Editor's Note: Since we last spoke about this issue, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer—the oldest paper in Washington state—announced it would be going online. The Detroit News and Free Press is also slated to become Internet bound. According to an article in Sunday's Telegraph, dozen's of papers will follow suit. By the way, this is a good research resource for many things. Use it!
Printed Papers: Stick to the Old Way
By Sarah and Dani
What goes on in the world today is valuable information that needs to be accessible for all. CAN THIS SENTENCE BE BETTER WRITTEN? By publishing the information on paper it is available to everyone who subscribes, as well as those who pass by newsstands. While publishing the paper on the internet is a great idea in theory, computers are expensive and not every family has enough money to purchase one. Printed papers are cheap and obtainable almost everywhere.
Printed news however must be upgraded. We need to make it more environmentally friendly. Printing every publication on recycled paper would cut back on the use of trees. Also all newspapers should advertise the fact that they are recyclable and encourage their readers to do so.
Some people have tried to address? the environmental issue by creating SMART Papers. SMART Papers are electronic “paper” that mimics the appearance of ink on paper. HARD TO FOLLOW. Papers would be uploaded daily to it and this “paper” can hold images and words without electricity. However, while this would cut back on paper production it would also keep people reliant on technology.
People today are glued to their computer chairs because of internet access. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE By publishing all news online we would be giving people more reasons to stay glued to their chairs for longer amounts of time during the day rather than be active. Our society also relies too much on the internet for simple things. We are getting away from actual material that you can touch and use whenever you need. By using resources other than internet you will not have to worry about the webpage going down or the computer freezing.
If our society continues to rely only on one type of device for information our upcoming generations would not be able to function if it were ever to fail. If the printing system was ever to falter, handwritten publications could also go out whereas the information on the internet would just remain unheard. Technology is so prominent in our lives that many people rely on GPS devices to get them to places that are not even that far away. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE By relying on that tool people have started to get lost without it. It is quite sad that most of the population needs technology to function properly in order to get through the day.
Even in schools now kids are starting to get away from the text books and novels by reading them online. They are also getting their information and sources for papers online as well. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE Everyone who has a computer has access to the internet and therefore has the ability to publish a website where they can post whatever information they feel needs to be displayed to the world; valid or not. Why would we want our future generations to base their opinions and learn from false information?
Overall the positives of printed news outweigh the negatives. Being able to publish information that is offered to all is more important than environmental issues at hand. While internet makes information accessibility more convenient, it is not the most reliable source and does not always function properly. Printed news has worked for centuries and it will continue to work for a long time.
Online: It saves trees homie
By Amy Cote and Joshua Ramos
The newspaper industry needs to hand the reins to the World Wide Web.
There are several reasons why we should stop printing the news and put it only online. Newspapers are bad for the environment, killing tons of trees every day. Going online is much easier than reading from bulky, awkward newspapers. News readers will also have more money in their pockets if they don’t have to buy newspapers. Also, companies that print newspapers could save themselves a lot of money and hassle. The online option should be the only option.
At the rate our country is going, trees have the potential to become a rare product. Americans who buy newspapers are contributors to the unnecessary death of trees. As humans, we need trees in order to breathe. The choice between killing off a vital resource and putting newspapers online should not be a difficult one. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE
Anyone who has picked up and opened a newspaper has probably noticed its awkward shape and size. They are bulky and annoying. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE Whoever originally designed the newspaper wasn’t thinking about the readers comfort in the process. People feel much more comfortable in front of the computer than they do trying to hold up and read a sheet of paper six times the size of their head. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE There’s no need to hassle a reader with bothersome newspapers when they could easily read the news with a few clicks of a mouse. Many elderly people are avid newspaper readers, but have brittle bones and weak muscles. It would be much easier for them to read the news on a computer. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE
Many people receive the news daily in the form of newsprint. This is a very costly industry, keeping in mind the costs for paper, printing presses, and salaries for the employees. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE Companies can save lots of money by going completely online, not having to pay for any of these previously mentioned items. Not having to purchase daily newspapers will save readers a lot of money. Newspapers make the majority of their revenue off of advertisements, not subscriptions. When the newsprint industry goes completely online, the companies will still be able to make their money off of advertisers. To print the New York Times (NYT) each year costs $230 million, according to HowStuffWorks.com. AT LAST, A FACT! BUT IS IT CREDIBLE? The labor for delievering the papers and working the machines takes a budget of about $414 million. If the company distributed the news electronically, it could save about a half a billion dollars each year. The money they would save would go toward other aspects of the economy and help those industries stay alive.
