How does the digital economy affect the newspaper?

Since ancient times, everything in the world has been constantly changing, and human records prove this fact. It could be found that people live dramatically different than 10,000 years ago. After years of development, the generation has come to the fourth industrial revolution. Due to the rapid development of technology, numerous jobs are in danger of extinction. The article is going to discuss how the newspaper industry has been altered in the last twenty years.

The journal (Sohn, 2005) illustrated that humans change the way of receiving news especially youth, they do not rely on the newspaper to obtain information nowadays. Television, radio, and the internet help people to acquire messages rapidly. As for the functional, the website discussion boards give the audience a space to communicate with other readers, enhance the real-time interaction and gain experience from the review.

Additionally, blogs and forums empower the resident to express their opinion, make discussion and analysis after understanding events, this may promote the public conversation. With the website pages, people could choose the relative issue for further study or search the topic directly to which interest them. This might increase the opportunity that makes the audience spending more time on the platform and create user loyalty. However, the same situation is hardy happen in the print newspaper.

At the beginning of the video gave an example that how does the internet boost a minor event and get unexpected results. There are plenty of cases displayed that a non-famous person had done something and spread through the internet, but the person becomes well-known at the end of the incident. The video also refers that how do the digital platforms influence each other and the newspaper industry. For instance, people might attempt new programs or follow information because of their friends’ recommendations. Sharing posts or news from the user’s social media is a method to extend the influence scope. Justified by the same reason, newspapers are not likely to achieve an equal result.

Ofcom (2019) showed that the newspaper circulation yield saw a gradual decrease, which was 21.9 million and 10.4 million in 2010 and 2018, respectively. Moreover, they also provided data about the readership between print and online newspapers. All above conclude that print newspaper faces a dilemma, the sales volume, and the existence necessity. Owing to the reduction of the newspaper circulation, Pew research center (2019) revealed that the newsroom staff in newspaper publishers dropped suddenly from 2008 to 2018, roughly 33 thousand employees have changed or lost their job.

On the below images, the second photo might similar to most citizen’s daily commute life. As mentioned earlier, the newspaper circulation yield decline year by year, people usually read news from print papers in the past, yet, they select technology items such as smartphone or tablet to receive information in today’s society.

Utko (2009) gave an example of his experience., as a newspaper designer, he knows that the newspaper industry is dying. However, he trusts that people could grasp the concept and redesign objects. Even though they are obsolete, which probably can improve current job status. After several years of hard work, he proved his faith and made the newspaper consumption far high than previously.

Although a great number of data manifests that print newspaper circulation has been fallen for decades year, there might have some space for physical newspaper. Digital indeed brings benefits and convenience to society, but feeling such as touch and emotion cannot be replaced so far. So, my own view is that the newspaper might still be continuing to decline in the future but not disappear.

List or references

DeSisto, L. (2014). Do newspapers matter in the digital age? TED Talk. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBo1mFKV2F0

Ofcom (2019) News Consumption in the UK. Retrieved February 2020 from https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0027/157914/uk-news-consumption-2019-report.pdf

Sohn, E. (2005). The Disappearing Newspaper. Retrieved February, 2020 from https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/disappearing-newspaper

Utko, J. (2009). Can design save newspapers? TED Talk. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/jacek_utko_can_design_save_newspapers

Pew research center (2019). U.S. newsroom employment has dropped by a quarter since 2008, with greatest decline at newspapers. Retrieved February 2020 from https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/07/09/u-s-newsroom-employment-has-dropped-by-a-quarter-since-2008/