The Rise and Fall of Print
The rise and fall of print newspapers has juggled over centuries. In the 1800s, newspapers were a booming industry. Benjamin Day opened the New York Sun and created the “Penny Press.” It was a daily newspaper, aimed at the working-class. This was also a period in time when journalistic standards, that are still upheld today, were created. In 1851, the infamous New York Times was also created, known back then as The New York Daily Times.
As time ticked by so did advances in journalism, such as photography. During the Civil War era, styles of writing were introduced that are still used today, for example the inverted-pyramid. The Associated Press was also formed during this period, which today is the world’s oldest and one of the largest news agencies.
This timeline of print journalism wouldn’t be complete without the honorable William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer mentions from the 1890s. The term “yellow journalism,” dates back to this era which relates to a comic strip, published by Pulitzer.
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Newspapers continued to thrive, until the mid-20th century. Radio, television and then the Internet interrupted the booming newspaper eras. Technology changed the delivery of news. Newspaper agencies now undergo a slow but steady decline. Media outlets take advantage of the more efficient way to grow their audiences. Readers can now read an article with a simple click of a mouse or by receiving a notification within seconds on their phone.
According to a research done at the Pew Research Center, weekday and Sunday newspaper circulation fell by about 7% and 4% in 2015. Even though a sudden rise occurred in 2013, the decline resumed afterwards and circulation continued to spiral down more rapidly in 2014 and 2015.
In Arizona, multiple newspaper organizations are suffering, such as The Douglas Dispatch and The Daily Star. In an era like now, where social media has taken over, the fight for audiences and advertisements is at an ultimate high. Stacks of newspapers sit in bins, waiting to be read, while people are walking around with their heads tilted down, scrolling on their phone.
In order to survive into the 21st century, newspaper industries must not only find new business models, but also find innovative ways to better their storytelling.
