Jen's Writing Journey

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With the demise of many major newspapers–or their move to an online format–I have been wondering if the printed model makes sense for newspapers.

When I used to subscribe to the newspaper, I got it at home, read it before I left for work, and recycled it immediately. Now, much as I hate to admit it, I watch the news in the morning on TV. If I wanted to read the newspaper, I could easily get on my computer and read it online. And I wouldn’t have to recycle the paper. That sounds like a win-win for me, the news consumer.

The only case I can think of where I would need to have portable access to a newspaper is if I lived in a city where a mass transit commute were possible. Of course, if I had an iPhone, I could still access the news online. Or if I could download it to an iPod Touch or other device, I could read the downloaded pieces during my commute.

It’s just hard for me to think of a reason to keep most newspapers in print, other than coupons and sale papers in the Sunday edition. Am I missing something? Should newspapers remain printed pieces?

Edited to add: Here’s a link to a well-reasoned post about the future of journalism.

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