Precious News
by Kevin Zhang
News of Barack Obama's historic election on November 4 dramatically increased demand for newspapers on November 5. Tall, bold headlines announcing the nation's new president transformed copies of the daily paper into collector's items. Though many publishers printed thousands of extra copies in anticipation of higher demand for their post-election issue, at newsstand prices, supply simply couldn't keep up with the surge in demand. On Wednesday morning, many looking to own a piece of history found only empty news boxes and long lines in front of newsstands.
Not surprisingly, copies of major newspapers' November 5, 2008 issue began selling for as much as $200 on eBay and Craigslist.
This is a classic example of how a market responds to an increase in demand. The market equilibrium on a normal day for newspapers is at point A with price P1 and quantity Q1. As the demand curve for newspapers shifts rightward from D1 to D2 (people want more newspapers at any given price level), both equilibrium quantity and equilibrium price of newspapers increase as a result—from P1 to P2, and Q1 to Q2. On November 5, the quantity of newspapers supplied increased in part because publishers anticipated higher demand and in part because they scrambled to reprint when demand was even higher than expected. In the end, more newspapers appeared in the market, and at higher prices. The new market equilibrium for newspapers on November 5 is now at point B.
Though the consequences of the sudden shock in demand for November 5 newspapers are pretty much as expected, the reasons behind this shock are not so clear.
Though newspapers received renewed attention after the election, newspaper circulation has fallen steadily across the country for years. The ease of instant access to up-to-date information and the accessibility of free content have turned many readers to the Internet for news. The spike in demand for newspapers after the election raises interesting questions about the value of the daily newspaper in a digital world.
With the prominence of the Internet, why do you think people still wanted physical copies of newspapers with news they probably already knew? What factors do you think drove up the value of newspapers after the election? What do paper newspapers have that websites do not?
74 comments:
Well the most obvious reason as to why people bought newspapers after Obama's election was due to the fact it was a sort of milestone in terms of precedence of American presidencies. I suppose people bought it also, as a reminder that they were witness to such an event and will most likely have it framed or passed on to others of their lineage at a later time. But outside of Obama's presidency, newspapers are definetly a thing of the past because technology has it beat completly. Many people could get the news in the palm of their hands nowadays, leaving newspapers as antediluvian as the A-track player or vinyl records.
The future of the newspaper business might not entirely be bleak. without TV, I personally would know nothing about local news, i read news on the internet a lot, but it's all on a national level. Small local newspaper chains might be able to stay in business from that. National news papers like USA Today- I just can't imagine them going down. The popularity of the November 5th paper is probably expected, the first black president, it's a landmark in American History, not only because of that, but with the given crisis, Obama has the potential to put his name amongst the other great presidents such as FDR, Lincoln, and Kennedy.
The reason to buy a newspaper after Obama's election is quite clear- to own a piece of history. They know after many years, the newspaper they bought has a certain value greater than when they had originally purchased it. I think newspaper sales will decline due to technology. Most people now use the Internet for news.
Newspapers are very useful for making paper mache so I think they'll be around for a long time.
I personally will always have a newspaper delivered to my house because I like to have an actual physical copy of the news, music, movies, etc. Personally, I have always enjoyed the feeling of holding a CD in my hand, rather than having a digital MP3 on my computer. With news it is no different. I prefer to have a legitimate copy of the news, with the local news, sports, national news, and comics all in one area. With internet being bias to ends, the newspaper is at least, edited to get rid of bias, while an internet news source most likely has less editing and more bias.
to random nonsense: ???
The newspaper simply holds sentimental value, a value high enough for people to pay a price for it. having your own physical piece of history is having a piece that noone else has, many people may have the same thing, but no one has your copy of it. i expect to see framed variations of this memorable days on the walls of many americans who will, down the road a few years, look upon the picture with as much pride as the day they obtained the newspaper. newspapers will always be a necessity, possibly not for their use, but more for the feelings and emotions they can hold.
People will probably not stop buying newspapers for a very long time. One reason is simply because not everyone uses the internet and older people as well as young people will buy a newspaper because its like a dollar most of the time, or free. The main reason for people buying more newspapers after Obama was elected is self explanatory. Not entirley a silly reason, but in the minds and mindset of the wrong people: pure idodicy.
