In a day and age where new technology rules, traditional paper newspapers are struggling to keep their readers and stay alive in the media shark tank. Consumers of news still trust newspapers to provide them with the most accurate information, however the daily printed new york times delivered at your doorstep technique no longer holds sway with new age consumers. One problem is time and accelerated schedules. The biggest problem is the switch to the internet.
How can newspapers maintain their credibility and influence in an online forum? The truth is, they struggled at first. Newspapers treated the web as though it were a regular newspaper-following a set template and arranging the sections (sports, arts, international news) much the way they would be found in a paper form. What they didnt realize and eventually adapted to was that readers of news online are more apt to seek out the articles they are most interested in. Search bars enable readers to find articles pertaining to a specific subject. They have access to archives, video streaming news clips, and advertising blurbs.
As we read in the Wired article, some newspapers are recognizing their readers urge to make news about them, placing an emphasis on local issues that truly matter to its consumers. Cincymoms is a perfect example, giving local moms an online blog forum to put pictures and news pertinent to them. Readers appreciate this reach into local venues, giving the newspaper the advantage of creating more specific niches.
I looked at the website for my town in Vermont, the Brattleboro Reformer to better gauge my understanding of this subject. It has a simple layout, one local side bar advertisement, and links to local, sports and more global news stories. There are local photo galleries on the right hand side of the page. This is apparently a new feature that allows readers to purchase photos that have been in the reformer. I imagine parents will buy photos of their high-school age children in the local sports section. This will create more revenue for the paper and also emphasizes the value of small town living/community.
The Bristol Phoenix has an even simpler setup, with a movable headline reel and links to sections below. It has advertiser support on the right side and bottom.
Larger newspaper websites such as the new york times are set up much like the front page of a newspaper, with a large feature story picture and links to breaking news stories. As I mentioned before, it is readily searchable so that internet savvy consumers can locate the exact stories and topics they are really interested in.
The problem seems to be that people enjoy the traditional newspaper for nostalgic purposes, however their lives dont allow for them to sit down and read old news that isnt updated with the click of a refresh button. At this point I'm not sure if I can designate a prognosis for the future of newspapers. They are still the most reliable source of news, but as demanding consumers we can't wait for our news. We want specific news, from around us. We want to be able to have a say in what is published. Newspapers will have to continue their struggle to identify the needs of their ever changing readers.
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Another thoughtful post, Violet. It's a hard assignment, I realize. But you are looking in the right places. Selling your paper's photos online is certainly an innovation. Newspapers, historically, made it difficult for readers to purchase pictures. Now, with just a mouse click, they are on their way.
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