Internet Killed Newspaper

Whenever I hear one of my favorite all-time pop song — “Video Killed The Radio Star!” — I keep wondering whether video indeed killed Radio at that particular time. One thing is true though, that is, Radio will be there despite the recent setbacks.  Arguably, it’s the most practical, comfortable and brilliant means of communication. As long as humans have two ears to listen with, we will continue needing Radio as it teaches us how to improve listening qualities on the social  and interpersonal communication level.

Although, right now, Radio and TV stations already have very slim news staffs, and rely on newspaper stories as the starting point for many of their own stories, the only surviving medium amongst the classic trio of Newspaper, Radio and Television, will be Radio. Radio was always there serving listeners gratis/free. Whereas the days of the rather costly printed media are counted. The TV age will also probably end within the next 10 or so years.

As the Internet has profoundly changed journalism, and print media is being rapidly reborn online, many journalists would embrace the change and prefer to doing blogs, and appreciating reader feedback on their stories. Of course, it is very exciting to see newsrooms as experiment rooms.

On the other hand, from now on, every passing day will bring us sad news about the death of some great newspapers and magazines, radio and TV stations.

Today, Wednesday, 29 October 2009, a potentially significant – and enormously sad – bit of newspaper history has just been announced in the United States. The Christian Science Monitor is to cease publishing as a daily paper in April of next year.

The Christian Science Monitor was, as it still is, one of the most respected and influential of American newspapers. It is also one of a tiny handful, alongside the likes of the New York Times and the Washington Post, which has always devoted the enormous resources required to cover not only events in the United States but across the wider world.