News and new Media

One of the sights from Athens which seems to be etched in my mind is of many kiosks, festooned with newspapers and magazines.  There is typically a dizzying array of printed matter pinned to the outside of one of these kiosks, fluttering in the breeze - such a common scene there.

In the US, one would find a similar (though in my humble opinion more sterile) setup in the typical newsstand.  Once again, a multitude of newspapers and magazines can be found here, all printed on paper - what some might consider a waste of natural resources (e.g. trees).

I would like to ask each of you however, when was the last time you got your news from a newspaper or magazine, sitting in your favorite chair?  What about TV?  What about online?  The experts seem to indicate that social media is going to supersede the more traditional media and the antiquated news delivery mechanisms they use.

Young people today do not subscribe to newspapers and magazines - they see no value in this, as printed news is "old news".  e-Readers seem to be popping-up everywhere.  From Amazon's Kindle to the i Pad and of course there's the old standby of taking your laptop to the WiFi-equipped coffee shop to catch-up on the news while you sip your favorite beverage.  I heard one expert proclaim that, in the US at least, the newsstand will disappear within ten years.  It may take a bit longer in Greece, however I think a similar shift will take place over there.

It appears traditional media is facing a critical point in its history.  The economic recession has forced various newspapers and magazines around the world to close, or be sold.  Many others are barely hanging-on.  The staff at these publications are facing a very real possibility of seeing their profession sliding towards extinction.  As is always the case when facing massive change, many resist, refusing to accept the dynamics behind the shift observed in the last few years.  Others however, are beginning to see the writing on the wall and are already positioning themselves to evolve.  The latter are the more intelligent ones in my opinion. 
The choice is not very complicated really - evolve and survive, or resist and perish.