I think that the reason the demand in newspapers shifted so much was due to the fact that people want something tangible to remember that historic moment. A saved background on a computer screen doesn't carry as much meaning as something that you can hold in your hands and show to the many future generations. Computers continue to advance and often times documents are lost forever, a newspaper that is kept up and elaminated can last forever and in time become even more valuable. Some who are looking for an eventual sale also see a newspaper as an easy way to make some easy money.
There will always be a market for print and to a lesser extent newspapers - on a global scale at the very least; the kindle will have to be very light-weight and have huge buttons for the elderly and infirm to convert.Convenience is relative.Obviously there will come a time because over time everything changes. I believe the next transition period will see a marination of print and online. Further down the track is anyone's guess what the new media platforms will be although it would be reasonable to suggest that the days of paying to display properties on a portal are numbered. Initially, they were established as an interim media platform for real estate when respective markets commenced embracing the Internet as a serious contender to explore emerging electronic markets.
I see successful print media as having greater longevity than paid property portals unless they start seriously re-inventing themselves.
People still wanted newspapers because that newspaper was like a piece of history. People want to be able to show their children and their friends in the future that they were "there" and that they witnessed history being made. Internet articles would not suffice because 1. they are not really tangible things that can be passed from one generation to another, 2. they are not really credible because anyone can print out the article and say they were "there",so it's not like they are really owning a piece of history, 3. Newspapers hold sentimental value because people have always collected newspaper articles from important events in the past, 4. Newspaper articles can be framed or hung up on a wall, 5. You could probably sell newspaper articles of the inauguration for a whole lot more in the future as compared to internet articles, and 6. Anyone can go back and print out any one of the thousands of internet articles on the inauguration, newspapers on the other hand, provide some level of exclusivity because the amount of newspapers are a lot less than the amount of internet news sights/blogs.
The amount of newspapers being purchased has obviously reduced due to the fact that so many people are too busy to stop and get a newspaper when its much easier to go online and find today's headlines at CNN.com. The reason people bought the paper after Obama's election was because these people wanted something to mark this monumentos occasion. They wanted something they could give to their grandchildren and say "I was there when it happened." It would be like reading a copy of the Treaty of Versailles on Armistice Day. You would want a copy of that to show your grandchildren.
"I'm a material girl living in a material world" a great line stated Madonna yet has nothing to do with the passage. The raise in demand for newspaper was due to the historical event of our first black president. This demand was rightfully anticipated by the researchers and have produced more for more money. I think the people wanted to have a newspaper of the day after election rather than websites is that it holds sentimental value. That is all -Cooper
After bagging the countless Obama plastered newspapers and magizines I have been tempted to hop on this band wagon. I believe many people view these coverpages a histrical keepsakes and valuable collectors items. The S and D graph shows that the newspapers have already increased in value. I think These one day historical papers are a good investment. Anyone can go out and print off a webpage with the same content, but apperently not everyone can get a newspaper. I also belive the newspapers are doing so well because Opera hyped them up on one of her shows. Many of these cover pages aslo take on the Granola art form; making them appealing to a cooler audience.
while it is obvious that the newspaper is being replaced by technology, i don't think that it will every completely vanish. With the newspaper a ton of work has been put into it in effort that the news told on it would be as accurate as possible. there are not many newspapers to choose from. but there are many more websites. It is harder to guarantee that the information displayed on the web is truth. there are many ways for people to be able to go in and change something. an article on the web will not last. eventually it will be erased to make more room. the only way to keep something would be to print it. newspapers are hard-copies and many times are saved for special reasons. Obama's presidency obviously made more people desire newspapers because they are hard evidence of the times. A print from the computer would not mean much because any one could get it and again there are many news webs, but not many different newspapers. It also requires payment which puts a greater value on it then just the ability to print something
Newspapers are becoming obsolete. I use the internet to find out all of my news I don’t even watch TV anymore. The main reason why people use wanted newspapers for the election because it was something tangible that the people could hold and frame or what not and look nice compared to printing the article online which does not look as nice. Newspapers are mainly read by older people, and older people are dying off, while younger generations are using the internet more and more.
