Blogosphere vs Newspapers
I read an editorial cartoon this morning in our local newspaper which slammed bloggers in a not-so-tongue-in-cheek manner. I can understand that newspapers are concerned about the rise of the blogosphere and its seeming impact on their survival. In truth, the obit for newspapers has been waiting to be written for years.
There are many reasons for the demise of newspapers. Costs of advertising, the economy and those who are dropping subscriptions as cost-cutting family measures, and the relevance that the blogosphere gained during the 2008 election, are just a few reasons that newspapers as we have known them will not survive. Many major cities are already down to one newspaper as opposed to the two or three they used to have. This has been slowly happening for years. Local writers are vanishing and we get the AP writers off the rolling presses. The cost of having local news writers just cannot be sustained.
In many respects it is a sad loss. Reading the morning paper at the breakfast table has been a long-standing tradition for most of us. There is something comforting about the feel of the print and the rumple of pages as you mull written thoughts while having morning coffee. It is like having an old friend with you at the breakfast table. But even old friends pass away.
Rather than slam bloggers who may not write with the cadence of Krauthammer or George Will, news writers should realize that bloggers are picking up the slack from the void of relevance. Bloggers address not only political issues, but social networking, philosophical discussions, advice on weight, cooking, plights of survival, and the arts, just to name a few. The beauty of the blogosphere is that it is global in nature, connecting the few to the many in a changing world.
Sure, there are many of us who make typos or do not use language as eloquently as some of the newspaper writers to whom we have become accustomed, but there is a realism that strikes a chord particularly with the younger generation. Those who read blogs can cull the herd to find those with whom they can identify or at least respect to some degree.
The time will come in the near future when we are sitting at the breakfast table with our laptops and reading the news from the blogosphere. I suspect that many of the writers who now decry bloggers will become part of that domain as their papers shut down. Change is never easy, but rather than slam the blogging-child finding its way to relevance, news writers should embrace the concept. No doubt many will have their own blog in the not-so-distant future.
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The rise of the blogosphere based on a webinar video I’ve watched, approximately 20,000 blogs appear online everyday which makes sense since even companies are starting to market their products and services using blogs because blogging is a good alternative in place for their marketing initiatives especially during this economic recession. And because the global reach of blogs is unprecedented, companies can get much more from their blogging efforts with less the cost on a wider audience and a much bigger reach than any local newspaper can. So, this definitely placed newspapers in a rather tough position.
Dear Cherlock,
The newspapers themselves bear great responsibility for their demise. Long ago they abandoned being journalists and instead became cheerleaders for the left. They may take joy in the fact they elected Obama but it does not sell newspapers.
Dear SC,
It is a bit of a dichotomy. Newspapers are in a tough position, but there is nothing so certain as change. Why don’t they consider placing their papers in the blogosphere and charging for subscription and advertising? They could then stay alive and be part of what is becoming mainstream.
Dear Carter,
There have been as many right-wing cheerleaders in the print media as there have been left-leaners.
Obama took a smart course by going to the Internet. Heck, even McCain is now on Twitter. I’m sorry, but as I said to SC, the blogosphere is becoming mainstream. And it has many diverse opinions, right, left and center.
Dear Cherlock,
Sure thing there Cherlock! There are many right wing cheerleaders in the media! There are also a lot of Dodo birds in the Pittsburgh zoo too. Denial of reality does not change it.
Dear John,
Well, if as you say there are not many right-wing cheerleaders, that is because they have little to cheer about. Stunning losses have been incurred by them. Perhaps you should blame their platforms and not the American electorate.
Dear Cherlock,
To paraphrase your previous posts, you stated Liberalism is rule by the heart and Conservatism is rule by the head. Do you still stand by that? If so, why should conservatives be upset that the masses chose emotionally rather than logically? Should conservatives modify their platforms just to feel good to the masses?
Liberalism is its own punishment. Time will correct.
Dear Carter,
Somewhere in a previous post I wrote that there is a saying that ‘if you are not a Liberal when you are young, you have no heart; and if you are not a Conservative when you get older you have no mind.’ This is simply an old saying but not one to which I necessarily ascribe.
Every issue needs to be judged on its own merit. There are, in fact times, when I have leaned toward Conservative thoughts. These are fluid times which call for flexibility. In my mind, at least, the Obama Administration is doing the best for the country under the most extreme circumstances.
Conservatives need to find their direction. Period. They are floundering and need to get back to their base. They should not try to attempt to appeal to the masses. If their platforms are relevant and productive, the appeal will naturally follow.
I find myself looking for that reality in music and art. I go for the small town, local, less polished artists just because there is the glow of realism.
Hi Sharkbytes,
I have seen some great artists and musicians in small venues. There is a place in Philly, a kind of hole in the wall place, where a lot of musicians got their start. It was fun to be there to see some new talent, raw and unpolished.