In-print Newspapers vs Online News
88Is the era of the printed newspaper nearly over? Online newspapers are becoming increasingly popular. However, the following comparison of the pros and cons of the print newspaper versus online newspapers indicates that neither is mutually exclusive. Rather, one form of news may appeal over another based on a particular reader's lifestyle. We can expect to see both forms of news coexisting into the future, serving slightly different purposes.
Print Newspapers
ADVANTAGES
- Local information (e.g. local news, new zoning and construction, movies/entertainment, local sports, other events in your area, coupons and advertisements for stores having sales)
- Read it anywhere (almost! - it's not restricted to a laptop or other internet-enabled digital device)
- Level of importance of each story is made more obvious by use of different sized headline fonts
- Easy-to-find comic and puzzle section (in most major print newspapers)
DISADVANTAGES
- A subscription to a print newspaper costs money, in contrast many online newspapers offer free access to most content
- Full text of all the content requires you to scan more carefully than online newspapers to find content of interest of you. (Your eyes are your 'search' button!)
- Adds to the household recycling basket
Online Newspapers
ADVANTAGES
- Based on the story you are reading, an online newspaper may suggest other recent stories of interest to you, personalizing the experience and saving you time in finding content of interest.
- Can quickly and easily source the same article from many different online newspapers on the web (e.g. via Google news), allowing you to read the same thing from different perspectives to decrease the possibility of bias.
- Online news can be updated more frequently than the once a day print newspapers
- Content is usually free for basic news of the day (although there is an increasing trend for charging for certain types of content, such as archived material).
DISADVANTAGES
- Requires you to use a digital internet-enabled device; not so compatible with a cup of morning coffee!
- Digital advertisements can be more distracting than print advertisements
- Frequently needing to scroll up and down
Conclusion
While online news and print newspapers overlap a lot in terms of content, each may have a very different appeal based on the reader's personality and lifestyle.
For example, a property developer is much more likely to benefit from an in-print newspaper than online news to find out what is happening locally such as new zoning laws and road construction. On the other hand, someone who is accustomed to being online frequently may simply find it more efficient to simply get their news there.
Print newspapers lend themselves better to browsing while online is more effective for searching.
Lastly, it's important to remember that both print and online news may appeal to the same person under different circumstances (e.g. reading the print newspaper over breakfast and coffee, versus later in the day checking online for updates on stories of interest).
Have your say! Which do YOU prefer?
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@darknlovely3436, thanks for stopping by and commenting
Lot of the Newspapers offer the same subscription in paper and in digital even the local stories and the full content however you you have to pay for a subscription instead of just reading the free version. I prefer the digitial version. I do almost eveything on my PC, including pay bills, watch movies, play music and games, shopping, meal planning.
Thank you for sharing this interesting article.
Hi jc43351, that is a good point you raise that many newspapers offer their same news content in 2 different forms: paper and digital. Thanks for taking the time to bring this up.
Very interesting hub with a nice comparison. But I prefer the in print news paper. It feels much more classic and comfortable.
Hi gabby0506, thank your for your kind words about this hub. It was interesting for me to hear why you prefer the print newspaper: for its very classic look and feel. Yes, it is so true that the 'look' of the print newspaper can make its own statement. Thanks for bringing up this additional advantage of the in-print newspaper.
Good topic for a hub! My husband and I don't subscribe to a newspaper but still enjoy reading print papers when we visit our parents. I agree with the advantages and disadvantages you detailed and don't think that there is a straightforward answer to this for most people.
Hi randomcreative, I'm so glad you liked this hub. Thank you for your response to my question about in-school speech therapy on your hub. I appreciate that you put in the time to write a really helpful answer which addressed my concerns. I think it really helps parents to hear a teacher's perspective - more so in fact than another parent's perspective.
Giselle:
Great article. I'm both a reader and a writer. I like both print and the internet.
I think Foogle and Facebook news offers a great variety on news from different sources. My all time favorite is Yahoo Finance. There I can find a tremendous amount of news that really interests me.
Hi Raymond, it's great that you're getting the best of both worlds: print and internet. I know what you mean about having favorite online news sources. My personal favorite is Google news because then I can easily check out a story from several angles.
That was an interesting article. It shows how both forms of news are beneficial and how both have complications. It's funny, a few days ago at my work, we were all gathered around my desk, wondering if the traditional in-print newspaper format was going to die out, thanks to the ever-changing blasts of technology. I certainly hope not. I am the type of person who would rather read an actual book than read if from a Kindle.
Thanks Lforte20. Yes, I really wanted to show the pros and cons of both forms of news - it's not a one-size-fits-all situation. I don't think the in-print newspaper will die out - partly because of many city laws requiring zoning information and town meetings to be published in-print locally, and partly because of people such as yourself who prefer the classic look and feel of newspapers over internet technology. I think both types of news will co-exist to serve different but overlapping functions.
Thanks for your input and for taking the time to read.
....another informative and enlightening hub subject from you and I know all too well about this one because I work for a newspaper called the Hamilton Spectator - and I wouldn't say it's a dying business (yet) but it's certainly not what it used to and never will recover.
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Epigramman, I was so intrigued to hear you work for a newspaper and that you've seen a lot of continuing changes. I guess that means you work to a lot of deadlines? Is it stressful?
I am curious as I have never had any experience with newspapers unless you count delivering them - my first job while in high school. I delivered 2 weekly newspapers in my area. One of which sometimes ran a little late and we would be delivering them literally 'hot off the press' - it was a great experience! We'd all be clustered outside the printing room on our bicycles waiting for 'our' package of issues to be bundled up.
Maybe I'm weird, but one the things I enjoy most about Online newspapers is the comment section :)) Every time I read an interesting article in a classic newspaper, I tend to look at the bottom of the page to see "what other think about this". Obviously there's nothing there :)
And as you mentioned, I really like the fact that in the online environment, you can go from article to article, related stories, news flash, so on so forth. That's actually how I lose track of time when reading the latest stories. :)
Hailei, that is an excellent point you brought up - you are the first person to mention the comments section of the online newspapers! I can't believe I didn't think of that when I wrote this hub!
You are so right that online newspapers give a unique opportunity to 'react' to the news with others, making it a more interactive experience compared with a print newspaper. Thanks so much for sharing your valuable insight!
Hi Giselle Maine ,
Such a wonderful piece of information about the news papers .... It is the effect of Newspapers that we come to know about the world. Its main purpose is to let us know about the world problems and their solutions. Its main objective is to keep the readers informed about the latest developments that are taking place in the world.
Also found one good article to share with you ....
http://expertscolumn.com/content/importance-newspa
It investigates and then presents important events. It also guides and moulds the public opinion. It also provides space for public grievances. It educates the people in good citizenship. a newspaper also provides information on variety of subjects like art, science, business, sports, crime, fashions etc..
Hi Java Programs, yes newspapers AND online news are both good at keeping readers informed. They each have different pros and cons though.
Darknlovely3436 Level 5 Commenter 11 months ago
interesting hub