Newspapers can give you a momento, something tangible to hold on to,something that's not going away, and you can hold onto it for as long as you wish. This factor is what appeals to people.While the internet can give you instant gratification, and the information you need to know now, newspapers give you the ability to hold on to a piece of something you might be afraid to lose
Newspapers are still used and read by many people today. Yes, the post-election paper was wanted by many because of the importance and change in history that the election of Obama was to the country. Although we do have many different advances in technology and stuff, people still like to read daily news from the newspaper every morning. It's just something that many people are used to. Newspapers are not only a thing of the past and if they were gone completely, people would not be happy.
For one thing, the demand for newspapers went up because those who bought it most likely want to keep it as proof of a historic event. Anyone can find the historic happening on the internet today or tomorrow and years to come, but an authentic newspaper supplying the details definitely holds more value since it can not be simply found on a newspaper rack somewhere years later. The most obvious reason why people wanted the newspaper was mainly for its aunthenticity. Then again, one could say that people can just print out a copy from the internet, but a sheet of computer paper just does not have the same effect as a newspaper stack does.
Newspapers make nice piece of memorabilia for historical events. I still have newspapers from 9/11 and my grandparents still have newspapers from the first moon landing. It's just more traditional to save newspapers as a keepsake. Even though online articles are more convenient, no one's goign to print out an article and save it forever because people can print out that same article years later. Newspapers are tangible things from teh actual date of the event
Newspapers have assumed the role of our nation's traditional way of announcing important events. People always strive to be a part of something they consider historic, and having a newspaper declaring the first black president allows them to feel fulfilled in that they successfully stored the memory of the event. On another note, newspapers only exist today because of the routine people have adjusted to over the years before the convenience of electronic media. It will gradually die off as newer generations more accustomed to the internet become the primary news market.
The upsurge of the demand of newspapers after Obama's election was to be completely expected. Owning a newspaper with headlines that showcased the election of the first black president is like owning a piece of history, saying that you were there. However, besides this recent demand i believe newspapers will become a thing of the past in the near future, or atleast production will be limited to a few major newspapers. I can't really see newspapers like the New York Times becoming obsolete, but the internet is definitely a more convenient form on news communication.
Well one thing that the Internet can provide for people is fast and up to the minute news about what is going on. Newspapers do provide accurate and critical information to the public. However the advantage of the up-to-the-minute updates that the Internet has is clearly an advantage over the daily newspaper. However on November fifth people bought all of these newspapers for the reason that it was an important day in history, and many felt that they needed every bit of anything to remember the day, including these newspapers. So it is expected that the demand for newspapers is dramatically greater than before. The only advantage that newspapers have over the internet is its keepsake value. being physically there, it will remain unupdated for as long as it is still readable.
alright so the only reason people bought the news paper after the election was to just keep it as a keepsake....as blue said. i think they maynot go out of business but they are deff not the main source of news nowadays. i mean newspapers can only be printed once a day and say for example the internet, it can be changed or updated as much as possible so its more recent news. maybe i should start collecting newspapers and maybe someday they will be worth alot, like the beatles white album.....which i have 2 copies of by the way
The most important reason people wanted a newspaper was to have physical evidence of this milestone in history. It is no shock that there was an upsurge in the demand for a newspaper. People want to have proof that they witnessed the first black president. But on any ordinary day I think that newspapers are a thing of the past. It's much easier to sit in your own chair and read the news off of a web site than have to drive some where to purchase the daily paper.
I think the reason that people bought the newspapers was because maybe they wanted physical copy of what happened and they wanted to be part of that history. Maybe they want something that they can look back on and know that they were present during that change in history
Newspapers are obviously starting to be replaced by the internet. The ease of using the internet to search specifically what you want could be a huge factor in that. Not many people want to read the whole paper, and most are too lazy to spend the time looking through it to find what they do want to read. The reason for the burst in demand for newspapers was a pretty obvious one: the first black president. This is a huge achievement in the US and because many people knew it would be historic, they wanted to have the proof on paper, not just on the internet.