Putting the news on the internet is a better alternative to printing it everyday. It would save innumerable amounts of trees. The trouble of dealing with awkwardly-arranged newspapers would be eliminated. Websites are easy to navigate and make it much easier to find the information the reader is searching for. Having the news completely online would make it accessible anywhere in the world there is internet access. Consumers would be able to spend their money in other ways instead of subscribing to newspapers, as would the newspaper companies. In conclusion, the news should be printed online only.
Newspaper vs. Internet
By Joe Rausa and Sarah Swidler
Newspapers should decide to be paper based or online, not both. Papers that have both frequent print and online versions are only biting off their noses to spite their faces. The papers complain that online news is taking away from their profits, but having an online version of their own paper is distracting readers. Therefore, newspapers need to make a choice, which we believe should be online. Not only do online newspapers help the new fad? of saving the planet by cutting down on paper use but they allow for fast and easy access to readers to obtain the news they want.
As much as some of us do not want to admit it, computers and the internet have taken over everyday life. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE People no longer go to the library to find information. Why would they when they can stay at home and find everything they need to know with a few clicks of the mouse? With this being said it only makes sense for papers to follow the trend in order to find popularity, and transform their paper into an online resource.
The art of print may be how newspapers have always been handled, but that doesn’t mean it is how it should be. Times are changing and newspapers need to catch up. Not only are printing costs much higher than online, seeing as the company needs to pay for paper, ink, and printing machinery, but printing requires advertising. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE By switching to online news, papers do not need to rely on advertisements. Printed papers need ads to fill space, but if ads are not obtainable, online papers are still able to produce a respectable “paper”. With the current economic state we are in, fewer companies are spending their money by placing ads in newspapers. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE Eventually, newspapers will lose money by printing, due to a lack of advertising and the online industry will thrive.
Online print also allows for newspapers to cut back on the amount of printing ink which can be harmful to those that are allergic. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE This added to the already mentioned feature which saves paper, makes converting to online site a clear choice.
According to an article published on April 25, 2007 in Marketing VOX, an online voice of marketing, online newspapers are doing better than ever. The article stated that “Despite news that ad revenue is slowing down, the Newspaper Association of America reports that traffic to newspaper websites continues to grow.” The NAA also reported that, “59 million people visited newspaper websites in the first quarter of the year, up 5.3 percent over the same period in 2006. Page views are also up, from 2.7 billion in Q1 2006 to 3.1 billion in the first three months of 2007. Visitors spent an average of 45 minutes on a site, 11.5 percent more than last year.”
These numbers are an apparent representation of where journalism is headed in the world. These statistics prove that more and more people are turning to their computers for the news instead of picking up a local paper. It would be wise if print newspapers realized this and relocated their production to a mainly online source.
Newspapers such as the Christian Science Monitor are conducting their business in the most logical way. In 2009 the Monitor became the first nationally circulated newspaper to replace its daily print edition with its website. This 100-year-old news organization now offers subscribers weekly print and daily e-mail editions.
Without having a full print newspaper along with an online source the Monitor is one of the few papers that is using new technology and current trends to their advantage. Most newspapers should consider a mainly online product with the occasional print edition. THIS WAS NOT YOUR ORIGINAL POINT This will although for the art of print to stay alive without newspaper companies causing harm to their own business.
Internet is better
By Emily Sullivan and Michael Lang
There’s no doubt about it, this is an era dependent on the Internet. Old forms of entertainment such as the newspaper are nothing compared to the wonders the Internet provides. What reads like a newspaper, looks like a newspaper, but isn’t a newspaper? An online media source. These sources have everything a newspaper has and more. Newspapers are overall an inconvenience and it’s time the public switched to online media sources.
