jps
03-30-04, 09:38 PM
http://www.oaklandtribune.com/Stories/0,1413,82~10834~2047427,00.html
By Caroline Wilbert - COX NEWS SERVICE
ATLANTA -- The audience for mainstream news is shrinking and newsrooms are cutting staff, according to a study from the Project for Excellence in Journalism.
At the same time, online news outfits and niche publications -- including those that cater to ethnic groups -- are growing.
Tom Rosenstiel, director of the nonprofit organization, said traditional news organizations, including newspapers and television, are locked in a vicious cycle.
"As audiences fragment, newsrooms are cut back, which further erodes public trust," he said.
Among the findings of the study:
Daily newspaper circulation has fallen 11 percent since 1990.
Network evening news ratings have fallen 34 percent since 1993.
Viewership on cable news is flat since 2001.
Many U.S. newsrooms are seeing significant cutbacks. There are one-third fewer network television correspondents than in 1985; a 3 percent decline in news-editorial employees at newspapers since 1990; and a drop of 44 percent in full-time radio newsroom employees between 1994 and 2001.
Three news categories -- online, alternative and ethnic-- are growing.
Traffic to the 26 most popular news sites grew by 70 percent between May 2002 and October 2003, according to Nielsen/NetRatings.
If online media steal audience share from more traditional news outlets, the question becomes: will online be as profitable as print and television?
*My guess is that advertisers will say, This is the best place to reach people,' and the economics will figure themselves out,* he said.>
Spanish-language newspaper circulation has nearly quadrupled in 1.7 million since 1990. And the alternative press -- comprised mostly of tabloid weeklies -- also has grown.
*I don't see a country doctor for all that ails me anymore,* he said, *and I don't go to a one-stop media provider the way I used to.*>
Because people only have so much time to spend consuming news, the traditional outlets have to share the pie with emerging niche players.
"That is an economic challenge," Rosenstiel said.
Caroline Wilbert writes for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
I think this is good new overall, but its a mixed blessing. The major benefit is that there is no corporate monopoly on the internet, and there is essentially no censorship. In addition there is the added benefit that its so easy to read a news blurb about something, and then check out the facts of the situation for yourself without moving. The main drawback of people turning more and more to the internet for their news is the fact that there aren't any controls on accuracy.
One can do a search for information on a topic and find two seemingly credible sources reporting the exact opposite positon. Although the mainstream news is heavily biased and not very accurate, they generally avoid saying thigns that are demonstratably false as it would damage their reputation. Most online sources have little reputation to maintain. Another possible drawback is that with sources available from every side of the political spectrum people can easily avoid hearing any accurate depictions of the views of those from parts of the spectrum other than their own.
I think in general though, people like to consider themselves well rounded and will go to a variety of sources, and will learn to check for references when they doubt what they're seeing. Having to root through heavily biased information and outright lies in order to find real information will also encourage people to think critically.
Ultimately, I fear that the corporations will not permit control of the news to be wrested from their grasp and will use their influence to put the internet under their control, making all of this irrelevant.
By Caroline Wilbert - COX NEWS SERVICE
ATLANTA -- The audience for mainstream news is shrinking and newsrooms are cutting staff, according to a study from the Project for Excellence in Journalism.
At the same time, online news outfits and niche publications -- including those that cater to ethnic groups -- are growing.
Tom Rosenstiel, director of the nonprofit organization, said traditional news organizations, including newspapers and television, are locked in a vicious cycle.
"As audiences fragment, newsrooms are cut back, which further erodes public trust," he said.
Among the findings of the study:
Daily newspaper circulation has fallen 11 percent since 1990.
Network evening news ratings have fallen 34 percent since 1993.
Viewership on cable news is flat since 2001.
Many U.S. newsrooms are seeing significant cutbacks. There are one-third fewer network television correspondents than in 1985; a 3 percent decline in news-editorial employees at newspapers since 1990; and a drop of 44 percent in full-time radio newsroom employees between 1994 and 2001.
Three news categories -- online, alternative and ethnic-- are growing.
Traffic to the 26 most popular news sites grew by 70 percent between May 2002 and October 2003, according to Nielsen/NetRatings.
If online media steal audience share from more traditional news outlets, the question becomes: will online be as profitable as print and television?
*My guess is that advertisers will say, This is the best place to reach people,' and the economics will figure themselves out,* he said.>
Spanish-language newspaper circulation has nearly quadrupled in 1.7 million since 1990. And the alternative press -- comprised mostly of tabloid weeklies -- also has grown.
*I don't see a country doctor for all that ails me anymore,* he said, *and I don't go to a one-stop media provider the way I used to.*>
Because people only have so much time to spend consuming news, the traditional outlets have to share the pie with emerging niche players.
"That is an economic challenge," Rosenstiel said.
Caroline Wilbert writes for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
I think this is good new overall, but its a mixed blessing. The major benefit is that there is no corporate monopoly on the internet, and there is essentially no censorship. In addition there is the added benefit that its so easy to read a news blurb about something, and then check out the facts of the situation for yourself without moving. The main drawback of people turning more and more to the internet for their news is the fact that there aren't any controls on accuracy.
One can do a search for information on a topic and find two seemingly credible sources reporting the exact opposite positon. Although the mainstream news is heavily biased and not very accurate, they generally avoid saying thigns that are demonstratably false as it would damage their reputation. Most online sources have little reputation to maintain. Another possible drawback is that with sources available from every side of the political spectrum people can easily avoid hearing any accurate depictions of the views of those from parts of the spectrum other than their own.
I think in general though, people like to consider themselves well rounded and will go to a variety of sources, and will learn to check for references when they doubt what they're seeing. Having to root through heavily biased information and outright lies in order to find real information will also encourage people to think critically.
Ultimately, I fear that the corporations will not permit control of the news to be wrested from their grasp and will use their influence to put the internet under their control, making all of this irrelevant.