Newspapers are tangible, they hold a more sentimental and profound importantance than one's computer screen. The news changes fast, as does the internet. An event in the news may hold personal importance to one, but not to others. The websites will quickly delete old news and keep updating, throwing that article or that picture deeper and deeper into cyber space.
With unlimited access, almost anyone can write anything on the internet. Who are people to believe? Are the politically active bloggers just as right as online reporters who get paid? Many turn to trusted and professional journalist they are familiar with in their local or national newspapers.
I personally don't like the on-line newspaper because it is often difficult to tell if the content is accurate or up to date. With a newspaper or magazine I know that when I open up the new issue all of the content I see is the latest and greatest. With an electronic publication there's no knowing how often you need to check it for new stories and more often than not you find that you've done so for no reason. I especially dislike how stories on some sites are updated so that it's hard to tell whether you're reading a new article or one you've already read that's merely been altered by a few new lines.
Wow i hope that makes sense.
With the prominence of the Internet, why do you think people still wanted physical copies of newspapers with news they probably already knew?
Historical/Sentimental Value
What factors do you think drove up the value of newspapers after the election?
Expectations to be of fiscal/historical value. It isn't a serendipidous increase in demand, but, rather, a tangible, political good and thus is commodified for its inherent value and capability to be owned, i.e. a palpable good, whereas the internet article is theoretically infinite in copy.
What do paper newspapers have that websites do not?
Tangibility. I agree with all the comments made by most of my peers other than the comment about Kindle, which is inconsistent with the use of newspaper since it is an eBook reader, which mitigates its possible use on newspapers because it is purely digital meaning it coincides with the argument FOR accession of users to internet news.
As opposed to an Internet website on the day after the election to a hard copy headline, most people prefer a hard copy. This is a major point in history that every American wants their future generations to know they were apart of. It's certainly much more personal pulling out a newspaper received the day after the election than telling your grandchildren to "look it up."
Why so many people bought the newspaper copy of Obama's election is definately due to the fact that Barack Obama had just become the first African American president. This extremely important date will go down in history, so everybody was scrambling to buy a piece of history. In the future, these newspapers will be worth a great deal of money.
Newspapers are like baseball cards and stats on espn.com. Everyone would rather have a physical copy of something important, such as Obama's nomination headline in the newspaper, instead of reading the headline on cnn.com. Newspapers are declining in sales because of the internet, but is just so happened that people wanted a newspaper with the headline "Obama's Wins Election." The US Postal service is also declining just as newspapers. The internet is the cause of both declines in newspapers and mail. People find it easier to sit down on a computer for five minutes instead of walking out into there front yard to put something in the mailbox or simply pick up a newspaper.
The high demand for newspapers was mainly due to the fact that Obama made history as the first black president. Despite this though I think the oppurtunity to obtain tangible evidence that witnesses this landmark in history is an important reason for the sudden rise in demand.
As so many people have already stated, demand for newspapers went up on November 5 because many wanted memorabilia in order to remember the election of our first African American president. Printing out an article from the internet just does not have the value that a newspaper would have. I am sure newspapers will slowly start fading away because the internet can just provide larger volumes of news with greater speed as stories are updated as they are happening. It is just much more convenient for the public to get their news online.
The election of President Barack Obama was a change many people have been expecting over the period of years, so when the dream came to pass, I think people just wanted to know every detail of it and have something in handy to keep as a memory for them. Just because newspapers are not used as often as they were used to, I don't think newspapers are a thing of the past, although there's better ways of getting news. We can read newspapers anywhere and anytime we want.
Ann Tharakan
Newspapers are a thing of the past, the media is able to more widely spread their information in an easier way by putting it on the web. The Obama election was an anomaly, the only reason people bought newspapers was they are able to be kept as memorabilia unlike a web page. Newspapers are, however, a cheap way to access new information daily. But if the internet becomes more widely accessible the internet may R.I.P.
Obviously people want a hard copy, because it allows them to always have that piece of history.
The difference with an online paper and a physical paper, is you don't get the excitement of actually holding it and looking at it, and scrap booking it for a history collection or something.
