More Than a Piece of Paper

Oh, The Newspaper—a brilliant source that informs us with the latest events and challenges going on throughout the world. However, with all new form of communication out there today, many people won’t grab that weekly newspaper out on the kitchen counter. In the society we live in today, everything can simply be found on the internet, heard on the radio, or seen on the television. This is a great way to stay up-to-date for the fact that breaking news changes daily and new facts are continuously being thrown at us on specific stories.

With new technology on the loose, the newspaper doesn’t get as much acknowledgment towards it as it probably should—especially from how credible it actually is. Within the paper, the journalists are always mentioned at the end of the article so you know who wrote it. The journalists for newspapers like The Wall Street Journal or The New York Times have been writing for years, and have had much experience with their fine writing talents. Now remember, unlike the internet, not just anyone can put their story in a newspaper. Websites tend to lack accurate information depending on where it comes from. When searching online for current news, broadcasts such as CNN, ESPN, or ABC are the right place to check. Wikipedia, on the other hand, is not particularly reliable for the fact that anyone can go on and edit it.

Many people enjoy reading the newspaper in the morning while sitting with their cup of coffee and doughnut. But how much actually gets read during that morning time frame? Many have jobs to obtain to and are out the door in a quick period of time. If anything, people look at what’s on the main cover and don’t necessarily flip through every page. As many studies conclude, newspaper percentage keeps dropping and millions of dollars are being lost as well. Meanwhile, a recent study by Nielsen Online for the Newspaper Association of America shows that the audience for newspaper websites keeps growing. On average, in the beginning of 2009, online news attracted more than 73 million visitors each month.

The world is changing and now more than ever, we rely upon the fastest route to update us with the latest news. Instead of opening to page A7 of the newspaper, we flip open our phone and go on the web. With our society today, it’s not just about reading an article; it’s about how a story is portrayed and who is giving off the information. Within 10 years, if newspapers don’t step up to the plate and fight for why they should be read, our generation will clear them cut and dry. With our over-communicated world, everything can be found on more than just a piece of paper.