And here’s more fodder for the “newspapers suck” conversation …
Guerrilla journalist and rogue columnist Jon Talton shares his 2 cents on the demise of the newspaper industry at
http://roguecolumnist.typepad.com/rogue_columnist/2008/01/whats-really-wr.html
Talton argues that discussions surrounding this topic fail “to focus on the more significant reasons behind the decline in journalism,” which include:
- Creation of monopoly markets and cartels of newspaper ownership
- Consolidation of newspapers into large, publicly held companies
- Reduction in investment in the unique intellectual capital of newspapers: journalism
- Emergence of a conformist agenda
- Collapse of leadership
- Collapse of an unsustainable business model
Talton concludes, “Now the tailspin continues, and the damage to our democracy is hard to overstate. … It almost might make the conspiracy minded think there was a grand plan to keep us dumb.”
[Although the context is different, I couldn’t help but think of Neil Postman…]
Do you agree with Talton’s argument that these bottom-line issues are really why newspapers face so many problems these days? And do you agree with Talton that “the damage to our democracy” because of the weakening newspaper industry “is hard to overstate”?
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4 comments:
I think the biggest downfall to newspapers that circulate via newstands is that they have to face competition with the Internet. The Internet has newspapers online, but it also has e-mail, games and other distractions that draw attention away from newspapers. The Internet seems to be the most used form to receive information.
Posted By
Jessica Brown
While all of Talton's theories explaining the downfall of newspapers and print journalism are definitely plausible, he failed to focus on the undeniable role the Internet has played in the reduction of newspaper reading. Now, more than ever, human beings live and love to be instantly gratified--a feeling the Internet can effortlessly provide, especially when it comes to delivering the news. Personally, this worries me for a number of reasons, but primarily because:
A] I've always wanted to pursue a career in print journalism, which is becoming a extinct career and
B] I love the nostalgia associated with holding a newspaper, which sounds sappy and drastic, but I don't feel I'm alone in this feeling. I just feel that news delivered over the Internet is completely impersonal, despite its efficiency.
The Internet, combined with the aforementioned reasons given by Jon Talton, would all explain the declining popularity of newspapers, which is a shame. I'd like to say that I'm hopeful for a comeback in newspaper popularity, I can only foresee extinction. Obviously, not soon, but certainly at a much more rapid pace than many are comfortable with.
-Danielle Pollack
Mass Communications 101
I think that the newspapers are out dated and have so much competition like internet email and tv. i cant even think of the lastime i seen someone buy a newspaper or even seen anyone with one. i believe that today in the world people get more of their information off the internet or off tv. everything anyone needs is on the internet so why go pay money for something you can get for free.
me personally, I think that news papers lack whats important. when I look at a news paper most of the time I see what should have been on the first page on the third or forth page. Also, the internet seems to be taking over now days getting first hand news right away and it being posted. I don't know too many people who still even read it or let alone subscribe to it. sorry to say that the internet is being more useful day by day.
-J.payne
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