I feel that there really is nothing left to say. Everyone knows the price and demand increased for history, and that the future of news is the internet. Also, as many people have stated, the reason people do still buy the newspaper is because of: routine, tangibility, and credibility.
Sean says...
The spike in demand for newspapers following the election was merely a result of the importance and uniqueness of the event, nothing else. It was in no way a representation of any sustained change in consumer perspective. I don't pay much attention to any kind of 'news' but i actually find newspapers more convenient than the internet, as all the information comes in a single, easily navigable package, though its a day late. I can't find anything online.
Digital media is becoming more and more prevalent because it is easier to access, cheaper to create, and all around more convenient. However, for these same reasons, when a milestone such as Obama's election comes along, people want a newspaper. People don't want a piece of history that can be easily duplicated or forged. When it comes to memorabilia at least, people will always prefer newspaper for their limited number and higher value
Jennifer Lupez:
http://www.business2.com.au/2007/11/23/the-printed-newspaper-a-thing-of-the-past/
Well everyone pretty much said that people just bought the newspaper on nov. 5th because they wanted to have the historic proof of the event. I'm pretty sure that most people (other than my grandfather who doesnt own a computer) would rather look up their news online instead of searching through the daily paper that might not even provide an interesting story. on an irrelevant note: newspapers annoy me. I hate having to go get it every morning and then going and recycling them. its just a hassle.
I have to admit that I was one of those people who shifted the demand curve to the right on November 5. The reason why most people buy newspaper, rather than relying on the internet for such newsevents, is that newspapers are tangible. Some even use it as evidence/proof that they were alive and remember when important occurances occur in history. However, I do believe there will be a point in the future where newspapers will no longer be valued or read.
Newspapers are becoming more obsolete as technology is becoming more advanced and a part of our everyday lives. Websites are more convenient and cheaper to use. The election definitely had people fired up about taking a chance to keep a part of history. The increase in newspapers purchased after the election was merely because of the importance and uniqueness of the event.
The reason people would rather have a newspaper on Obama's inauguration day is obvious. People want that piece of tangible evidence that they can hold onto forever. However, this is not usually the trend, as is evident by the decline of newspaper sales on an average day. The reason? People want their news fast and in a convenient place. It also saves a lot of paper waste which is a positive for the environment. I think a great example of this very article and the trend towards internet news instead of paper news is this wiki itself. It is ten times easier both for Mr. Pye and for all of us than if we were to do it on paper.
Newspapers have definitely become a thing of the past what with the prominence of the internet. Newspapers have become a sort of collectors item for grandiose or rare events, Obama's presidency for example. There still are people that read the newspaper just because they are accustomed to it. This being an older generation, of course, so eventually the newspaper will die down. Similar to how mail is being replaced by email, the newspaper is being reduced to an old-fashioned custom, even though the information is still wildly accurate.
I think news paper businesses WILL eventually die out. People rely on technology too much these days and wont take the time to carry a hefty newspaper around. Older people typically are the majority who read newspapers. So once that generation dies out, I'm sure we will see a pretty sharp decline in newspaper subscriptions.
I think the reason so many people bought newspapers after the election is because for many people it was a historic event. I do not think that any of the founding fathers would have thought that our nation would have a black president. To them it would be inconceivable. I do believe that newspapers are a thing of the past. The internet has so much more information and news than one single newspaper.
Paper is doomed, there are so many benefits to electronically text that over the years paper as a for of organized communication will die. Sticky notes and flashcards may stay with us for a while but newspapers won’t live much longer. Once all the old people that are having so much trouble adjusting die off the newspaper will as well and no one will think of that “special” page announcing the new president because every on has access to it with only a few clicks.
Well I believe that this is the age of technology and sooner or later the idea of doing away with newspaper may come to an end, especially if everyone goes with the new act of going green. The only thing that would make the newspaper keep coming is the face of historic moments. In those situations many people take certain portions of the newspaper and either frame it or laminate it. It has it good points and its bad points about its future.
