Is the Internet taking over our lives?
Response to Cory Miller's post
The question isn't necessarily 'who' is killing the newspaper but 'what'. We can blame the demise of the newspaper industry on the Internet or increasing laziness of Americans but the true culprit is something we can't even put a name on. It is a combination of technological progress, the on-the-go lifestyle of most people and America's love of the new and the bold.
More and more of our daily services are becoming available on the Internet. You can now order a pizza or pay bills or read entire novels online. According to chapter eight of Writing for the Mass Media by James Glen Stovall, immediate news is now the expectation of Internet journalists. Television was once responsible for reporting breaking or ongoing news stories because newspapers function in a different time frame. Now, the Internet presents the news faster than television ever has.
As more companies and services join the online community, more of our lives are found on the Internet. There becomes less of a reason to close the laptop or leave the computer desk because so much of what we do can be done online. It only makes sense to read the news online because you can do it in between ordering a birthday cake and applying for college. An article from Reuters states that newspapers have lost 20 percent or more of their advertising revenue as a result of people getting news online and the subsequent shrinking circulation.
It is true America is a constantly changing and evolving entity. The newspaper industry has been a social and political powerhouse for decades. To see a once innovative industry falling further every day is disheartening. The Internet has taken over the news business and it is in no position to stop. You suggested in a short period of time we could see the Internet take over the television industry and I have to say I wouldn't be the least bit surprised. I would be saddened and frustrated that there is such a powerful force taking over the media, but I certainly wouldn't be surprised.
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