RIP: The Newspaper
BBC News (UK Edition) has published a thought-provoking article titled “What will newspapers look like in 20 years?“, on the back of The Guardian’s decision to switch from ‘broadsheet’ format to a more compact, practical ‘berliner’ style.
10 years ago predictions were rife that the newspaper’s days were numbered, based on the increased popularity of the internet and television media. Papers continue to circulate, but sales figures are dropping, especially in 1st world markets.
20 years on is a scary proposition. At the rate our world advances today, it’s likely the changes in store regarding the ways and means of communicating and disseminating information are beyond comprehension or imagination. One is inclined to conjure up images of the ‘moving picture and content’-type newspapers found only in Harry Potter novels, or Steven Spielberg’s interpretation in the sci-fi Minority Report, if one believes newspapers will continue to exist at all.
It got me thinking about other ‘institutional’ stalwarts we might see disappear in the next 20 years. I’ve listed one or two I would expect to have vanished by 2025 – what do you think?
1. Petrol-driven motor vehicles
2. Specialist bakeries, butcheries and grocery stores
3. Cricket umpires 
4. Cash! (bank notes and coins)
5. Traditional landline telephones
6. Radios (maybe a bit ambitious)
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Firstly, I’m not so sure that thinking about what 20 years worth of technology will have to offer us is that scary. I’m more inclined to think it’s pretty damn exciting!
Re your predictions:
1. I totally agree with you – I was just talking to my husband about this last night. I’m of the opinion that the petrol price is going to force people to streamline existing technology around electric cars, etc. My hubby, however, seems to think that big business will never let that happen.
2. I’m hoping that the opposite will be true. Probably big chain supermarkets are more at risk because I think that there will be a shift to a more “community” way of doing things – growing their own organic veggies, baking breads, using natural products rather that genetically modified shite jam packed full of chemicals. But that could just be the hippy chick in me talking
3. Okay, I’ll give you that one.
4. Totally! I despise cash! Last month the total cash transactions on my cheque account came to R400. I was gob-smacked this week when one of my colleagues was dashing out at lunch time because she “hadn’t paid her rent yet”. Who doesn’t use internet banking???
5. Absolutely, they’re already superfluous. We recently moved offices and our landlines were down for about a week. I’m not sure any of us noticed.
6. Okay, now you’ve hit a nerve. Honestly, I don’t think radio will ever really disappear because people like the intimacy of it. I do believe, though, that the nature of broadcasting will probably change dramatically.
It’s interesting to think about – heck, for all we know the internet will be replaced by 2025!
To me, there is nothing like real paper in my paws. If I can help it, there will always be a ‘real’ newspaper. It can be a handy thing, seeing them online, though.
In this particular conversation, it would be helpful to know how old you are.
I am 35, and I can’t remember when last I read a newspaper… Magazines I still read quite a bit, but not newspapers. I even got a free home delivered 3 month subscription recently. About 95% were chucked straight into the rubbish bin, unread.
And I am a vociferous reader and news gatherer…
I’m 53. My wife likes to take the Sunday paper, mostly for the TV schedule, but I read it. I walk over to United Market Street, buy a couple of newspapers, and read’em.
I’m the same way about novels. If I could read them online, I wouldn’t. I know, because I have tried that in the past…it’s kind of tedious.