Kylie’s blog

Response to reading “User-generated content and the changing news cycle” by Stephen Quinn & Deidre Quinn-Allan.

Newspapers were once the only source for news to the public other than town gossip.

Radio was the next news medium introduced around the 1920’s, followed by the television in the 1960’s.

Of course, the 1956 Olympics was the main influence that was behind the introduction of television to Australia.

As the news cycle evolved, newspapers were no longer the medium that was making the most of the headlines – it was simply reflecting on news items and perhaps going into more detail and analysis.

That’s not to say that newspapers are not breaking news stories, but more often than not the internet is the one delivering news first.

Mike Game, chief operating officer at Fairfax Digital, noted how people were turning to the internet for breaking news.

Let’s face it, it’s faster, cheaper and far more convenient.

Nevertheless, the internet does not mean the death of newspapers.

Even though the reading states “…in the past decade alone… consumption of Australian newspapers has dropped 20 per cent for Monday-to-Friday editions,” research conducted by New Matilda in February 2005 discovered that their online subscribers regularly read two newspapers as well as two other types of publications.

However, newspapers are also combating this decline but making an online news site. Look at The Washington Post or The Age online for example.

Remember the song Video killed the radio star by The Buggles? Well, the radio is still around, and I think that the newspaper will also be around for many years to come.

~ by kylietomkins on August 9, 2008.