Whatever Happened to Penmanship?
This two part paper explores the relationship between the consumption of information in several varying forms, and a growing reliance on smartphone and tablet technology for advertising dollars. As such, the first part will consider both the differences and dependability of electronic news as opposed to the printed version. Additionally, choices and/or preferences, such as style and convenience, will be examined using a local news organization (i.e., the 'Daily Gazette'), for comparison.
The second part will consider the ever growing rise of bloggers in regard to special interest topics (e.g., fashion, travel, etc.), and the migration from printed magazines as the sole source of information and reliability.
As with any technological dawning (e.g., radio, television, etc.), transitioning away from “old-style” reporting/advertising platforms can and will invite a fair share of “naysayers”. While critics point to a lack of retainability of much of the information found on the internet, and describe a “dummying down” of society (Blumenfeld web), supporters point to the economic possibilities.
Part One: Judging a Book by Its Cover
Although both the print and online versions of the 'Daily Gazette' looked appealing at first glance, and filled with plenty of news worthy stories, unfortunately, not being a paid online subscriber limited my online access to only the front page of each story. From that perspective,
I was still able to observe that both versions were easy to navigate, and finding stories on a national and local level proved imminently simple.
However, the print version became somewhat messy in short order, as ink came off the paper and stained my fingertips, rendering it far less appealing and far less desirable for the next reader (if any), while the online version remained enticing with vivid eye-catching colors and backgrounds destined to remain forever intact, no matter how many times it was read.
For...