Paper News

To get straight to the point, newspapers- both tabloids and broadsheets- offer something that no other medium- not a growing internet, nor crummy television news coverage- can offer: palpable, visceral, tactile enjoyment.

The "State of the News Media" reported findings that the largest percentage of daily-newspaper readers were those individuals 55+ with 70% responding that they read it.

It's more than the fact that this category may not be well versed in the workings of the computer or the internet. I'd like to venture into what I perceive to be deep waters and suggest that these are the individuals who, even if they are familiar with the internet, are most likely to resist the impersonal feel of the internet.The vastness of the internet, though helpful when conducting such research as inspired this blog, is just one more way society is preparing 300+ million persons for hibernation. It's no longer necessary to leave the confines of a desk, nor speak to another individual to subsist in this world.

And it's not only the reader who is living in the world wide web, but the source from which the news comes never leaves this domain, either. Whereas a newspaper employs reporters whose jobs are to go out and really report on the news, internet sources will often just click away- much like their readers- and create news that way. While this last point may result in a much broader world coverage, as "The State of the News Media" explains, coming from the internet, it cannot make up for the more reliable coverage newspapers have to offer. Not to mention that larger companies like The New York Times, can offer extensive world coverage, as well.

The reign of the newspaper is far from over and I expect we'll see a surge as more baby-boomers enter into retirement. There's still nothing that can replace relaxing with the morning's paper and a good 'ole fresh cup of coffee...