Newspapers
Newspapers have played a vital role in American history. They have been integral in our culture and the way we live. From the Revolutionary War to the current economic crisis, newspapers have always been there to inform citizens on what is happening around our neighborhoods, our country, and the entire world.
Newspapers in the 1970s
The New York Times, a very famous newspaper corporation, still prints extremely important news articles along with their headlines. Newspapers themselves have not changed that much; they still offer the news in the same way. The NY Times itself is still the large organization that it was in the 70's, with many readers across the country. The only difference in its reporting is the news stories. In the picture on the right, an article from March 7th, 1970, describes much of the news that we would see in a regular newspaper today. For example, we see political debate, economic standings, and international incidents.
Newspapers Now
Newspapers have not changed much since the 1970s. The style, format, and role of the media in newspapers are generally the same. Their similarities can be seen in the pictures to the left and above. The NY Times has stayed true to their heritage, and their papers are almost identical in appearance. Groundbreaking important headlines are always emphasized in the paper, and its cover is still well known. The article that followed the September 11th attacks had a huge impact and is remembered as one of the most memorable newspaper headlines in modern history.
Decline
The 70s and the present generation have experienced that newspaper are becoming less and and less common. The influence of the media in newspapers have been declining in both time periods. According to Victor Thorn of the American Free Press, the number of daily newspapers in New York from the 1960s to the 1980s dropped from 12 to 4. The newspaper industry today has fallen to its lowest level since 1984. The newspaper industry in the 1970s and 2010's are both similar in that its influence is becoming smaller and smaller.
There are more than one reasons why the newspaper industry is slowly losing its influence. The more obvious reason is its inability to collect advertising contracts. In Thorn's article, he interviews a newspaper expert, who says that "Before the 1970s, the newspapers relied on a huge circulation stream. But after that, most newspaper revenue came from advertising." With the addition of new technological advancements in society, the newspaper companies have dropped short on advertising deal. In the 1970s it was the diversification of the news on television. In the present generation, it is the expansion of the internet. According to Thorn, "Technology has changed the word, and print publications are certainly not immune." In both generations, we see an decline in the power of the newspaper industry. Although their style and culture remain similar, they are unfortunately alike in the fact that they are both becoming economically unsound trades.
There are more than one reasons why the newspaper industry is slowly losing its influence. The more obvious reason is its inability to collect advertising contracts. In Thorn's article, he interviews a newspaper expert, who says that "Before the 1970s, the newspapers relied on a huge circulation stream. But after that, most newspaper revenue came from advertising." With the addition of new technological advancements in society, the newspaper companies have dropped short on advertising deal. In the 1970s it was the diversification of the news on television. In the present generation, it is the expansion of the internet. According to Thorn, "Technology has changed the word, and print publications are certainly not immune." In both generations, we see an decline in the power of the newspaper industry. Although their style and culture remain similar, they are unfortunately alike in the fact that they are both becoming economically unsound trades.