Newspapers used to be a vital information source, but with online media sources there is no need for newspapers. People do not want to wait a whole 24 hours before getting the news they need and depend on, when they can simply look it up online. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE Not only do people get their information faster with online news sources, but they are frequently updated during the day, and provide more up more current news. Also, with money being tight in households around the country today, no one is going to want to pay for their new, when it can be obtained for free. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE For a newspaper such as The Nashua Telegraph, a subscription deal they offer on their website, www.nashuatelegraph.com, costs $42.50 to receive a paper each day for 13 weeks. This is an outrageous price, when the public does not have to pay a single cent for their news online. Newspapers have to go.
An online media source is not only quick, but easier to use as well. Many people spend a lot of time searching aimlessly through newspaper pages looking for the stories and information they need. With online media sources, information is just a click away. A search engine is available for the user of the website. Simply type what you are looking for in the box provided and search matches will appear on the screen within seconds. Online archives also allow users to search for stories written months and even years prior. Finding this information using newspapers could take hours if not days.
The new “go green” fad is another factor contributing toward the use of online media sources. Newspapers kill trees to provide information to the public in a wasteful way. There is a more environmentally friendly way to distribute news, using the Internet. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE Most popular newspapers have an online version of their newspapers available anyway. Therefore, there is no need for a printed form.
Many argue that money is the reason why the switch to providing only online media sources will not be made. However, if the newspaper is not printed, journalists who write for the online version can be paid. Advertisements can also be put up on the newspaper web pages, just like in the printed form. If money is still remains issue, then the online newspaper can charge the public for access to their website. No money will be lost if printed newspapers are eliminated, if anything more money will be made.
The target audience on the Internet is larger, because younger generations are using the Internet more and more to obtain information. Rarely does a teenager go out and purchase a newspaper. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE Those who grow up with the Internet being a main source of information, will eventually replace the older generations who buy newspapers. It would be better for not only the public but the newspaper itself to switch to an only online version.
Printing newspapers is becoming more pointless each day. There is no need to do so when the public can get all their information from newspapers on the Internet. Newspapers are expensive, a hassle to read and obtain, and a waste of paper. There is no room for newspapers in this new age of Internet.
Newspapers are old news
By Tavia Rzasa and Jessica Williams
Making online news the primary source for readers who want up-to-date information is a step that needs to be taken. PASSIVE AND YUCK Currently, both online copies and newspaper prints are available to the public. Due to the online Web sites for newspapers, fewer people are reading the actual prints. In order to save money and even trees, the hard copy era needs to be ended.
Most newspapers now have versions available on the Internet, which has led to a decrease in paper sales. There is no need for both to be existence, especially because online versions of newspapers serve the same function of printed versions without killing trees. Some newspapers have avoided becoming online-only publications because they fear not making a profit. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE Companies may not want to advertise on Web sites because they are used to paying for a printed ad in a news publication. All of these problems have solutions that could benefit the newspapers and the readers.
At least 25 million trees are cut down each year and part of the problem is printing newspapers. According to bloggers from the news industry, it takes twelve fully grown trees to make one ton of newsprint, with more than 107 tons being used daily in the world. AND SOME PEOPLE SAY YOU SHOULD LIST YOUR SOURCES Most major towns and cities have daily papers that are printed out and distributed to the public. While these papers provide an important source of reliable news, more conservative means could be taken. The obvious and simple solution to this tree massacre is to eliminate the need for printed news. Internet versions are equally informative and accessible. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE
The battle for readers between printed newspapers and their Inter counterparts is costing both sides a fortune. Online sources do not seem to be making as much profit as printed papers, because as of now they are free to access. In order for these online news programs to make money, they could have people pay to read what they post. Certain newspapers could have their own Web sites, as most already do, and have people make their own accounts. These accounts could be created for a monthly fee, which allows the newspapers to have a reliable source of income. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE
The Internet also has the advantage of being globally accessible. Printed papers are normally only distributed locally. When a publication is on the web, people across the world can read it when they choose to subscribe. This could greatly increase the number of readers for any given paper, resulting in more income for the publication. The Internet is also a much faster way to get news to the public, rather than printing. Right as a story is developing, journalists can post the information onto the site rather than having to wait for the next morning paper. Getting news to readers quickly is a benefit because people often want to know the news as it’s happening. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE
When a paper has a large number of readers, businesses are more interested in advertising in that paper because their advertisement will reach more people. It will also be easier for news publications to keep count of how many readers they have because a visit count is easy to maintain on a Web site. This allows for more accurate statistics to be presented to companies interested in advertising.
