Bye Bye Reading Post, the first in farewells of local print newspapers?

Link to article: Reading Post Says Farewell
Article Headline:

Reading Post bids a print farewell and welcomes an online future

The Last Edition of the Reading Post 

This article outlines the brief history of The Reading Post, its success over the years and the causes of its decline. It explains why the newspaper's '49 year history' has come to an end, as a result of seeking a new online-only future.

What the article tells us:

• Launched as the Evening Post on 14th September 1965, the Post was then regarded as, "the most technologically advanced paper in the country". This discloses why the end of Reading's local newspaper would feature on a national website; because the newspaper was a leader in the terms of technology in the newspaper world. 

• Trinity Mirror says, to continue the Post’s legacy of being at the forefront of innovation by focusing on a digital-only approach, it will concentrate being online. This draws attention to an online presence being detrimental for newspapers to survive. However, by focusing online, print issues are deprived, leading to their demise. 
• Ed Walker (who has been appointed as publisher of getreading.co.uk) argues: 

“The average adult in the UK who owns a smartphone (such as an iPhone) unlocks their phone more than 100 times a day, and by early 2015 the percentage of adults with a smartphone is set to pass 80%.

Look under the Christmas tree this year and you’ll find another explosion of iPads, Kindles and various other tablets waiting to be unwrapped.

We have to ensure getreading is one of those key places people turn to when unlocking their phone, be it for a quick catch-up on the latest news or an in-depth read on the issues affecting our town.”

• Ed Walker's view suggests that they believe the demise of the Reading Post opens more opportunities to focus on their online news and attracting people to their site.

What I think

I think the Print versus Online conundrum is a major battle for newspapers. Undeniably, more people turn to the internet to seek news stories and headlines, because it's cheaper, easier, more available and more immediate. Newspapers sacrificing their print issues makes sense economically; what's the point selling a newspaper people aren't reading? After all, nothing lasts forever.

However, my concern is how will GetReading attract its audience, when they are competing with National and International news sites like The Guardian, MailOnline, BBC etc. Obviously they competed with national newspapers as print as well, but, how will they sustain the audience, now the newspaper has gone online. What will make them different?

And then there's the wider issue of course. Does the death of local newspapers mean the future of more local and even national print newspapers is on the horizon? If so, is there anything that can be done with the power of the internet maintaining its success? And even more so, does anyone actually care that the print newspaper's future is looking more and more of a negative one? 

'The TV is Dead, Long Live TV'

Article Reference: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/dec/09/tv-dead-long-live-television-format-consuming

'The TV is Dead Long Live TV'

When I first saw the headline for the article I had to pause for a second. I thought, how could the TV be dead? Much like the author of the article, I see the TV as being a focal point of the home. It has its own corner in the living room, with the sofas facing towards it, so all eyes can be on the screen.

When I think of television I think about sitting down on the sofa and watching a reality TV show with my family, commentating on contestants and criticizing the predictability of the program etc. So at first, I thought the TV is far from dead, when it's very much alive in my home, but then after reading the article I re-evaluated.

As the author of the article expresses, the convergence of media products, the increased accessibility, along with an increase in digital media, has allowed programs to be viewed at our own time and in a place of our choice. The new era of i Player, Netflix and YouTube, which can be viewed on mobiles, tablets, I Pads, laptops, desktops etc. means the TV is losing its credibility.

We are limited with our TV. We are restricted to our home, and succumb to program clashes with other family members. However, digital media has allowed these restrictions to diminish. We can now watch programs we want to, when we want, and on which ever platform we want.

So maybe the author of the article is right. Maybe the TV is the family experience. It's associated with family programs we all want to watch and enjoy together, while our tablets and laptops are for the more independent and individual experience. So actually the TV isn't as much dead, but alive for more precise and sharing moments to enjoy, than ever before.