Newspaper downfall more hype than fact

By: Kate Jacobs

Posted: 4/17/09

Despite lingering fears that newspapers are becoming obsolete, a panel discussion brought to light that it is "Not Yet the End."

Journalism professors Bill Knight and Mohammad Siddiqi, journalism assistant professor Mark Butzow, and English associate professor Bradley Dilger each gave their opinions on the issue.

Knight began by stating that the problem has been blown out of proportion, referring to the newspaper industry's history and its reputation of ups and downs.

"This is a time of crisis," Knight said. "Maybe the problems are not as bad as the media may be telling us."

The members of the panel were in agreement that these are rough times for the newspaper industry and that a change in how it is operated is imperative to the survival of the newspaper.

"Newspapers are still profiting, the problem is in the debt they undertook," Knight said. "It's the greater fool theory."

According to Knight, the greater fool theory refers to newspapers that bought up other newspapers for a large amount of money, thinking that despite overpaying, they could in turn sell it for even more money to an even bigger fool.

"There is no greater fool anymore," Knight said.

Many big businesses have recently been given large loans by the government to ensure their survival. Butzow thinks that the newspaper industry shouldn't hold their breath for one.

"It isn't going to get bought up by our tax dollars like AIG," Butzow said.

Knight explained that when a working business model is developed and instituted, the industry should bounce back.

Butzow expressed his fear of what would come from the continued absence of one. He explained that if an effective and innovative model is not put in place, it might cause newspapers to be unable to keep investigative journalists on their staff.

"If we get to the point where we are not allowing journalists to keep an eye on people in power, we have a real problem," Butzow said.

Patrick Stout of the broadcasting department added that newspapers might be forced to send one reporter on an assignment versus five or six, causing a "lack of diverse voices."

Newspapers and their content "are of importance to democracy," Knight concluded, citing that people who want to be active citizens in a democracy need a newspaper.

Often linked to the demise of the newspaper is the infiltration of the Internet.

"It has been over 20 years since the Web began, and Facebook is barely five years old," Dilger said. "It's time for a little perspective here. All media were once new media." He stated that five or so years down the road, Facebook and other similar media will probably die down.

Rich Egger from WIUM-FM radio said that in the 1950s, as television became more widespread, people thought that radio was dead.

"Radio reinvented itself," Egger said. "No medium has ever driven out of existence any other medium. The other medium will adapt."

Siddiqi explained that as an educator of journalism, it has presented a challenge.

He stated that good reporting skills, how to write effectively and media ethics should remain a part of their teachings to prepare future journalists.

"All of the curriculum needs to be made to reflect the digitization of the world around us," Siddiqi said.