Our market place today primarily focuses on making a profit. What happens when this becomes applicable to newspapers and television stations? They begin downsizing. People are forced to do more with less. The quality of the news goes down because they start covering news stories that have no significance in anyone’s life, but are entertaining and help with the ratings. The public is not as informed as they should be. People aren’t making well thought out decisions. If this continues and begins to escalate, no one will but a very few people will know what is going on in the United States or the world. Our democracy becomes jeopardized.
So with the people already established in the news industry being let go, what are the future journalists supposed to do? How are we supposed to find a job? How are we supposed to compete with the new technology. Craig’s list wiped out the main source of funding for newspapers. The internet has caused the number of newspapers being bought to drop. Why would people want to pay for a newspaper when you can access it and more articles, pictures, and videos online for free? How are we supposed to survive what seems to be a dying industry?
We adapt. There will always be a need for news. The only difference will be in the model of getting it. I can not simple be a reporter. I must learn everything. I must be a photographer, camerawoman, editor, and news writer. I must learn all the different computer programs and produce a product that is informative, pertinent, and entertaining. I don’t believe newspapers will die out completely. Some people like to have something tangible they can carry around with them. However, I believe it will eventually shift to mostly being on online or a digital product.
A company called E-Ink is working on electronic paper display products. “Products made with E Ink’s revolutionary electronic ink possess a paper-like high contrast appearance, ultra-low power consumption, and a thin light form.” I think this is one possibility for the future of newspapers. Change of this nature may sound a bit frightening, but it is also very exciting. It opens doors for new opportunities and possibilities. I would love to have one thin hand held screen that is multi-functional. I can click on different pages without getting ink on my hands. Billions of trees would be saved. Flashing pictures and video streams could be played. I could highlight and bookmark pages I want to come back to. When I am finished reading the paper, I could go back to reading a fun novel or listen to music. The new technology is fascinating. I can see the future of the industry heading this way.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment