CBC News Sunday did a report yesterday on the plight of newspapers. "Newspapers are laying off staff and, in more and more cases, they're folding up. What lies ahead for this traditional bastion of journalism? And would the death of newspapers mean the death of news?"There was some good commentary on what's going on with newspapers and what it means for the future of journalism and news. Obviously the death of newspapers does not mean the end of news. What's sad/funny/ironic though is that what was said about newspapers applies to all media. Just as the film and television industries didn't get that what started happening with the music industry over a decade ago was also going to happen to them CBC News doesn't seem to understand that what is happening to the newspapers is also happening to music, film, television, radio ...
This is not a newspaper issue, it is a media issue. One of their commentators said for example that it was primarily people over the age of 40 who were propping newspapers up. The same could easily be said for broadcast radio or television (probably DVD rentals too). It's not a holy grail, it doesn't explain all you need to know but try watching the video and insert radio for newspapers, or television, or insert 'drama' for news. Everyone's in the same boat but remember: a decade ago the recording industry claimed that it was all going to lead to the death of music (the big companies still make that claim.) They were wrong, music is alive and thriving. The large companies that would not or could not adapt are not.
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