It's obvious that the spike in the demand for newspapers after the election was the history that was made that day. People wanted to own a physical piece of history that you couldn't get that from the internet. I do believe that the demand for newspapers will continue to fall. Even though they extended the Digital TV Transition, it is still a sign of the times.
Newspapers provide something physical you can hang on to and still have later in life. I still have papers with headlines about 9/11 that I would like to keep and show my kids. They represent a part of history that a digital article just can't. The internet certainly provides a much easier way to get information but the demand for newspapers as a piece of history will never decline.
I agree that the only reason why so many people bought the newpapers in November was that they knew it was going to be an item that they could keep forver and show their children or grandchildren what they had experienced. But as just a newspaper I believe they are a thing of the past. So many people have the technology at their fingertips nowadays with the iPhone and Blackberrys that they could just recieve the newspaper on the internet.
People bought newspapers because no black man has ever been president. Aside from being physical evidence that someone was there when a black person became a us president, people would like that kind of thing just like they like old newspaper clippings of much older events. It was an archive as soon as it had been released. It records history.
Paul rabalais
Obviously many people wanted the newspaper on November 5 because it marked a historical event. A newspaper is something they can keep forever. And it's only natural that newspaper sales would be decreasing, since we have access to so many news sites on the Internet. I don't think it's unreasonable to think that newspapers will one day become obsolete, but I think it will take a fairly long time. Many people enjoy their routine of reading the newspaper every morning, and they wouldn't want to start only using the Internet as a source of news. I think it'll take a while for newspapers to be phased out completely.
People want physical copies of newspapers is because of historical events or an event that they feel is important to them. This could be anything from the birth of a newborn to the election. It makes them feel like they own a piece of history. Or people prefer newspapers over internet. For example, the elderly people. They are so used to reading the newspaper that they might not want to access the internet to receive their news.
Obviously people bought newspapers after Obama's election because they wanted a tangible piece of history. I'm not gonna lie, it sounds like something I would do. This is the kind of thing they can show their children when their kids start learning about it in social studies. As for the internet vs. paper newspapers, I personally think it will take a while for newspapers to become a thing of the past. People like the idea of newspapers being divided and organized into categories of news. The news is right there in front of you without you having to look for it. Newspapers can be folded and taken anywhere. I know that phones have internet access on them, but there are many older people who are definitely more comfortable with newspapers.
I think the main reason demand increased during that time was simply just because of the election, and it seems only natural that after the election the demand for newpapers would return to its normal rate not if lower than that. Newspapers I think will soon not be produced because if you think about it people everywhere now have more faster and reliable sources for up to date news.
Although newpapers are the more outdated way to get the news, a moment as historical as the nations first black presedent is worth having in a tangible form. It is definatly understandable why people dont buy news apers as often in modern day America when any column is just a click away. But many people saw that this was a major milestone in history and wanted to savor the momeories, insuring it woul always bo there to look at, not lost in cyber space. Personallly I was one of those who sent my parents out to buy and save a copy because of its importance in history, even though I am not an Obabma supporter.
--Jen Iles
The election was a historic event people were following the treand in trying to own the easiest form of history. Unfortunatly this clashes with the granola movement but anything that can spike the economy these days are good for me.
austin darsey
Simply put, the election is a huge day for news, especially with something as monumental and historical as this particular election. Though newspapers will receive such publicity on certain media events like this for at least some more time to come, it's only a matter of time before they face complete obsoletion. Technology is destroying printed forms of media, and it's simply an outdated form of communication that's being forced out to make way for a more efficient form of published news.
The only advantage newspapers have over online content delivery is the fact that they're tangible and, thus, cannot be copied where as an article online is essentially copied onto everyone's computer who reads said article. Therefore, there is no prestige in owning a copy of an online article because their is an unlimited amount. The exclusivity of the physical newspaper is what caused demand to soar post-election day.
The reason people wanted their own coppies of the November 5th paper is because we like to have tangible things that remind us of the past. The internet is not tangible, and a print off from the internet is not nearly as special as an actuall newspaper. I think that although the demand for newspapers will go down over time, it will take a long time from newspapers to be completly eradicated.
