Print Vs Online journalism

The ever fast growing internet and new technology has changed the way we work, communicate, obtain news as well as entertain ourselves. Have an internet connected computer make everything possible at a click of a mouse, shopping online, online banking, social net, chatting, selling, dating, making money, facebook, and keep us informed etc...What more could we wish for?

For generations, we have been used to read newspapers as a part of our daily routine. A typical Indian would start their day with at least one morning newspaper while eating breakfast. We will find people reading papers on the train, buses or even on the walk. But this is the past for most developed countries. 

For example, In the UK, the newspaper market is shrinking because online news is available and most of them are free of charge. So does the job industry, the BBC made a job redundant causing hundreds of job losses, whereas the jobs demand for online journalists has increased significantly.

Even in the most developed countries like USA people highly depends on online news and e-paper. In this fast moving world no one has the time to read a whole newspaper, they read what they are interested in and the rest is waste for them. So they are opting internet news portals. Even after 9/11 and the recent Arab world crisis, online media played a significant role in provide day to day information and data. The TV channels and reporters were kept away from the actual scene because if safety purpose but the locals updated the news on net. 

 However, this may not be the case in the developing world, places like china or India, newspaper readers is on the rise because literacy and access of technology is increasing.

So, if online journalism is easier, quicker, wider audience (global audience) and with a low access cost for the publisher, what’s the future of print journalism?

Well, print journalism has its own features which has still kept it alive till date and as mentioned, is growing in developing countries. In print journalism, newspapers and magazines are physically present in our hands and having a hard copy helps us to read it everywhere, in train, car, meeting, even in toilet. Newspaper holds a self value. We do not require any hardware to access it.

Newspapers and online news both are archival but any hardware failure can destroy the online data, if not saved properly. The basic features of online journalism is

·         Hypertextuality

·         Multimediality

·         Interactivity

An online newspaper contains audio/visual content which makes it more readable. Plus, it contains hyperlinks for more understanding of the news content. One can post comments and give his/her views on any article or the news item.