, and they prefer radio be a medium to listen to the latest news where the updates are available like television after every 30 minutes. These people prefer listening over serious reading and avoid the usage and purchase of the newspaper, rather listen radio for free.
Conclusion
With the rise in internet and demand of search engines mainly through Google and Yahoo, the reading habit of users is changed. Instead of just reading newspaper in hand, readers show more interest in reading online blogs, different writers of their choice, online newspaper or search current affairs via search engines. Even though, newspaper is still a widely sold, out news resource today but the sales have considerably declined, and the trend is that sales will continue to further drop. The newspaper industry has lately faced declining newspaper prices, loss of advertising by advertisers, slouching trend of ad sales and drop in circulation of the newspaper due to reducing customers. Online newspaper is readily available for its readers. It may be available as print newspaper online copy or a publication of its own. When the newspaper companies went online, it created many opportunities for them as compared to traditional newspaper medium. Even though, television is older news medium as compared to social media and online newspaper but still an extremely attractive one.
Works Cited
David Waring and Marc Prosser “Radio, Television, and Newspaper Advertising”
Creative Commons, p.3
Flavián, C. & Gurrea, R. “The choice of digital newspapers: influence of reader goals
and user experience “Internet Research, 16, 3, pp. 231
Nic Newman “Mainstream media and the distribution of news in the age of social discovery” (September 2011), Reuters Institute for Study of Journalism, p.14 https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/Mainstream%20media%20and%20the%20distribution%20of%20news%20in%20the%20age%20of%20social%20discovery.pdf
Nic Newman 1 “Social Media in the Changing Ecology of News: The Fourth and Fifth Estates in Britain” Reuters Institute for Study of Journalism, International Journal Internet Science, p.2, http://www.ijis.net/ijis7_1/ijis7_1_newman_et_al.pdf
Sam Kirkland “Social media networks -Newspaper PDF replica service bets on future of print-style digital reading (Jan 14, 2014), p.1 http://www.poynter.org/latest-news/top-stories/235223/newspaper-pdf-replica-service-bets-on-future-of-print-style-digital-reading/
