We are in the age of democratized media and instant information. And apparently, this world has no place for print publications.
In a recent survey, 75 out of 124 journalist responded, and only a quarter of them said they expected newspapers to survive the current economic crisis.
Imagine: there will be no such thing as newspapers or magazines in the very near future. According to one journalist, the very notion of print publications by today's standards seems "quaint and wasteful." Our children - already bombarded with pop-up ads, videos games and interstitials - will never read the Sunday paper, subscribe to Highlights Magazine in its print form or complete a crossword puzzle in the New York Times.
In today's world, faster information seems to trump accurate reporting. What standards will emerge to police unfounded or inaccurate news? What outlets will reign supreme in terms of a "trusted news source?" Will it all be a matter of opinion, based on user comments and feedback? Will it be based on sheer reach or audience following? Finally, what the hell constitutes "news" these days anyway? (Living in Los Angeles, it's usually the latest celebrity-related gossip.) Where will we go for "real" news? Will we pay for it? If we don't pay for it, will the credible news sources be forced to shutter altogether because they can't afford to pay their researchers and journalists?
Hedging their bets that sheer volume - and not research or valid reporting - will prevail in the battle for viewership, Time Warner Cable announced recently it will carry various News Corp.-owned channels, including Fox stations and cable channel FX. That's right - more "fair and balanced coverage" in more places than we can escape...
What does the future hold?
As predicted years ago, the major media outlets will converge. The networks - the media powerhouses - will control the Internet.
The Internet will not operate ten, even five years from now, the way it does today. There's a rise in counterfeit sites that have been set up to steal unsuspecting consumers' information. In fact, in 2009, cybercrime grew larger than the illegal drug trade. And a recent report revealed that not even virus-immune Macs are safe. Even the seemingly fun and innocent Facebook is tackling hacker issues and has readily admitted to sharing users' information.
Back in the day, when the Web was new - there was a resounding credo: "you can't tax the Internet!" Fast forward to recent years. Sales tax is common, as are exorbitant shipping and handling charges. As long as there are revenue channels, there will be people seeking to monetize, exploit and hack them. Ready to ruin it for the rest of us.
So we should enjoy this: the heyday of the Internet. The age of instant information, online check-ins, automatic bill pay, social media interconnectivity and relying on YouTube as a search engine and free entertainment portal. It's not going to go away, it's just going to become more risky, expensive and complicated to play.
The departure of print publications draws an interesting parallel to this new era of democratized, always-on media. It's a symbolic farewell to a simpler time, where a reliable, trusted source delivered accurate, important news when and where we needed it.
What does the future hold for our news sources? No one can be sure, but it most certainly will involve Internet "news sites" like TMZ.com, as they report on important topics such as the sordid details of a philandering golfer and his scorned Swedish wife.
Think it's tough now? The future will require a even greater sense of filtering, to discern real news from white noise.