Printed newspapers have lived a long and healthy life, but all good things must come to an end. People are becoming environmentally conscious, while also becoming accustomed to efficiency in their lives. The Internet is a resource the media must embrace and use to its full potential for the sake of the environment and the readers.
The Old Way Is Best
By Alex Kalogeropoulos and Chris Abele
The newspaper will forever be the most accurate and easiest way to get news. It is very simple to get the newspaper. If a person pays for a subscription, the newspaper is delivered to them every morning by a loyal paper courier. A person never has to worry about their power going out, their computer getting a virus, or their Internet not functioning. The paper is a physical source that can be held and kept. If an article interests a person, he or she can keep it forever, instead of it being lost in the big mess that is the Internet. Newspapers are just an all around better and more reliable source than the Internet.
The Internet is not up to par with the value of print. While spending 50 cents a day to read a newspapers might be much for some, it is much better than spending more on internet for news that might not be all to reliable. One argument might say that cutting down all the trees to make the newspapers is bad for our environment and that doing such activities will not be beneficial for us in the future. The thing is there are millions upon millions of trees in our society, all around the world. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE We should not be worrying about cutting down all the trees in our world because there s just so many of them.
Printing newspapers has been working for years and will continue to work for many more. We have plenty of oxygen in our world to sustain over 6 billion people so cutting down trees to be informed of local and worldwide events shouldn’t be a problem. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE Our future generations might have to worry about any kind of crisis but not us. We’re talking about today and now. Printing newspapers has not been a problem for people since they began writing articles in the first place so it should be kept that way. There might also be complaints about how some people have allergic reactions to newspapers. If that is the case then these people should stay away from them. People do have friends and family to keep them informed about the news as well.
We are not completely ruling out the fact that the Internet is a bad source because in some cases it can be quite reliable. If you’re looking for news-related articles than websites, CNN or Yahoo can keep you up to date on current events. However, the Internet is of course the Internet WTH? and everyday people such as ourselves have the ability to go on the internet and post whatever we please. People can flat out make a ridiculous website that may seem true but in all actuality, is quite false. Some people browsing the Internet could be mistaken and try to use a fake website as a reliable source.
With newspapers all around the world, it is almost always required to print the truth about what is going on. That of course is the sole purpose of a newspaper, to keep the reader informed about what is happening around us as well as the world itself. Now there are a lot of joke papers out there that should not be taken seriously as those are for comedic purposes only. Most people however can tell the difference between an actual paper and a paper with the words “Jesus Found in Local Shopping Mall,” in big bold letters. Most people like to be informed on issues, which is why they buy actual newspapers in the first place.
In a real newspaper, articles and columns are checked and edited over and over again before they are printed in a newspaper. This is to show the truth and actuality of the newspaper articles because legit newspapers wouldn’t print things that aren’t true unless there was some big mistake. That is why newspapers are so reliable and that is why we should continue to print newspapers. The Internet should still be used and should still be kept around for other purposes such as entertainment. However if you want to find out what is going on around in our world and our society, than the newspaper is the best source to find out that information.
On the Line, Online is the Way to Go
by Jake Nelson and Hannah Hodges
It is better for all people, at least for Americans, that the newspapers are only displayed online. It is clear that people depend on news, and all people should get an opportunity to see what’s going on in the world. For this to happen, especially in this economic recession, people are going to want to view their news online for a free or reduced price.
