Why the "Death" of the Newspaper is Good

With the all but inevitable death of the newspaper as we know it, should we be alarmed? As journalists? As consumers? I offer a resounding "no."

There seems to always be a cry for the permanence of established media when a specific industry seems doomed for annihilation. When the audio tape was invented, and tape recorders became a household object, the radio industry feared that it was doomed. Why would people keep listening to the radio when they can record our music? The same dilemma was addressed with the television industry upon the advent of the VCR. All they have to do is record our shows and watch them later! They can even fast forward through the commercials!

The media industries that have survived and even flourished in the face of such threatening innovation are those that recognize, modify, and adapt their business model. True, newspapers will not survive for another ten, five, or even two years based on their current organization. But, the few will recognize how to change, and the rest will soon follow. iTunes, YouTube, online newspapers, Drudge Report, etc. all saw that technology opened a new opportunity, so they seized it, and they are surviving. The newspaper will change--it has to. We just shouldn't be so afraid of the unknown.

Using a PC is Cool Again--Microsoft's New Ad Campaign

Microsoft revealed late this evening that it would be launching a new $300 million advertising campaign in an attempt to reposition Windows and the PC. What is so surprising about this campaign, however, is that the theme of the campaign is a direct response to the Apple ads that everyone loves so much. That's right--"I'm a Mac." "And I'm a PC." The first advertisement will even include an actor dressed to look just like the PC from the Apple ads.

Such a bold move is very risky. The New York Times astutely recognizes the two possibilities--the public will recognize it as a swift and confident response to their attackers, or they could see it as giving credit to their bullies. I'm predicting that the ad campaign will be hugely successful. The campaign will be headed up by the same agency that rebranded Burger King with "Have it Your Way." If the two online ads are any sign of things to come (the ones featuring Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld), I think Microsoft is on their way to letting PC owners once again say with pride, "Yeah, I'm a PC."

Hacked Emails, Bloggers, and the Media

In a story that crosses bloggers, political figures, and invasion of privacy, it was discovered today that liberal hackers broke into Sarah Palin's email account, took screenshots, and distributed them to various websites like Gawker and Huffington Post. All sides of the spectrum would have to agree that such an attack is illegal, unethical, and quite dispicable. With many bloggers rummaging through Sarah Palin's closet looking for skeletons, we are treated everyday to a new accusation about fired commissioners, banned books, or unpaid FFA fees.

Besides the political aspect, what does this show about the access and ease with which sensitive and private material can be spread through the internet? Should websites like Huffington Post knowingly post a story with many of the screenshots? Could this be the result of unregulated "media" in an increasingly open world?

Of course, little can be done to stop such actions, but I think it is the responsiblity of media outlets with gatekeepers to filter such material, recognize it as illegal, and take the responsibile action, regardless of who the target is.

Who is a Journalist?

Journalism has evolved since its beginnings, but its rate of change has increased exponentially within the last few years. During my freshman year at BYU in 2003, I was one of the first people I knew to have a blog. I wrote my personal commentary about politics and the upcoming 2004 presidential election. At one point, I would have as many as thirty people a day, some of whom I knew, others I didn't, following what I said about the day's political news. In at least some small way, I was having an influence on others, and my opinions on politics actually mattered. How could that have been possible even ten years ago?

Today's media has changed to the point that organizations, businesses, and governments have changed the way that they release information to the public. They are now accountable to a much larger group of people, and no longer can a few phone calls keep a story from breaking. Bloggers near the inside of an important story have nothing to lose and don't belong to a company that tells them what to write about. We are our own bosses.

So who is a journalist? Really, anyone that knows how to use a computer, set up a blog, and communicate their ideas to the world. Of course, most of those on the internet don't really have anything noteworthy to say, but you don't have to work for a television station or a newspaper to break a story or to analyze a political story. When everyone has access, the public gets a purer story and more varied opinions. When eveyone is a journalist, the public wins.