Instant Gratification

Isn't it odd that this assignment requires us to research stories about newspapers removing themselves from print, and having to read and attach links from other newspapers on the web? It seems like quite the 'crap circle', but it's reality. Living in 2009 everything is expected to be at our finger tips in an instant, and waiting for tomorrow's newspaper to read about what happened today is just not fast enough in today's culture.

Although people in our generation enjoy instant gratification, there may be too many people to give it. Seattle Post reportedly went from a news staff of 165 people to a whopping 20. The unfortunate 145 people who lost their job were offered severancepackages, but I'm sure it doesn't mend the pain for losing their jobs.

If this is the future of media communication with the public, I'm not sure if I am going to like it that much. PC magazine, a magazine ironically about computers, has recently gone to just a online version. Many of the readers had concerns and complaints asking whats going to happen to their subscription, will they get their money back, and some saying they have lost them as a customer. Is the day going to come where we cant take a step away from a computer in this technologically advanced world and sit in a comfortable chair and enjoy a magazine or newspaper?

Overall there are pros and cons to making newspapers and magazines online only. Some pros are bigger readership, more room for advertisements- which may mean a bigger profit, less money spent on paper and ink, instant news, and a smaller staff. As for the cons, people losing jobs and not being able to read where ever you want are really the only two I can think of.

Online newspapers make sense in this generation. I think getting rid of print media all together could be scary, especially for people who grew up without computers, yet things change with time and thats might what it comes down to.