Well one thing is for sure – new media is forcing traditional newspapers to adapt and stay updated with the times. And many local newspapers especially are doing just that. Change could be inevitable, but to state that local newspapers will be irrelevant anytime soon is not really true. Let’s look at the reality of the situation…
Are Blogs the Answer?
It’s been suggested that the world of online blogging is overtaking the clout once held by the newspaper industry exclusively. Obviously, blogs have brought more to the table and made news more real time and reader-centric. Blogging has been glorified as citizen journalism at its finest.
But here’s the thing… As great as blogs are (and they have made a difference), the vast majority of them don’t exactly conform to the depth, quality, and selection of information that real journalism excels at providing via newspapers. The newspaper remains viewed as possibly the most authoritative naija news and accurate source for news, in place of the blogosphere’s reputation if you are opinionated and possibly even somewhat crude.
Newspapers Support Communities.
Local newspapers really shine as it pertains to serving as a trustworthy community resource. This means readers can rest assured that each time they pick up a newspaper, the most recent problems that matter the absolute most and the breaking news are practically guaranteed to be covered. Put simply, the local paper is a certain thing.
Additionally, local newspapers tend to bring it a step beyond news alone by promoting community events. In reality, sometimes local newspapers almost even serve as a sort of clearinghouse for local communication. It’s hard for every other medium other when compared to a local newspaper to create inroads as it pertains to serving and supporting a residential district like this.
The Format is Preferred.
Gimmicks and technologies come and go. Today, a well known thing to do is to read the most recent news in real time right from a smartphone or various other sort of handheld gizmo. Sure, this is convenient, but can it last as a trend?
Newspapers are very a perfected format after all. Granted, they’re not in real time, but they are very portable, they’re easy on the eyes, they don’t have batteries that have to be charged or replaced, they don’t be determined by signal strength, and the list just continues and on.