Akangjungla
Everything is digital in this era of internet and technology. The low-priced accesses to internet connectivity and easy operation of gadgets have given birth to a sea of content creators in various digital mediums especially on social media platforms. It is easy for the print media to get lost in this big digital shift and therefore, it is reasonable to predict the worst that newspaper will disappear and end up as archive materials on the shelves. The digital revolution has led to the discussions about the role of newspaper and too often has been reflected in the way the print media industry is continuously trying to find its way to adapt, replicate and compete itself with the digital media.
Are newspapers still relevant? What is the future of newspaper in this digital age? Can local newspapers thrive with the changes in the reading habits? Discussions around these thoughts have reluctantly directed the newspapers to go through difficult process of evaluations, altering functions, shifting focus - doing almost everything in its power to hold on to its revenue, relevance and stability. Many settled with the consideration to find an arrangement to coexist with the new digital media.
The fact remains that print media has survived for nearly 600 years and is still thriving, and continues to be just as relevant today as centuries ago. The forces from the counterparts – websites, social media platforms, and channels – make it difficult for print media to contend in terms of immediate updates, wider reach, creativity etc; nonetheless, print media has carved out a niche built on its durability, physical feature and its purpose for bonding the readers with the story through printed words.
The purpose to connect its product with the reader is the innermost potency of a newspaper; the value in a newspaper of being trustworthy and accountable is in the content it carries. Newspaper can still have it all back by not giving in to the pressure of breaking the news and allowing the journalists to create authentic and responsible perspective which is indispensable for the timeless newspapers to stay in influence in any given circumstances.
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