by Paul Schingle

Created on: July 22, 2008

It probably doesn't matter how any of us "vote" on this subject. The newspaper industry is a business above anything else and the powers that be in the industry are going to make their decisions based on finances and nothing else. It's a pity. I love to read my daily paper-in print. Reading the news is part of my morning routine-right along with coffee and toast. Alas, the almighty dollar will be the final yardstick. And those of us who like print news will probably lose out.

Unfortunately, in our hurry up and wait world, most of us (and almost all of us under 25) like instant everything-including news. And, true enough, news off of the internet is instant. And, sometimes, it's even accurate. I've never thought of myself as particularly old-fashioned, but I like to hold what I'm reading. If newspapers go all-digital, what's next? Are our books going to be all digital in the near future as well? I, for one, certainly hope not. Some things should be kept sacred and the printed word is one of them-at least in my estimation. We don't need to forfeit art for convenience-for expedition. I hope the genre chooses to stay with the printed word, but I can understand the industry's view.

From everything I've read, advertising revenues are down in the print news industry. I believe overall subscription rates are down as well. I suppose I can't blame the finance people in the print news business for leaning toward making everything digital. It's probably just as cheap or cheaper to put everything online. Advertising revenues would probably continue to stream in. But, don't news people owe those of us who actually like to take the time to read something? It used to be that news was about keeping us informed. Don't the old news hounds still care about quality of product? I suppose the argument could be made that, just because the news is put out digitally doesn't automatically mean it is going to be bad. And, I don't even necessarily disagree with that. I just fear that all news will just end up capsulized and easier to digest if it becomes all digital. The last thing we need is more "USA Today."

Well, for what it's worth, there's my two cents on the subject. Should newspapers go fully digital to secure their longevity? I sincerely hope not, but I imagine they will. It's entirely too bad. By the way, what will they call them when that happens. After all, without paper-it won't be a newspaper. Will it?

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