If newspapers do in fact die, it will be a very sad day for America. The press is necessary to check corruption in the government. America needs honest and hardworking reporters to seek out corruption and ecrets and reveal them to the public. Newspapers are dying now because we have returned to the age of yellow journalism. Everything is told with too much slant and not enough fact, if people want that, they can go to a blog, just as valuable. People wanted that copy for the sensationalism in it. The obvious slant towards hope and change made it worth hundreds of dollars for people. With sensationalist newspapers or no newspapers at all, we only hasten towards Soviet America.
With the "baby boom" generation growing older in age, a new technological era is growing ramped. Many people no linger find it necessary to buy a newspaper and sit down and read trough it, when they can pull out there cell phones and pull up the exact information they needed in a matter of seconds. Yet, you do still have your die hard print readers who believe that news media is too biased. The surge in demand for newspapers on November 5th, was significant proof that this world is changed and the people wanted to be apart of that historic change by having evidence of that day. Unfortunately, that will probably be the last time newspapers see such a high demand for a dying source of printed information.
Kenny Hoyt says...
This really seems quite simple. The newspapers were a physical part of history. Even in this new technological era, people still desire that which they can touch and hold. The people want something tangible not just a series of zeros and ones. The decline in demand for newspapers will continue to fall but on important days in history the demand will rise as people seek a physical way to remember the day.
I think that demand for newspapers are decreasing rapidly due to the convenient and cost effective way of getting news online. The newspapers for the first week of November, were popular only because they were covering a milestone in US history . People wanted to own something physical to reflect back on a historic event that occurred during their lifetime.
Newspapers, in the past, have been popular simply because they are accessible. They are fairly easy to come by, having them delivered to your house every morning or simply walking by on your way to work and picking one up. However, in this day and age, newspapers are a dime-a-dozen. In fact, if you read a newspaper more frequently than you get on the internet, chances are you are behind the times. Newspapers just take way too long to print, and internet is just a matter of typing something up and hitting a few buttons to have a story posted. Thus, news travels much faster to those who frequent the internet rather than newstands. Granted, people often times do want newspapers to commemorate an occasion, such as Obama's election and inauguration, etc., however, I do believe they will eventually become a thing of the past. Especially with technology advancing at such rapid rates, newspapers will quickly fall behind. It's sad and hard to acknowledge, but some day...newspapers, I think, will be gone. The internet is just too fast and too easily accessible everywhere for newspapers to keep up with.
I agree, people beought newspapaers after the election so that they could have hard copy evidence of this monumental day in history. In general, however, newpapers are not the vital souces of new delivery they used to be due to the quick easy access use of computers and the internet.
It doesn't surprise me that newspaper sales would increase during this Presidential election. Newspapers, however, are losing steam since the media has replaced all forms of news outlets especially those of newspapers. In the near future, newspapers will become a thing of the past.
Even if you were there to experience history in the making, people still want proof to show their grandchildren. Because websites are so easily accessible and free to everyone, showing someone a website that recorded history isn't as amazing as a newspaper you can hold in your hands and show as your own antiquated piece of evidence. I mean, some books nowadays are online for everyone to read, but I still would rather read a physical book because I feel that it belongs to me.
Newspapers definitely hold a sense of sentimental vaule. It's just like making a scrapbook as opposed to flipping through pictures on facebook. It's one of those things you can hold onto for the rest of your life with actual meaning and history behind it. Granted, I don't read the newspaper myself because I just watch the news on TV, but I can definitely see why people would continue to buy newspapers.
The increase in demand for newspapers was unexpected. I think it's a sign that more people are becoming interested in what is going on in the country. The historical significance of our first black president made people interested whether they were for him or against him. Everyone wanted to know what he would do next to discuss it later.
Newspapers are a thing that many americans use as part of their daily roninte. My dad reads the the newspaper every day, he wakes up and reads many americans from that generation do that. But i think as my generation gets older newspapers will start to die out. There is just so much technolgy out there that will be no use for us to use them anymore. Yes newspaper sales will go up when theres is a big evnt like when a team wins the superbowl or major evnt like a new president. I just think in about 10 years there will be no use for the newspaper.
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