The Decline of the Newspaper?
The newspaper; there’s something sophisticated and refined in scrolling through a volume of thin, gray newsprint. Though years ago this form of media may have been highly popular and informative, the 21st century, it seems, has other plans in store. From its earliest origins in ancient China, to modern issues featuring Paris Hilton on a daily basis, the newspaper has evolved into a useful tool in finding the news of the day, and yet, its future is also in question.
One of the biggest threats to the future of the American newspaper was the advent of the computer. With access to news AND internet chess just a click away, many are now resorting to online sources to get their information, whether it be an online newspaper, or otherwise. Free of charge, a their fingertips, is a newspaper in a more agreeable format.
The growing distrust of the sensationalism of the media may be another attributing factor to the declining newspaper industry. Sensationalism, however, is nothing new to the profession. It can be both entertaining, and/or a stretch on the truth. Yellow Journalism in the 1890’s led to American involvement in the Spanish-American War. Because of the spin that Joseph Pulitzer and Randolph Hearst placed on their material, the public was perhaps led to believe that the situation in Cuba was worse than it really was. Similarly, the attention placed on today’s pop-culture icons draws both appeal and discouragement in the public eye.
The newspaper itself may never really die out as a form of media, but the prospect of it declining is certainly possible, and also unfortunate. The American newspaper today is not the same as it was during its advent, though whether or not it still functions as a tool worthy of keeping around is something only the readers can decide.
