Assisted (Print) Suicide

One of my favorite places to go is the library. I love wandering up and down the aisles of books and daydreaming about what story lies within those pages. Every summer, I looked forward to participating in the summer reading contests. I entered college as an English major with the idea to one day earn a Master's Degree in Library Science. Forbes agrees that there is a necessity for public libraries, even in this digital age. Although I eventually switched my major to Public Relations (shout out to Junker), books continually impact my life in a positive way.

While I do have a huge affinity for books, I have never actively read print newspapers. My parents used to subscribe to the Dallas Morning News, but ended their subscription when the value stopped seeming worthy. Instead of the full Dallas Morning News edition, my parents opted to switch to the Briefing, which is a free publication that highlights the important news in the community, nation and the world.

I would consider my parents a part of the late majority when it comes to adopting new technology. They have not yet switched from the Briefing to a digital subscription, but that development may be coming sooner than they realize. A few years ago, the Dallas Morning News released a digital strategy that would charge consumers for content. This was a risky move at the time, but in today's society this development makes sense. To me, it seems to matter less how the content is presented (whether print or digital) but more so that it is quality journalism. Print providers must make the transition to a digital product in a seamless way and assure consumers reporting will not be sacrificed simply because it is not presented in a tangible print format.

We're not the only ones to wonder if newspapers are dying. In 2009, senators from across the nation met to discuss the shift from print to digital media. While there are certainly cases to be made for both sides of the argument, I think that the shift from print to digital media is inescapable. Publications across the world are following the same model as the Dallas Morning News and are charging for premium digital content. By encouraging consumers to buy into this transition, print publications are essentially digging their own grave.