As a writer, I have tried to keep a look-out for articles in the press regarding the media industry both at home and abroad. So when I see that Mark Scott, head of the ABC and former Fairfax executive has indicated that in the future, there will only be enough room for one major newspaper in Melbourne, I take notice. Whether the last paper standing will be one of the two major current papers - The Age or Herald Sun - or a combination of the two, one can only wonder. Whatever the result, it'll mean bad news for those who would choose not to utilise the Internet for its news & media outlets. And with Telstra reaping the reward for supplying the Australian population with blanket broadband, the telecom company is placed to become the major player in the local media landscape.
New media, found not only on the Internet, but also through international television news channels found on satellite TV & radio, has put local publications on look out. For while the daily papers do everything in their power to inform & entertain their readership, for readers to gain an understanding and develop their own opinions on issues, they should - and do - look for as many sources as possible. This includes searching the web, and by doing so readers indeliberately point their much-loved daily newspapers in the direction of extinction.
Whether broadsheet or tabloid in nature, the day will come when newspaper becomes made redundant. When what is available on a physical page is easily accessible via the click of a mouse, it spells the decline of print media in one of its original forms. This is undeniably a formidable prospect for traditionalists, though economically the transfer from physical print media to new media may not be as devastating as it may seem on the surface. Without delving into numbers of statistics, writers will still find avenues to have their work published, and through websites, advertisers will still have space to flog their wares. Granted, printers and tree-loggers will suffer losses, however the preservation of environment is wholly a positive aspect of the scenario.
It will be a sad day when the newspaper falls by the wayside of our fast-paced future. And as someone who loves to spend a weekend on the couch with the paper, I do not wish it to occur any time soon. Realistically, it's not something that will probably occur in the next 50 years, but the signs are there. The priority is that people stay informed.
D.
