NDM: the effect of online technology on newspapers
1) Do you agree with James Murdoch that the BBC should not be allowed to provide free news online? Why?
No I definitely think that the BBC should remain the way it is and be a free news provider. There are many other newspapers such as "The Times" that people who value news can read. The BBC should remain free as it it the go-to news source that most people in the UK read as it is known for its unbiased content.
2) Read this blog on the Times paywall three years on (note this is the UK Times - not the New York Times!)
3) Was Rupert Murdoch right to put his news content (The Times, The Sunday Times) behind a paywall?
I think it was reasonable because its better to have a "stable revenue from loyal audience" than to rely on advertising. Also the point made about "freebies" is also significant as people who are interested in this offer are encouraged to read newspapers that provide good quality news stories.
4) Choose two comments from below the Times paywall article - one that argues in favour of the paywall and one that argues against. Copy a quote from each and explain which YOU agree with and why.
In favour of the paywall- What the management of MailOnline have done is show that the free model might just work ever so slightly, but probably not in a robust, profitable way. What News UK have shown is that they can move over paying customers, and keep a healthy ratio of decent content to preserve the brand equity.
Against paywall - "All very well, but the Times has zero web presence. What's the point of existing in the 21st century without one?
I never hear or read anything from the newspaper, because nobody can share what it publishes."
I agree with the argument against paywall as I believe that it is important for a newspaper to accessible to everyone, so that they can share news stories on social media platforms. I think that this gives a newspaper more credibility as it more people can rely on it for information. However if the newspaper had a paywall, only a small majority of people would access it and the organisation would make less money. In turn, less people will know about the news organisation and it wont be as popular as others.
5) Read this article from the Media Briefing on the continuing decline of the newspaper industry.
6) Why do you think the Evening Standard has bucked the trend and increased circulation and profit in the last two years?
I think that the Evening Standard has increased circulation and profit as it is available to the public for free. It is also a common newspaper that is available at train stations so it is likely to sell out quickly, and to a larger audience. At the start of this year, the Standard announced it was expanding its distribution from around 700,000 copies a day to closer to 900,000, which rather neatly explains the 27 percent increase in circulation recorded by the ABC.
7) Is there any hope for the newspaper industry or will it eventually die out? Provide a detailed response to this question explaining and justifying your opinion.
I think that newspaper will eventually die out as most people nowadays get their now from digital platforms,whether it be social media or news apps. Most newspapers have already recognized this decline, and have moved to the online platform to sustain their audience figures, however it does effect the income of these news organisations as their profit only relies on ad sales. Furthermore, there is now a larger amount of younger audiences who are reading the news as social media sites have allowed them to have a voice in the world they live in, especially in terms of politics. Therefore the availability of news organisations online, allows these "digital natives" to share and distribute news on social media, and reach a global audience.
However I still believe that it is important for some organisations to have a paywall as tey provide good quality content to a niche audience, who value the type of news that the organisation provides. The New York Times for example it known for the quality of its investigative journalism which has uncovered many major news stories over the past years.
No I definitely think that the BBC should remain the way it is and be a free news provider. There are many other newspapers such as "The Times" that people who value news can read. The BBC should remain free as it it the go-to news source that most people in the UK read as it is known for its unbiased content.
2) Read this blog on the Times paywall three years on (note this is the UK Times - not the New York Times!)
3) Was Rupert Murdoch right to put his news content (The Times, The Sunday Times) behind a paywall?
I think it was reasonable because its better to have a "stable revenue from loyal audience" than to rely on advertising. Also the point made about "freebies" is also significant as people who are interested in this offer are encouraged to read newspapers that provide good quality news stories.
4) Choose two comments from below the Times paywall article - one that argues in favour of the paywall and one that argues against. Copy a quote from each and explain which YOU agree with and why.
In favour of the paywall- What the management of MailOnline have done is show that the free model might just work ever so slightly, but probably not in a robust, profitable way. What News UK have shown is that they can move over paying customers, and keep a healthy ratio of decent content to preserve the brand equity.
Against paywall - "All very well, but the Times has zero web presence. What's the point of existing in the 21st century without one?
I never hear or read anything from the newspaper, because nobody can share what it publishes."
I agree with the argument against paywall as I believe that it is important for a newspaper to accessible to everyone, so that they can share news stories on social media platforms. I think that this gives a newspaper more credibility as it more people can rely on it for information. However if the newspaper had a paywall, only a small majority of people would access it and the organisation would make less money. In turn, less people will know about the news organisation and it wont be as popular as others.
5) Read this article from the Media Briefing on the continuing decline of the newspaper industry.
6) Why do you think the Evening Standard has bucked the trend and increased circulation and profit in the last two years?
I think that the Evening Standard has increased circulation and profit as it is available to the public for free. It is also a common newspaper that is available at train stations so it is likely to sell out quickly, and to a larger audience. At the start of this year, the Standard announced it was expanding its distribution from around 700,000 copies a day to closer to 900,000, which rather neatly explains the 27 percent increase in circulation recorded by the ABC.
7) Is there any hope for the newspaper industry or will it eventually die out? Provide a detailed response to this question explaining and justifying your opinion.
I think that newspaper will eventually die out as most people nowadays get their now from digital platforms,whether it be social media or news apps. Most newspapers have already recognized this decline, and have moved to the online platform to sustain their audience figures, however it does effect the income of these news organisations as their profit only relies on ad sales. Furthermore, there is now a larger amount of younger audiences who are reading the news as social media sites have allowed them to have a voice in the world they live in, especially in terms of politics. Therefore the availability of news organisations online, allows these "digital natives" to share and distribute news on social media, and reach a global audience.
However I still believe that it is important for some organisations to have a paywall as tey provide good quality content to a niche audience, who value the type of news that the organisation provides. The New York Times for example it known for the quality of its investigative journalism which has uncovered many major news stories over the past years.
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