Newspapers: The effect of online technology

1) Do you agree with James Murdoch that the BBC should not be allowed to provide free news online? Why?

- i do not agree with James Murdoch as the BBC is a public service broadcast who provides news for free. if BBC start to charge money for their online news service then not only will they lose viewers, but also they will be going against their own title of a PSB which may ruin their reputation.

2) Read this blog on the Times paywall three years on.

3) Was Rupert Murdoch right to put his news content (The Times, The Sun) behind a paywall?

it may be useful to rupert murdoch if he puts his news content behind a paywall, and it has been useful so far. 'The Times and The Sunday Times have now amassed a total of 140,000 paying digital subscribers'. this may prove to be useful for him as he is able to make a profit. however as many people may prefer not to pay a subscription fee, they may go to other news sites for information which could prove to be a loss for murdoch. 

4) Choose two comments from below the Times paywall article - one that argues in favour of the paywall and one that argues against. Copy a quote from each and explain which YOU agree with and why.

For the paywall: 'what's the point of having a web presence if you make no money?'

Against the paywall: 'One can get the same "news" for free almost anywhere on the internet. I'd take a hint from the alternative free weeklies that survive just off their local advertising. I don't think anyone would read them otherwise. These papers are full of paid advertising. The fee model will never work.' 
                  
- I agree with the comment against the paywall because as it says that almost the same news stories can be found pretty much from any other website so if you attach a price onto it then people will just go elsewhere to get their news. 


5) Read this article from the Media Briefing on the continuing decline of the newspaper industry. 

6) Why do you think the Evening Standard has bucked the trend and increased circulation and profit in the last two years?

The evening standard is more available now than before, especially underground where mobile phones don't always work so people turn the newspapers in print form which the evening standard has taken to its advantage as they know people would want some form of entertainment while on their way to work or so on the train which has been very beneficial to the evening standard.

7) Is there any hope for the newspaper industry or will it eventually die out? Provide a detailed response to this question explaining and justifying your opinion.

in my opinion i believe that eventually the newspaper industry would die out. this is because technology continues to grow and expand and take over many things. having technology makes it more convenient for us as the audience to access information and news in other forms. citizen journalism, for example, is a growing way in which ordinary people share things that happen through social media which is actually becoming more and more common as time progresses. although at this moment the newspaper industry is still of use, it is particularly by the older generation which is soon likey to change as more and more people are becoming so enslaved with technology that it is used for everyday things and even the smallest questions and information, it is all available on the internet. i personally use the internet if i need to access news, i never read print based and im sure that is the case with many people of this generation.