Newspapers sales have been falling for years as more and more readers get their news from the Internet or the many free newspapers. Advertisers have also followed readers to the Internet. Apart from the major advertisers, the number of classified ads has dropped dramatically as more people use specialist classified ad websites. As a result, local and national newspapers are closing.
When newspapers first started Internet editions they tried
charging for their content, but readers weren’t prepared to pay.
They wanted news on the Internet to be free. Now some
newspapers, including The New York Times are going to start charging again. Some specialist online papers such as The Wall Street Journal already have a pay wall, but who will pay for their news when they can still get it free in other places? A lot will depend on the growing use of phones and devices such as the Kindle and the iPad that allow you to read news on the move. It’s possible that newspapers will make a comeback in the future – if they can survive.
charging for their content, but readers weren’t prepared to pay.
They wanted news on the Internet to be free. Now some
newspapers, including The New York Times are going to start charging again. Some specialist online papers such as The Wall Street Journal already have a pay wall, but who will pay for their news when they can still get it free in other places? A lot will depend on the growing use of phones and devices such as the Kindle and the iPad that allow you to read news on the move. It’s possible that newspapers will make a comeback in the future – if they can survive.
Magazines are facing similar problems. Advertising revenue fell by around 22 per cent in 2009; consumers often stop buying magazines in times of economic cutbacks. Magazine publishers
are hoping to fight back with their own version of the iTunes store where magazines can be downloaded.
are hoping to fight back with their own version of the iTunes store where magazines can be downloaded.
Book publishers are trying to predict the future. Will we still be reading printed books in the future or will we be downloading them and reading them on an e-book reader such as Amazon’s Kindle or the iPad?
Some people used to say that reading a book on a computer screen or portable device was tiring for the eyes. But most of today’s e-book readers use a form of virtual ink that makes reading a digital book similar to reading a print book. An e-book reader can also store hundreds of books, making it a portable library.
According to one source, Amazon had sold more than 3 million Kindle readers by the end of 2009, and analysts forecast that Apple will sell 4 million iPads by the end of 2010. Although the iPad is a multi-function device, one of its primary uses is for reading books and newspapers. Apple is creating its own iBookstore to sell digital books and compete with Amazon.
The rise of the digital book isn’t good news for printers and bookshops. As more businesses close, the future of the traditional print book must come into question.
Adapted from www.its-teachers.com
IT’S FOR TEACHERS ISSUE 115 © copyright iT’s Magazines S.L. 2010
I've been subscribed to PressDisplay.com for a year now. For €20 a month it's possible to read online editions of practically every national newspaper in the world (translated into twelve languages). As far as I'm concerned, it's the paid-for nature of this service that ensures its quality. While I personally have a preference for Internet based literature and reading, I believe that high standards of online reading material can only be maintained through subscription based / paid-for services. People associate the Internet with freedom of information, but that shouldn't necessarily mean that all information costs nothing. When people buy newspapers in shops, they're not paying for sheets of paper (though that cost is factored in), they're paying for the reliable information contained thereon. People SHOULD be prepared to pay for that same information online. For me, it's not just about the medium but the content. The Internet is an unending treasure trove of news and views and most of it is free. It's an information hub unrivalled in history and a wonderful invention. But a lot of that free information is subjective and unverified. Journalism is a specialist sector. It must be held accountable to high publication standards. I hope the free and easy nature of the Internet will not spell the end of quality journalism. I don't think it will, but we may still need to put our hands in our pockets to secure that quality. I for one am prepared to pay for the privilege.
ReplyDelete