Are newspapers still relevant in this era of SMS and Internet?

Are newspapers still relevant in this era of SMS and Internet?

Introduction

Newspaper is a traditional way to spread information far and wide. It was better known as the “mirror of the society”.

Ever-changing technology has become an indispensable part of our society in the last few years. A few years back, SMS (Short Message Service) dominated the social interaction between people. Technology kept moving on. Internet gained a lot of importance. Social networking sites and applications like Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp made interaction all the more easy. They are also being used as platforms to provide information and news.

Newspapers do exist in this era of SMS and Internet. Let us see whether newspapers still are the mirrors of the society or not?

Yes – Newspapers are relevant even now.

1. Information – Newspapers still continue to provide in-depth information about the happenings around the world. It informs people even about the small, local and regional day to day happenings of the society.

2. Regular habit – Habits are hard to die. There are a lot of people, especially of the ripe age, who continue the habit of reading a newspaper early in the morning along with a cup of tea/coffee.

3. Mobility – It might be difficult to carry an electronic device with an Internet connection while traveling or going to work. A newspaper is very easy to carry and keep.

4. Trade and Commerce – Advertisement is the lifeline of a newspapers. It is a major source of income. Through these advertisements the development of trade and commerce is encouraged.

5. Editorials – Editorials are views and opinions of a senior staff or a guest about a particular issue. They are mostly related with the current happenings. They are the most attractive part of the newspaper and attract readers.

6. Ignorant about Internet – There are many people who do not have a proper knowledge of the Internet and computers. For them the only source of information is still newspaper.

7. E-Newspapers – Today, newspapers are also becoming a part of the digital world. There are certain newspapers which have their online editions published. Newspapers are using the new technology to keep themselves alive in the tech-savvy world.

No – Newspapers are not relevant today.

1. Short life span – Newspapers are usually read only once by the readers. Thus, it has a very short life span.

2. Competition – Today, with the growth of technology, a lot of news channels and online news sites have come up. They keep updating the news every minute which the newspapers cannot. Newspapers face a tough competition from them.

3. Sensationalism – Newspapers cover most of the stories in a biased manner. A few newspapers are also owned by political parties. Newspapers publish stories in favor of their parties.

4. Less advertisements – With the growth of online news sites and news channels, brands are opting for these sites to advertise themselves. Today, there are less advertisements in the newspapers than on the Internet.

5. Slow mode of communication – In this era of SMS and Internet, newspapers appear to be a slow mode of circulation of news. People get news quickly through the Internet, instant messages or mobile applications.

Conclusion

Newspapers have always helped the society. They have always tried to inform people about the current happenings and helped develop their knowledge. With the advent of new technology, there continues to be a high competition between the digital mode of circulation (SMS, websites) and the traditional mode of circulation (newspapers).