5A2 - 6.8.21 (READING) QUIZIZZ

Is physical, printed media dying? Will this generation of young people be the last to experience traditional books and newspapers? As digital media becomes increasingly popular, we look at current newspaper and book trends.

The newspaper industry, like the music industry, has been hit hard by the Internet. Just like pirated music, news is readily available for free online, so people are choosing not to pay for it. The Internet can also provide news the second it happens. It is clear that the traditional print newspaper, which is still published once a day, is no longer a practical way to receive information.

To keep their readers, most newspapers have now produced digital online versions. Plenty of news is available for free, but some famous, well-respected papers like The Times, for example, only give the reader full access to the digital version if they pay a subscription. Compared to the cost of a print newspaper every day, a digital membership is more affordable. Not only that, but online readers get an interactive experience since they can express their views by posting comments on articles that are of particular interest to them.

The newspaper benefits from being online too. Money that was needed for materials such as ink and paper, warehouses, delivery vans, and so on required by a daily print newspaper can be saved. An online newspaper can make more profits and there is less wastage of resources.

And what about books? If print newspapers are impractical compared to their digital versions, could e-books on tablets and e-readers replace print books? Here the situation is less clear because print books have some definite advantages over e-books. Firstly, the print on a page won’t give you headaches or eye strain like a screen does. Also, you have to charge a device or you can’t read at all. And what happens if your device is stolen or breaks? You could easily drop it, or take it to the beach with you and get sand or sea water in it; then you will be unable to read until you have it fixed or get a new one. That’s something you’ll never have to worry about with a normal book. Cost is also an issue. You have to purchase an often expensive digital device and then the e-books you buy are only a little cheaper than the paper editions.

But best of all, a print book is a physical thing and people like holding books, turning the pages, collecting them, filling their shelves and bookcases with them. People prefer the overall experience of reading a real book because it is more relaxing than using an electronic device. We love curling up on the sofa on a wet weekend and getting lost in an amazing adventure, or lying under a beach umbrella on holiday with a good detective novel. No matter how easy the Kindle or the iPad are to use, these machines will never be as user-friendly as a proper book, which you just pick up and open. The charm of a real book might be hard for those who are gadget-savvy to understand, but it looks like printed books are a long way from dying.