There was a time when the newspaper was basically the sole source for news. All the larger cities had several papers competing to get the most circulation. Most of them printed morning and evening editions and if something really special happened, like the outbreak of a war, there may be an "extra" edition as in "Extra!, Extra! Read all about it!"
In the early 1920's, radio arrived and began broadcasting news in a quicker and more timely manner. Then television took over radio's dominance in entertainment and news. Today, radio and television still are a large factor in the delivery of the news and have been joined by the internet. All three combined have taken over the dominance of newspapers as a primary provider of the news. Rather that wait for stories that have been printed hours before in morning and afternoon editions of a newspaper, we can now turn on CNN, Fox, or an internet connection and get an up to the minute account of any event.
The result has been devastating to many newspapers and magazines who have closed down because of a loss of circulation. Other papers have adapted and changed their strategy to retain readers.
TheArizona Republic, for example
, has branched out into 43 sub-publications that cover various areas and interests. They also have azcentral.com to give internet coverage. In Denver, the YourHub tabloids offer an extra attraction to receiving the
Rocky Mountain News.
We live in a hurried society. Attention spans are shorter and there is less time for what used to be common practice. Younger people have grown up in homes where the sound of the morning paper hitting the driveway is unknown. Their kids will never know that sound either. Dad no longer comes home to his pipe, slippers, and the evening edition.
Most newspapers continue to lose circulation, but will they go the way of the telegram? I doubt it as most are doing their best to adapt as the
Rocky Mountain News has done by incorporating an internet edition. And, regardless of a slippage of readership, there will always be enough people left who depend on the paper for advertising and enjoy reading it over a morning cup of coffee.