The death of print media: Factsheet blog tasks

1) What has happened to print media in the last 30 years?

Print media was one of the main sources of information for audiences. The desire for information is not a new one. Since the first newspapers in 1660s, and the relaxing of British censorship laws in 1695, printed newspapers have been a primary source of information.

2) Why is the Independent newspaper such a good case study for the decline in print media?

This is because it eventually failed in the printed form even though it was not a bias newspaper in compared to the daily mail or the sun.

3) What was the Independent newspaper famous for?

For giving a fresh non-aligned perspective and it was free from political bias and proprietorial influence.

4) What did the then-owner of the Independent, Evgeny Lebedev, say about the newspaper's digital-only future?

They’re showing us that the future is digital. This decision preserves the Independent brand and allows us to continue to invest in the high quality editorial content that is attracting more and more readers to our online platforms.

5) How do online newspapers make money?

Advertisements on the website.

6) What did the Independent's longest-serving editor Simon Kelner warn regarding the switch to digital?

The power of the Independent came from the variety of voices, the originality in its design and the iconoclastic feel of the paper. It is very difficult to replicate that in digital form. And it is even more difficult to do that with a paper like the Independent.
7) What is the concern with fake news? What does 'post-truth' refer to?

The new online sites are not that hard to start up on your own so because of this they can copy news format as well. In compared to newspapers where you do need money to publish and ahre ur knowledge. Together with this and the prevalence of social media, online news is now faster to produce and then share to a global audience.
8) What is your view on the decline in print media? Should news be free? Is it a concern that established media brands such as the Independent can no longer afford to exist as a printed newspaper?

I think the decline in print was bound to happen ever since the internet came out. we are in a age with new technology coming out like even books right now are turning into audio books also i think the news could even be better online. But news being free is hard because if your selling people news you would want them to be true and if its free you are not going to try as hard to check/find out about the news.