Discussion post

#1 Kevin What role have newspapers traditionally played in the United States? Newspapers have traditionally been the primary information source for knowledge and discussion within a country. Obviously this had shifted to more digital in the last ~20 years, but newspapers are still important. Are newspapers fundamentally vital to democracy? Yes they are, because they are always a finite printed accounts of information and discourse happening at the time of publication. Should they be treated as more than just a business? Yes, newspapers should stand the test of time as another way to "back up" the shared world experience and history. Bring in your personal experiences: Do your parents or siblings read the newspaper? No - we're much more of digital readers at this point. Were newspapers an important part of your household? Kind of. We had a regular newspaper subscription, but I don't remember it often being read at my household What do you see as the future of newspapers in print and the future of newspapers online? I think they will continue to move online, though certain prestigious publications like the NYT or Washington Post I think will have a printed readership long into the future. Should they get special tax breaks, public support? I think as much as possible all news sources should be non-partisan and if that means tax breaks, than I'm all for it

#2. Based on what we've learned from chapter 8, I believe newspapers will not be used in the future. Traditionally we have the press which is a form of mass media that provides newspapers, magazines, and more to the general public. People used to buy newspapers to read the news, see the weather forecast or see job openings in the area, however, now everyone under the age of 50 most likely gets their news and weather forecasts from television or on their phone. Apps and websites have now been created to help people apply for jobs which makes newspapers, not of much use besides something to read to pass the time. None of my parents or siblings read the newspaper, but my Grandpa still does, this leads me to believe that the new generation won't feel the same value for newspapers as past generations. Newspapers do however still play an important part in our democracy, a census made by the government says that voting in the ages 65-74 was highest they've ever been in the 2020 presidential election, which could mean the older voters used the newspaper to gather information on the candidates and make a better decision. I don't think at this point in time newspapers should be treated as more than a business because with climate change I think now is more important than ever to care about our planet and not cut down trees to make paper, if we went paperless it would not only be easier to access but also save the environment. I do believe that online newspapers and articles are still heavily used today to find information, but the traditional newspaper is just unnecessary in my opinion.