The future of newspapers
February 1, 2007 by Taylor Willingham
Perhaps because I am still considering the loss of Cole Campbell, a visionary civic journalist, Dean of the School of Journalism at the University of Nevada and an extraordinary human being…perhaps it is because earlier this week I spent six hours developing a citizen journalism program at my kitchen table with Marla Crockett, veteran public radio news director…
In any event, I was drawn to this article speculating the future of newspapers and television by Bob Daley (Kettering Foundation) in his weekly Friday Letter from Home. Over lunch, Bob and Idit Manosevitch, a Foundation “ABD - all but dissertation” posed the question to an editorial writer for the Dayton Daily News, “What will newspapers and television look like in the next several years?” The following were his thoughts:
- Everybody is going to be smaller.
- Everybody is going to be way more local, if not totally local.
- National and international news and opinion will either disappear or be so reduced in emphases that it won’t matter much.
- Newspapers and local stations will start to become much better guides to the Internet than they are now.
- Newspapers and local stations will continue to be — in print, on the air and online — the most trusted and most used sources of much local news.
- And both will continue to be the providers of certain local advertising that won’t work well on the web — timely, full-color, newspaper — size display ads.
- Newspapers will continue to be a remarkably cheaper alternative to the Post Office for delibery of certain stand-alone advertising products like coupons and circulars.
- And, finally, local editorial writers and editors will continue to be a — if not the — most valuable source for political information, informed judgment, and relevant local opinion — but only if they stay ahead of the changes going on right now.
- You will all be married to the Internet. You will all be bloggers. And you will also continue to provide information in print and through broadcasts.
“Even if you believe only half of what I’ve just said, you’re looking at an uncertain and changing future,” he continued.
SO…Do you agree? What are the implications for us as news consumers? What is the role of citizen journalists? What role do public forums have in this potential future?
Taylor, I agree with some, not all. The local perspective and the demand for local news and information will grow in importance. “Most trusted,” worries me, having to read the racist, right wing editorials in our own local daily newspaper (I’m exaggerating slightly, but only slightly).
Intersting thoughts, Taylor. I don’t believe, however, that educated people who want to be informed will allow newspapers to ditch their national and international coverage. There’s just too much important stuff going on. Besides, many of us have a personal stake in other countries. Businesses are connected globally. Parents send their kids off on educational and recreational adventures around the world. Immigrant communities crave news from home. So while local media preach hyper-local, I think they’ll find that alone won’t satisfy their loyal readers.
Neat post. Thanks, Taylor.
I think the success of online resources displacing print media will depend, in large part, on the ability of informal online sources to develop trust. I think that one of the major things that reporters have that the average blogger does not, is an established network, and the trust it confers.
I think that, eventually, much international news will come from international bloggers. It’s not much of a phenomenon right now, but in many other countries, computer penetration is still low.
One other interesting development will be digital paper (google “Librie” or “Anoto” for just a couple of many examples)
Our current media are just methods of distributing information, and put many town criers out of work, based on their increased effectiveness and efficiency… and ability to demonstrate trustworthiness.
My favorite next revolutions will be like Google, helping us find ways of culling what is important to us from the fray.
I agree that newspapers will change and become far more multi media. But I think people will continue to look to newspapers for national and international news. Will they turn to local newspapers? Not sure. But the fact is that newspapers like the NY Times and news outlets like CNN are among the most frequently visited sites on the Internet. What I’m concerned about is that people will read just items of interest in digital formats and not look at the broader picture of what is happening either in their local community or on the national or international scene.
Newspapers will have to capitalize on their most valuable assets - strong investigative journalism and the people’s trust that has built up around it.
Online aggregators like Google News and Yahoo News still only point to other sources. Someone has to be out there doing professional, ethical journalism that espouses, if it does not always achieve, some sense of objectivity.