Newspapers: The Effect Of Online Technology

1) Do you agree with James Murdoch that the BBC should not be allowed to provide free news online? Why?

I believe that in order for news institutions to stay alive and to generate profit the BBC shouldn't provide news for free, this is because if they allow free news whilst other institutions don't, they will not run, because BBC will have the most dominant audience base, James Murdoch has a point.

2) Read this blog on the Times paywall three years on.

3) Was Rupert Murdoch right to put his news content (The Times, The Sun) behind a paywall?

I believe he was right in doing so, this technique would've worked very well across every news institution if they did so in the beginning, it allows news to generate a new type of revenue that makes sense, consumers actually paying for the content, this would help ensure the news industry stays alive for the future, but its too late now.

4) Choose two comments from below the Times paywall article - one that argues in favour of the paywall and one that argues against. Copy a quote from each and explain which YOU agree with and why.

5) Read this article from the Media Briefing on the continuing decline of the newspaper industry. 

6) Why do you think the Evening Standard has bucked the trend and increased circulation and profit in the last two years?

As its a free newspaper and hardly any consumers pay for news any more as its all free online, also as the evening standard is free and has a very high circulation, advertisers would want to advertise on this newspaper allowing the evening standard to generate profit. The paper has high circulation as its free and mostly given out at public transport locations.

7) Is there any hope for the newspaper industry or will it eventually die out? Provide a detailed response to this question explaining and justifying your opinion.

I believe that there is slight hope for the newspaper industry, I feel that if they are all able to provide digital pay walls like the times, there is a very high chance of news being able to make money and survive for the future, but the only problem is that the BBC wouldn't do this as they always provide accurate and free news, if every other institution brings in pay wall and the BBC doesn't there is no hope as everyone will just use BBC all the time.