The Balance between Technological and Societal Shifts - Essay Example

?Critically evaluate the balance between industrial, technological and societal shifts which have reshaped the newspaper industry in the last 25 years The newspaper industry has changed a great deal in the last 25 years. The reasons are quite a few and this directly goes upon the shoulders of the people who have allowed the technological changes to creep in within the related equations. Since this is a day and age of immense technological significance, the newspaper industry is not to be left behind. Also the shifting societal trends have meant that the newspapers have now more or less being seen as a thing of the past. There is more reliance on other avenues which was not the case in the 1950s and beyond. The reshaping of the newspaper industry in the last 25 years is comprised of both good points as well as bad. The positive aspects make their presence felt within the realms of the industrial, technological and societal domains while the negative ones manifest their own selves through non reading mechanisms that are employed towards newspapers, cut down in size, rise in costs and so on. This paper shall evaluate the balance that exists amongst the realms of the industrial, technological and societal changes as the newspaper industry has more or less changed during the last 2 and a half decades. In the olden days, it was widely accepted by the elders that reading newspapers in the morning amounted to their being the most cherished activity. They would wait for the newspaper to come to their doorsteps and have their breakfast with it. It seemed like a completely ideal beginning to a brand new day (Franklin, 1997). Young ones would throng the table and grab their favorite section of the newspaper while the mother of the family would enjoy seeing her husband and the kids delving deep into newspapers. It was something that asked for a better portrayal of activities that used to happen early in the morning, be it a weekday or on weekends. There was so much that happened right at the start of the day, which is no more apparent in these times. The reasons are quite a few and will be dug deep within the length of this discussion. For now, what happened some 25 years ago remains a distant dream in the current times. If only it could revert back to that golden era, there would be fewer issues that humanity would have faced and a rat race of getting ahead of one another would have subsided, promptly (Couldry, 2010). Newspapers have to be loved like these used to be in the past. If any semblance of sanity has to be revoked again as far as the newspaper industry is concerned, all out efforts within the related ranks are much required. The glory of the past must be brought back to have a culture which is quickly fading away, for all the wrong reasons. Moving ahead with the debate, the role of the newspapers within the past comprised of just about everything that surrounded humanity and its varied manifestations. This has not changed much with the progression that has thus been made all the way through. Yet somehow or the other, the needs have changed of the people. This has called for bringing in sections which were unheard of in the past and which merit attention in this day and age. By this, what one means is the fact that the newspapers of present times are more or less inclusive of sections for technology, children, women, the different professionals like doctors, lawyers, pilots and so on. Also there are sections for varied events and reviews on movies, music albums, sports matches and many more. The sections have advanced with the passage of time yet the overall meaning that is conveyed within these sections has remained more or less the same. This calls for an interesting read, more so because separate sections have largely segmented the population so that they can subscribe individually to a single brand of newspaper. However, since the teenagers do not quite appreciate the possession of a newspaper within their folds, this discussion seems to be a lost cause (Keeble, 2005). A lot has been written and said about the priorities of young ones, and much more shall be deliberated upon later but the fact that remains very strongly attached with the notion is that the newspaper industry is going down by the day, and much more needs to be done to resurrect the present day scenario. The industrial shifts have been in the form of putting the size down or raising the price of the newspapers ever since inflation rates have changed for the worst. This has meant that reading newspapers is now more of a luxury; rather it has to be afforded by the people from the upper echelons of the society. The industrial shifts have also been witnessed since many newspaper and magazine companies have closed with the induction of digital boutiques which have offset the business basis. It has played into the hands of the people who have perhaps relied way too much on the digital perspectives. This is a strange concept that has taken over the minds and hearts of the people and it is about time that the industrial shifts need to be taken into proper consideration. If this happens, many wrongs will be avoided and corrected within due course of time. It will also tell the digital enthusiasts that they need to set their priorities right and let the people read physical copies of the newspapers because it has been a tradition for too long now. Some habits are good if they are not changed and this needs to be educated to the people who have started to believe way too much on the digital benefits (Bromley and O’Malley, 1997). Now is the time to realize where the industrial shifts must be comprehended and what more can be done to bring upon a basis of sanity within the ranks of the newspaper industry so that it continues to see the light of the day in the future as well. The technological debate is quite an interesting one. This is because the newspaper industry has both benefited from the usage of technology and received losses due to its excessive use. Firstly, the benefits shall be discussed here. The single most benefit that the newspapers have brought forward is in the wake of people getting