People, especially Americans, are too lazy to actually go outside and retrieve a newspaper. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE There’s no point in sending out a newspaper that most people are going to scan once then use as a bathroom for their pets. When most American people want to actually know about the news they go the easy way and either click on the TV or go online. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE So is there truly a point in keeping the newspapers going just to save the people in their business? Is there a point in newspaper journalists writing when there are hardly any people who read them anyway? Probably not.
The world is changing constantly. Technology advances and it is our job to adapt to the times. At this point the just about everybody uses the internet and those who don’t at least have friend who do and can keep them up to date. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE In simple words, the newspaper has, in this day and age, become obsolete.
America is going through an economic recession. The balance of the economy has been decreasing greatly in the past couple years and American people are desperately trying to find a way to save money. The easiest way to save money is to not buy a local newspaper. The newspaper is wasted money that is not worth using because news is everywhere. People are always hearing about global and local events even if they forget to read the newspaper. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE Whether it is in a magazine, on the television, or talking to a friend, news is always heard.
The newspaper also causes many environmental issues as well. Thousands of trees are cut down each day just so the newspaper can be printed. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE In the future, there may be a scarce amount t of trees and that would affect the life expectancy of people as well because without trees, there is less oxygen to breathe.
It is already statistically proven that more people read the paper from online sources than on an actual printed newspaper. In a survey by Alan Jacobsen, of Brass Tacks Design OF WHAT?, her survey said, “more than 25 percent of those who regularly read employment ads do so on the Web. This shows that already, it would be better for newspapers to have copy’s online because more of the information from there paper will be read by people.” ALAN’S GRAMMAR SUCKS, WHY SHOULD I TRUST HIM?
The advantages of online newspapers are infinite. Online papers are cheaper, better for the environment, and they get more readers. In this time period, to benefit American families, it would be smart to let go of your membership with your newspaper and start accessing your newspaper on the internet. There is nothing to lose, and so much to gain.
Keep On Printing
By Alden LeClair
Print journalism has been falling prey to the Internet newspapers for the past six years. It is time to bring back the printed word. Now, I am not saying end all online journalism, just bring back newspapers and make online journalism not as easily accessible. Do not give in to the onslaught of technology.
Newspapers have been around for a long time. The first papers surfaced in Ancient Rome in the form of community bulletins stating what was going on in the city. Newspapers fueled the American Revolution, spread the word Lincoln’s assassination, alerted everyone to the attack on Pearl Harbor, and exposed the Watergate scandal. Should we be so quick to let it go? Should we really abandon this media outlet that has been such a major part of history and stood the test of time?
Online newspapers may seem great. They are an economical way for the average person to get their news and it can be updated throughout the day for breaking news, but is it really worth it? People always complain about being scared of technology and Internet addictions. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE By making newspapers all online, we have added another place for online addicts to spend their time. Why should they take an hour to leave their computer to read the newspaper when they can just go to its website? This is part of the problem. We have become a society so reliant on computers and the Internet; we forget that we can’t find everything online. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE What is next? I’ve seen applications on iPhones where you can read entire books online. Are we to abandon everything that is not accessible by the touch of a button?
Now, there is no need to get rid of online news outlets entirely, but we should make it similar to subscribing to the newspaper. If people want to read the newspaper online, they should have to pay a weekly fee. This way newspapers are not competing between their online and print outlets. Some papers have already established this policy. On the website for the Wall Street Journal, you have to be a paying member to view the majority of articles and to use the features that come with the site. A policy of this nature would give life to the print forms of journalism. Newspapers could even charge more for their online version to encourage readers to subscribe to their print version delivered daily.
Print newspapers also provide jobs, many more than an online paper. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE A print paper has writers, editor, photographers, managers, newspaper deliverers, etc. If print journalism is ended, thousands if people will be out of their jobs. Some of the greatest writers and thinkers in journalism will have their talents wasted, all because we, as a society, decided to put yet another aspect of our life on the computer.
