The importance of newspapers...

If you've been following the massive chain reaction that the current economic crisis is producing, you might have heard about the impending collapse of the newspaper industry. Companies like CanWest (a massive Canadian media conglomerate) are dangerously close to defaulting on its loans--which are in the tens of billions--used to purchase a swath of North American news outlets. Throughout the country, large newspapers are now being forced to cutback, continually announcing expansion cutbacks and job losses. 

Much of the current downfall is being blamed on declining advertising revenues (a newspaper's largest source of revenue), but the newspaper industry has been on a downward spiral for quite some time. The rise of the internet has perhaps been the greatest enemy of the industry, as readers can now gather their information online (often for free) and from a wider range of sources. And where the people go, the advertisers (and more importantly, their money) go. Bloggers are being partially blamed for the downfall. Even environmental concerns and an impatient society unwilling to sit down and read the morning paper over a cup o' Joe can be blamed for the industry's potential downfall. 

Many are saying good riddance. There's no need for newspapers, or at least the print versions. But these people are wrong. Dead wrong.

Newspapers are our best source of credible information. It is true, there is much concern over the monopolization of the industry and the top-down influence on the paper's content, but the majority of our news service from newspapers is credible. No matter what the conspiracy theorists say, we can trust most newspapers, as long as we act as critically thinking readers. 

Imagine a world without newspapers (including those who have moved online), where the only source of information comes from TV, unregulated websites, magazines and ahem, blogs (I would trust a Globe & Mail article over anything found on this site 9 times out of 10). TV is wonderful, but even more at risk of this top-down influence and is often greatly condensed. The unregulated sources are often fraught with mixed and inaccurate information.

We need newspapers because they keep us well-informed. They are trustworthy, credible sources; the catalysts of democracy, if you will. Many have columns that allow credible writers to dish out their honest opinion (it is true that this is not always the case, as has been seen with the numerous and controversial drops of Gwynne Dyer's column). Some that have adopted sophisticated websites now have blogs from reporters, columnists and editors, allowing them to express their thoughts on issues without the constraints of the mainstream news.

I would not be surprised to see it and other media outlets suddenly come crawling to the door of the government looking for some handouts. And with the automotive sector getting much of its way, I don't see why the newspapers couldn't get the same. 

The newspaper industry has its control issues, but it is absolutely necessary to keep around. If not for the democratic and informative benefits, then at least for those who still find the time to sit down with a cup of coffee or an afternoon snack and read the print version.