Are newspapers even going to exist in 20 years? I sure hope so. Having just watched "Page One: Inside the New York Times," I am on a particular rant about the benefits of having an actual, printed-on-paper-that-will-make-your-fingers-dirty newspaper. There are people who claim that the internet and tablets will obliterate print media, but I believe Americans will hang on to the nostalgia of cracking open a fresh paper that woke you up with a thunk at 5:30 A.M. in its arrival while having their coffee.
There is an infographic on
http://www.takepart.com/pageone/ that puts a little perspective on the state of print media in the past few years without having to watch the documentary, although I highly recommend it. It says that 99% of stories linked to in blogs come from newspapers and broadcast networks. On the documentary it goes into a little more detail- if the online writers/bloggers aren't directly taking their info and broadcasting their live reports, they are basing discussions on that info, like I am doing right now. And it all starts with the news. But that doesn't really tell us whether or not paper-copies have any effect on anyone.
I don't really know how to conclude this newspaper business, so I just threw in that silly New Yorker cartoon, because for all you guys really know, I could be a dog. I kind of wish I were, but as my good friend Alison says, you just get to lay around all day, but you don't have any control over the TV or the ability to read, so maybe it wouldn't be so good. I'd take it.