Print journalism is still alive. It has not completely been destroyed as many newspapers are in circulation and magazines do not seem to be going anywhere. A newspaper has a special feeling that you just can’t get from an online journal. It has that certain smell, look, a certain je ne sais quoi that makes it special. A newspaper can be a lasting memento. What would be more special? A grandfather showing his grandson a newspaper with the headline that we have elected the first black president of the United States of America seems more important than showing him an archive on a website. We have to keep it alive, subscribe to your local paper, use the classifieds, etc. We need to join together as a society to save print journalism.
Online vs Print; Which is the Future of News Delivery?
By Ben Dubray
These days, the only option left is for the publications of today to start going online. To slowly liquidize the actual printed papers and printing presses over a few years until they become just an online distributor, preferably while firing as few journalists as possible and still be able to turn a profit NOT A SENTENCE. It will be tough at first, but I believe that if all the publications do it at the same time everyone can profit.
What happens when the papers go online? What about the advertisers? What about the jobs? Will people still read them? Will they still be reliable news sources? Will they all survive the transition? The papers going online will better fit the way Americans live. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE Most of them would rather sit in their nice comfy houses than walk 50 feet to the end of their driveway just to get the morning news. And if they could get it free via the internet, viewer numbers would quickly multiply.
Keeping with a slow transition over the period of a few years, with plenty of warnings, the publications would lose less of their older readers. Unfortunately some loss is inevitable because of the percentage of older people who don’t understand (and some who refuse to even try) the workings of the internet. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE The papers going online would also slow the destruction of the forests, since the printed news consumes quite a few trees. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE It would probably drop the price of paper to the point where our schools could afford it again and continue to teach our children. The price of printing ink might even drop because of supply and demand.
If all the papers go at once, and can keep their advertisers, the only people who would lose jobs are the unskilled workers in the printing presses. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE No matter the medium, trustworthy reporters will always be needed to find facts and then check them. The only thing to worry about is how many reporters will lose their jobs. Not all will.
Since it would be the already trusted publications moving all of their distribution to the internet, the sources would be the same, the leadership would be the same, and it would be no different than reading the same newspaper on the web. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE Not all of the publications will make the transition smoothly though. Some will lose some money and be forced to cut the budget, and some will be unable to adapt and go under. All those that survive, however, will find themselves flourishing.
Online versus print, modern versus tradition. As has been the trend since the beginning, the newer idea is the better one. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE Everything changes, usually for the better, and after the initial change improvements are made, and the changing continues. So, what might seem like a huge undertaking and a frightening risk is actually a huge undertaking and a wonderful opportunity. If we stick it out and everyone does his/her part and all of the publications start at once and finish together this will work and be quite an improvement overall, in the environment, the social climate, and in information trafficking.
Papers: print or internet
by Dan Burk and Katherine Weeks
People should buy newspapers in the forum of print or should at least pay a small membership fee to access the same information online. The information is information. No matter how you word it, it’s still going to be same as in the newspapers. The newspaper isn’t going to flash, make little beepy-noises when you go to another page, like a computer. The only difference between a newspaper and computer is that right now the computer is free and the newspaper is a small fee that is keeping the hardworking journalists employed.
Over the course of the past 20-years, the American legacy of the newspaper has been on a steady decline plummeting to zero, due to the ever so popular internet. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE Getting the newspaper used to signify the starting of a new day, the paperboys waking up extremely early to deliver you the hottest, newest news through the snow, sleet, rain or shine. But now people have become lazy and stingy. Instead of paying the traditional 50 cents for a paper, people have been turning to the internet for their information, by using the ever so common online news sites that are appearing from almost every newspaper.
Some of the information online isn’t as accurate? as information in the newspapers. The journalists, who write the articles online, don’t get paid at all because there is no income from the sales of their articles or the advertisements located throughout the paper. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE The information becomes sloppy because they don’t have to worry about losing their jobs. So now all the new journalists “working” for the online paper can twist articles around to show the bias because there is no editor to stop them. Also the chances of the article getting fact checked as thoroughly, is going to drop drastically, because there isn’t going to be any repercussions for wrong information. Journalism will become sloppy, and very unreliable.
