Newspaper Election Media EC

For the presentation, I liked the atmosphere that was set in the small room and the chairmen in front. However what they focused on for old media vs new media in elections was not my cup of tea. I am not big on politics so it did get very boring. Although I wasn’t interested at first, it kept me wondering and questioning. (Kind of like questioning the authority.)

I liked some of the stats that they through out. Saying that only 9% of younger adults read the newspaper didn’t surprise me. As a young adult I could relate and I would not bother to spend money on a paper that I can just go online and read for free. The newspaper just doesn’t contend with the internet. However when they mentioned that what many people are reading online is just what they agree with, and so the news isn’t news anymore. When one perspective you don’t get the true news. You only get an opinion that you agree with which hurts education, I believe.

The entertainment that is taking over I can relate too but doesn’t mean I enjoy it. I could care less about Paris Hilton and what kind of dog she has, when she is going to jail, what she bought in Beverly Hills. Come to think of it, I can’t relate to that. It was just a filler in the news before but it has taken over. I could care less about a stars life, and why they continue to fail or act out of line.

Back to the election debate. I feel that papers don’t influence elections. They do keep the reader informed and the papers now and days will do anything to keep a reader reading. That is why the panel talked about why they investigate election candidates wives and personal life because it is entertainment, and that is what it is all about now. If we aren’t entertained, the why even read the paper?

The one thing I agree with is that I like that the larger papers are going local, such as the Star Tribune. I don’t know what is going on an China, and even if I did, how would it affect me personally? However I feel that the larger cities should stay international. They are major cities for a reason, and more than likely, more diverse than per say Minneapolis. I think that online journalism is a way to easily stay international too, having so much access on the web.

So overall, I liked the presentation and what was presented. It made you think about what online journalism was evolving into and what the newspapers are doing to keep our attention. It was nice to hear a professionals idea of what the media can do for us.