hooked on to the online version of the well-known newspapers. This means that the brand value of these old newspapers is being harvested in a good manner. But the people are doing away with the actual reading bit of the physical newspapers. This is what can be seen as the negative that comes out from the related realms of the discussion. Technology does have its fair share of benefits and drawbacks but what is most important under such scenarios are more positives than the other way round (Curran and Seaton, 2009). However the exact opposite is happening which is a cause of concern for many people around the globe. The newspaper industry has also suffered a great deal due to the lack of action by the people who bring out these newspapers towards the production bases. Much needs to be done to save this industry from the chaotic situation that it finds itself plagued within. If this happens, the technological manifestations will be handled in a comfortable manner and the symbiotic relationship that comes about due to the result of technology will also be deciphered in a manner that will satisfy the elders of the society (Fidler, 1997). The need is to weigh the pros and cons, and thus come up with a suggestion which is for the betterment of the newspaper industry. The role of society in shaping up how newspapers are viewed makes one realize where this industry is headed in the future, and more so with the induction of technology with the passage of time. Since society depends on how its inmates interact with one another, making use of its different manifestations is one of the primary aspects that one needs to consider (Curran and Gurevitch, 1991). The newspaper industry is going down merely due to the fact that people have stopped giving it the attention. The young ones do not have an idea as to how to find time to interact and communicate with one another while the seniors are adapting the technological means in order to grow and develop. The community elders should decide for their own selves whether they would like the younger generation to move on towards newer technological front or should they stick to reading newspapers. They have to be the most significant individuals within such a debate because they have experienced how newspapers have been given the respect in the past and how the trends are changing with the passage of time these days. Then again, society has a huge amount of responsibility on its shoulders as to how age old concepts like reading newspapers, adhering to cultural norms within the family domains, and so on have to be followed to the core. If these keep on changing as times move ahead, one cannot expect the newspapers to proceed in the new age with consummate ease, rest assured. How the reshaping of the newspaper industry shall affect all and sundry calls for an interesting read. This is because societal values will change and this is not going to be a good omen for the people. They must keep a check of what is deemed as an acceptable standard and what can be regarded as a compromise with the demands of the time. The standards definitely need to be weighed in because these come about after rigorous checks and balances that are done by the industry players (Eldridge, 1993). The reshaping is all the more necessary because it touches upon areas which were left unexplored earlier. It will settle the concerns that the advertisers had of the print space within the newspapers. These advertisers and marketers also dictate how well the newspapers should be planned because the symbiotic relationship becomes quite prominent under such scenarios. One must be assured that the reshaping will be done for the betterment of the newspapers in general and the specific brands in particular that bring out their unique editions. This is the need of the hour in order to settle all issues surrounding the newspaper realms. The top management personnel within the newspaper industry shall have to come up with options in order to let each one of the readers know that they are coming up with a compromise so that this industry can flourish in the coming times. All out help is needed from all quarters and this needs to be spoken out loud in order to elicit a response. In the end, it would be correct to state that newspapers must be given the room to exploit the conditions around them and not be seen as a thing of the past. This is because they have no parallels as far as technological tools are concerned. The luxury that these newspapers bring cannot be compared with any other tool or activity that is employed by the people. Also the role of the elders within any society of the world is a quintessential one because they have to get their point across as to what can be compromised upon and what simply cannot be accepted as a changing trend or the need of the time. These elders must adapt to the technological angles yet they should never give up on the physical copy because it used to be their favorite hobby in the past and the same should continue in the coming days as well. If they give up on newspapers, there is little that the industry can do to sustain its own self in the future (Franklin, 2009). All said and done, there is absolutely nothing that can quite match reading a newspaper physically than having a look on the iPad or on a digital edition on a laptop. Times must change for the better but they must not compromise on the physical prints of the newspapers. Bibliography Bromley, M. and O’Malley, T., 1997. A Journalism Reader, London: Routledge Couldry, N. et al., 2010. Media Consumption and Public Engagement: beyond the presumption of attention, NY: Palgrave Macmillan Curran, J. and Seaton, J., 2009. Power Without Responsibility: Press, broadcasting and the Internet in Britain, 7th Ed., London, Routledge Curran J. and Gurevitch M., 1991. Mass Media and Society, Edward Arnold. Eldridge, J., 1993. Getting the Message, London: Routledge Fidler, R., 1997. Mediamorphosis: Understanding New Media, California: Pine Forge Press Franklin, B., 2009. The Future of Newspapers, London: Routledge Franklin, B., 1997. Newszak & News Media, London: Arnold Keeble, R., 2005. Print Journalism: A Critical Introduction, London: Routledge Read More