If you are one of the people that believe strongly in recycling and save the planet, then you can simply recycle the paper after you read it. That way the paper will be reused for many other uses, and the environment will stay populated with trees. All the old newspaper will then become new newspapers. Also, recycling the old newspapers will save up to 64 percent of the energy it would take to create the new newspaper. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE
If you strongly disagree with the printing of newspapers, then an online version would also be available. But here’s the catch, you would have to pay a small fee of receiving the information online. The fee of the membership would be decided by the online newspaper. Although using the computer to receive your information is more environmentally friendly, free online journalism would cause problems because there will be no repercussions if the information is wrong. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE Also if your computer crashes you won’t be able to receive your news as you would if you had a newspaper delivered to your house every morning.
There are many more connivances of a newspaper for example they are easier to take with you when traveling or on your way to work. True you could just use your laptop in the car or where ever you are going, but laptops are easier to loose or have stolen. Is it really that much of a tragic loss if a 50 cent newspaper magically goes missing on your way to work? Having a newspaper would also be easier when you see an article that you really want to keep or use for later purposes or projects.
To keep the legacy of the newspaper alive, the printing of them should be continued and or online journalists should be charged a small membership fee. Newspapers are easier to obtain and carry around; they have a low cost, environmentally helpful when you recycle them, newspapers are just plain easier.
Newspapers: Is the Web Worse?
By Alissa Crist
With each passing year, as newspapers lose daily circulation, many have begun the transition to online publications. Those still stubbornly residing in the realm of printed news should cut their losses and follow their example.
The benefits of making the stride toward complete online distribution overwhelm those of printed news. As our nation’s economy spirals downward, more businesses have cut back on advertisement. Newspapers’ revenue has taken a significant cut due to the many businesses that cannot afford print SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE advertising. According to Gaebler Ventures, some bigger-name papers can price up to $10,000 for a half-page advertisement. In a local paper, you’d pay an average of $1,000 for a full-page ad. Advertising online, businesses will find themselves paying far less. I-advertising.com WHAT IS THIS? says that “there is no ‘average rate’ for advertising online. There is what you are willing to pay and what you are not willing to pay as an advertiser to reach the audience you need to reach and to generate the results you need to generate.” Online advertisement can be as costly or as cheap as it needs to be for the audience you’re attempting to target. The New York Times has what is called Self-Service Online Advertising, which allows businesses and individuals to create or post their own ad for a price that fits their specific budget.
Subscription revenue does not have to be lost in the switch to online publication. Publishers could create a system in which access to the full text is limited to non-subscribers. Readers could then procure an online subscription in order to read the same stories they would be reading in print. Some of the paper’s audience would be lost, due partially to the fact that the generation who grew up reading it is now dying and are without computers. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE But the growing generation spends more of their time on the internet and less time reading newspapers. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE Few people these days can take the time to sit down and read the paper, and putting it online would be a convenient solution for the younger generations.
The transition from print would cost some people their jobs – your average newspaper boy and the press guys printing the papers each day would be out of a job. Despite this, the changeover would also open new doors and new jobs for Web designers and site maintenance technicians. Through this, the most important people involved with the newspaper, the editors and the journalists, would still retain their positions. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE, CUZ IT’S NOT NECESSARILY TRUE
With the thousands of newspapers being printed across the country each day, there is a considerable amount of paper being used. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE There is no doubt that this is both incredibly costly and harmful to the environment. It can be assumed that the majority of the budget a newspaper spends is on the ink and paper that goes into a publication. According to Marshall Brain WHO IS THIS GUY?, the New York Times spends approximately $664 million a year between the raw materials that go into printing the paper and the labor it takes to print and deliver the news. If every newspaper were to make the transition from print to online publications, not only would the newspaper be saving a large sum of money, but they’d be saving many trees in the process.
When thinking about making the transition from printed news to an online publication, a newspaper must take into consideration both the benefits of the switch and the needs of their new target audience. As their original audience passes on and the new generation becomes increasingly involved and enraptured by technology, an online publication would be a more realistic way to spread the news. Not only would it be a more convenient method of mass communication, but it would be of great benefit to both the environment and their wallet.
