From Newspapers to Social Media
In 2018, Social Media officially replaced Newspapers as a form of getting global news (SHEARER 1). Before then, people relied on Newspapers daily to get a scoop into what the current events were and what people’s standings are on them. To be clear, however, Social Media has not surpassed other means of news such as Televison, News Websites, and the Radio (SHEARER 1). So, why do users rely on social media more than newspapers and what makes them stay as users? The most simple answer would be convenience and portability.
Yes, newspapers are convenient to purchase. You can find your local newspaper in street paper vending machines or at your nearest gas station. The issue with paper is that eventually, it gets thrown away, increasing our global waste output. In fact, 25% of waste in the landfill and 33% in the municipal is paper (Mr. Rooter 1). As this is something that affects our environment greatly, it is no surprise that people have moved on to another form of news intake, that being social media.
Your device fits in your pocket, is easy to use, and available 24/7 (as long as your phone is charged!). Unlike the newspaper, news on social media is updating constantly. Users can site their work by including articles and other users can interact with that post by sharing, liking, or reposting it. Social media grew so popular because it is an interactive news outlet, so now the dads around the world can stop yelling at the TV and start commenting on their Twitter posts. The one issue I personally have with using social media is the spread of fake news. It’s very easy to get caught up in people’s opinions and forget to look it up to fact check it. Luckily, social media platforms are starting to develop filters that filter out fake news to prevent the spread of misinformation.
