Wednesday 15 April 2009

What newspapers do that the internet can't

Professor of Journalism & Communication at the University of Strathclyde Brian McNair has posted a piece on allmediascotland claiming the internet can't replicate many of the basic features of a newspaper.
For example: "turning the page, then turning it back again in an instant, just to check something that might have been tucked away in a corner column; tearing out a travel piece or a review and leaving it on the kitchen table over breakfast as a reminder; tucking your paper into your bag or pocket without adding a kilo in weight to your baggage.
"The beauty of these superficially banal features is what gives the newspaper use value. We will continue to buy newspapers because we WANT to, not because we have to, or feel that we ought to."
Professor McNair admits, however, "With print advertising in decline, and unlikely to recover to anything like pre-credit crunch levels, the newspaper business model is indeed bust. Where will the revenue to support good journalism come from? On that point, I’m afraid there are as yet no clear answers."
He concludes: "If we want 400 years of British press history not to end prematurely with the double whammy of technological shift and economic recession perhaps we are all going to have to put a little more of our money where our ink-stained paws are."

2 comments:

JTownend said...

Sadly, the iPhone is making the weight thing less of an issue. John Thompson did a '30 things you'll miss' list on our blog a while back... just how on earth will the next generation make papier mache models?

Jon Slattery said...

Judith, Thanks for the comment.

Maybe they will just make virtual models on their little iPhones without making a mess or getting their hands dirty.