Comments on: The future of news in 1981, and now http://www.abetteroakland.com/the-future-of-news-in-1981-and-now/2009-03-20 The Continuing Story of a City Fri, 06 Jan 2012 21:06:35 +0000 hourly 1 By: Mike Spencer http://www.abetteroakland.com/the-future-of-news-in-1981-and-now/2009-03-20#comment-98059 Mike Spencer Tue, 24 Mar 2009 19:02:34 +0000 http://www.abetteroakland.com/?p=2499#comment-98059 I have encountered this attitude among a certain set of urban hipsters: we won't miss newspapers at all because it will all just be replaced on the internet and we will have a wealth of news to choose from. Maybe, but a reduction in staff is a reduction in staff. In the "big cities" we will have our local blogs to do good work, away from the cities we will have less reporters and less quality blogs. (It's a numbers game.) Whereas daily newspapers had someone checking on courts, meetings, schools, police departments, this will be reduced to scatter-shot approach by bloggers. In the "old days" three or four editors would edit and read a contrvoversial story before it went to print, now we just run it and retract or reprint IF factual errors. Lack of competition in news hurts the consumer. Outlets get lazy when they don't have to worry about "being scooped." Finally, there was a great op-ed piece in the NYT about The Daily Me, where people just gather news on the internet that fits their takes and views. Newspapers at least assembled contradicting viewpoints, or at least tend to more than a blog. If all blogs were as conscientious and thoughtful as our beloved ABO, I would not be as worried.. Alas, they are not and we will miss the mission and organization of newspapers. We shall see what shakes out. I have encountered this attitude among a certain set of urban hipsters: we won’t miss newspapers at all because it will all just be replaced on the internet and we will have a wealth of news to choose from. Maybe, but a reduction in staff is a reduction in staff. In the “big cities” we will have our local blogs to do good work, away from the cities we will have less reporters and less quality blogs. (It’s a numbers game.) Whereas daily newspapers had someone checking on courts, meetings, schools, police departments, this will be reduced to scatter-shot approach by bloggers. In the “old days” three or four editors would edit and read a contrvoversial story before it went to print, now we just run it and retract or reprint IF factual errors.

Lack of competition in news hurts the consumer. Outlets get lazy when they don’t have to worry about “being scooped.”

Finally, there was a great op-ed piece in the NYT about The Daily Me, where people just gather news on the internet that fits their takes and views. Newspapers at least assembled contradicting viewpoints, or at least tend to more than a blog.

If all blogs were as conscientious and thoughtful as our beloved ABO, I would not be as worried.. Alas, they are not and we will miss the mission and organization of newspapers. We shall see what shakes out.

]]> By: californio http://www.abetteroakland.com/the-future-of-news-in-1981-and-now/2009-03-20#comment-97554 californio Mon, 23 Mar 2009 23:53:08 +0000 http://www.abetteroakland.com/?p=2499#comment-97554 Not sanguine about our future of telepapers. Among so many other problems, electronic media are infinitely easier for the government (or any other entity) to censor than newspapers. When radio and later television came on the scene, furthermore, they complemented but did not supplant print media; not so, obviously, with these here telepapers. Bit ironic to be blogging this but there you are. Not sanguine about our future of telepapers. Among so many other problems, electronic media are infinitely easier for the government (or any other entity) to censor than newspapers. When radio and later television came on the scene, furthermore, they complemented but did not supplant print media; not so, obviously, with these here telepapers. Bit ironic to be blogging this but there you are.

]]> By: Fezzik http://www.abetteroakland.com/the-future-of-news-in-1981-and-now/2009-03-20#comment-96457 Fezzik Sun, 22 Mar 2009 21:32:22 +0000 http://www.abetteroakland.com/?p=2499#comment-96457 I'll just add that the amount of local coverage by local newspapers, outside of sports and restaurant reviews, is pathetic. The Chronicle has 2-3 local stories a day, the rest being from wire services. On many days the NY Times has more stories with bay area bylines than local papers. I’ll just add that the amount of local coverage by local newspapers, outside of sports and restaurant reviews, is pathetic. The Chronicle has 2-3 local stories a day, the rest being from wire services. On many days the NY Times has more stories with bay area bylines than local papers.