Online news is the way to go
By DonaldK
By putting news on the internet, it will reach out to more people and be much cheaper than regular print newspapers.
That is because some people prefer to have an easy way to access the news source. Some people do not have the time to go to the grocery store or newsstand to purchase their newspaper. Yes, some people do get their newspaper delivered to their house, but that costs money. By having newspapers converting to the internet, both the journalists and the consumers win.
The newspapers can set up Web sites, some have already, and still have advertisers to make profits. For example Facebook.com and MySpace.com are free for people to use, and the managers of that site are making obscene amounts of money from the profits brought in by advertisers. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE A huge amount of Web sites are currently making their money by the advertisers. Granted the online news site will not bring in more advertisers, but they can also have online subscribers.
Having online subscribers would bring in more money, but the downfall is that since the economy is down, people will be extremely reluctant to pay for a subscription. Some people will most likely give up on news just to save money. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE Having to pay to see the newspaper online will scare away some people. But, the benefit of having a paying subscription is that if enough people subscribe, the newspaper will become extremely profitable. However, a better idea would be that part of the newspaper online would be free, but to see the rest, you would have to pay for the subscription. That is what is done on LiveJournal.com; you can operate some of the features for free, but for more options, you have to pay.
The online newspapers are able to reach a great number of people. For instance, online news sources are able to report about massive disasters minutes after they happens. Print newspapers come out with the news once a day; online readers will be able read about world events minutes after it is reported. The readers will be updated faster and not have to wait until the next day to read about yesterday. They will get today’s news today. Online newspaper pictures are also in better quality, so it helps with the effect of the stories. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE
The other benefits of having paperless news sources are that it will be saving a great deal of trees, and help with saving the forests. According to paper manufacturer Boise Cascade, “a cord of wood (wood stacked 4 feet by 4 feet by 8 feet) produces nearly 90,000 sheets of paper or 2,700 copies of a 35-page newspaper.” Trees are being wasted in newspapers because quite a bit of people just throw the newspapers out, however some do recycle. Print newspapers are sometimes made from recycled paper though.
Another reason why print newspapers are detrimental to nature is because of how the paper is made. Paper mills are one of the leading causes of pollution in the rivers that are next to the paper mills. According to the Clean Water Action Council of Northeastern Wisconsin Inc. the paper industry has been a major source of accumulated toxic chemicals in several rivers in Wisconsin, most notably of PCBs to the Fox River and Green Bay system in Northeast Wisconsin. It’s dangerous. They also state that the paper industry is a major source of toxic chemical pollution in Wisconsin. By using the online sources, it will cut down on the paper mill pollution.
Future of the news – Paper or Internet?
By Christopher Gourgouras
News writing should remain balanced between Internet and print. This is because if one side dominates the market they will also have control over pricing and what gets written. If an even balance is kept than there will be competitive prices and more interesting stories from both sides.
Right now print news isn’t doing too well due to the fact that the economy is bad. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE Fewer companies are paying to advertise in the paper because of sites like craigslist that make advertising free, and other companies just can’t afford to hire. The newspapers are also having subscriber problems because not as many people are reading the newspaper daily anymore and those who do are discovering you can get the same information for free online. What newspapers need to do to fix this is give consumers a reason to subscribe such as subscriber benefits such as more coupons or a yearly/monthly subscriber event such as a raffle. A lot of people buy the Sunday paper because it has a coupon section. GOOD POINT
Print news also has to cut back on costs, this is because paper costs a lot of money. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE If they found a way to recycle old newspapers and create new ones they could make more money and spend less. They also need to lower advertising prices so more companies will see newspapers as an affordable method of getting the word out about their business.
Online news will do fine unless the Internet goes down for more than a month around the world. This is because online news sites do not need subscribers; they are paid for by ad companies who put ads on their sites such as Google. SOME STATISTICS AND FACTS WOULD HELP HERE They have a large supply of talented writers from around the world as well and many write for free on these sites.
As long as a balance is kept the news industry will do fine. Competition is good for this type of industry and without it the news would be boring.