]]> By: Max Allstadt http://www.abetteroakland.com/the-future-of-news-in-1981-and-now/2009-03-20#comment-95511 Max Allstadt Sun, 22 Mar 2009 00:00:59 +0000 http://www.abetteroakland.com/?p=2499#comment-95511 I see no reason to be depressed by the coming death of the newspaper industry. Most papers have done a horrible job of adapting to the web era. They deserve to be disintegrating, for the same reason the major record labels deserve to be dying. Clinging to an expired paradigm is a surefire route to your own expiration. But guess what? It doesn't matter if record labels go belly up or if newpapers die. People want news. People want music. The need will be filled. And in an era where people find it easier and easier to meet their needs for high quality media, I have no doubt we're all going to end up better off. If paper editions become a nostalgic specialty product, that would be fine with me. One thing we're learning in this new era is that old technology doesn't go away, it just fades to cult status. Steam engines, 8-track cassettes, black powder rifles... all have their place in the hobby world. By the time I'm in my sixties, I expect paper printed words to be much the same. Perhaps we'll keep books and periodicals around for ceremonial stuff, or for hobbyists. I see this as progress, not a loss. To those who lament the loss of the tactile immediacy of the printed page, I would say that if that experience matters, a new analogous experience will be found to replace it. IF people really need that, an entrepreneur will find a way to deliver it. I see no reason to be depressed by the coming death of the newspaper industry. Most papers have done a horrible job of adapting to the web era. They deserve to be disintegrating, for the same reason the major record labels deserve to be dying. Clinging to an expired paradigm is a surefire route to your own expiration.

But guess what? It doesn’t matter if record labels go belly up or if newpapers die. People want news. People want music. The need will be filled. And in an era where people find it easier and easier to meet their needs for high quality media, I have no doubt we’re all going to end up better off.

If paper editions become a nostalgic specialty product, that would be fine with me. One thing we’re learning in this new era is that old technology doesn’t go away, it just fades to cult status. Steam engines, 8-track cassettes, black powder rifles… all have their place in the hobby world. By the time I’m in my sixties, I expect paper printed words to be much the same. Perhaps we’ll keep books and periodicals around for ceremonial stuff, or for hobbyists. I see this as progress, not a loss. To those who lament the loss of the tactile immediacy of the printed page, I would say that if that experience matters, a new analogous experience will be found to replace it. IF people really need that, an entrepreneur will find a way to deliver it.

]]> By: Fezzik http://www.abetteroakland.com/the-future-of-news-in-1981-and-now/2009-03-20#comment-95343 Fezzik Sat, 21 Mar 2009 20:14:39 +0000 http://www.abetteroakland.com/?p=2499#comment-95343 Read this recent analysis by Clay Shirky: http://www.shirky.com/weblog/2009/03/newspapers-and-thinking-the-unthinkable/ Read this recent analysis by Clay Shirky:

http://www.shirky.com/weblog/2009/03/newspapers-and-thinking-the-unthinkable/

]]> By: greg mcconnell http://www.abetteroakland.com/the-future-of-news-in-1981-and-now/2009-03-20#comment-95195 greg mcconnell Sat, 21 Mar 2009 16:12:37 +0000 http://www.abetteroakland.com/?p=2499#comment-95195 This news clip about the internet was very interesting. Much has changed sine 1981. Which only makes me wonder about what people will be doing 28 years from now. Change is inevitable. This news clip about the internet was very interesting. Much has changed sine 1981. Which only makes me wonder about what people will be doing 28 years from now. Change is inevitable.

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