The Future of Newspapers

The Mayo News presents itself in electronic form and it is aesthetically and practically pleasing.

The ongoing debate about the future of newspapers has many concerned about the future of journalism itself and the dissemination of valuable information to the people. Most newspapers have some kind of internet presence and electronic version of their paper. What I have always found about these electronic publications is that they are a world away from their physical edition. Aesthetically, the electronic versions require a totally different approach and way of reading.

But now I have found one that impresses. I am a proponent of the simple and the beautiful. I have asked before why newspapers don't just put the physical paper version up on the internet. It seems so simple and obvious that perhaps they didn't want to see it. Sometimes the most obvious remedy is the best.

If the audience is buying your paper the way it is then it stands to reason that they like it the way it is. Why change the look? Why don't newspapers just simply put the physical version online. One newspaper has done this (perhaps more) and this paper is The Mayo News. The Mayo News is the local newspaper in the locality where I grew up in the west of Ireland in County Mayo. It has won many awards in Europe for newspaper design.

The Mayo News presents its digital edition as an option. You must click on the digital edition tab and follow on. What you get at the end is the physical newspaper layout, but on your computer. What a simple solution to the question of how to go digital.

I think (and I have thought for some time) that this is the way to transition to digital newspapers and hold the audience. The audience is familiar with the look of the paper. It has been aesthetically pleasing enough before and keeping the same aesthetic electronically will provide continuity which is of the utmost importance when building and keeping an audience.

The turning of the page even comes with audio (although it sounds electronic) to make one feel that they are dealing with paper. This might not be where it all ends but this is a good start.

Ethnic Diversity on TV and the White House

The SF Chronicle on Dec. 3rd published an article about the representation of Black people in TV series.

In these modern times when we may at times congratulate our society for the advances in ethnic equalities, it is important to remember that it is 2008 and not 1968 or indeed 1798! That it took us until 2008 to elect a non-white person to the white house is something to be amazed at and also appreciative of. And what of gender?

BTW, why is the white house called the "white house"?

In the local newspaper, The Mayo News, where I grew up in the West of Ireland the editorial cartoon in the edition after the election was interesting. It showed Barack Obama on the White House lawn removing the sign that read "White House" and the caption was something to the effect of "now for the first change."
Does anyone have more input on why we might not change the name of the white house to the American House, the US House, the House of Equality or the Colorless House?

In the Chronicle article, Greg Braxton says that black people are not represented on ABC, NBC, CBS or FOX on an equal level with white people. Any black people in Network shows are in supporting or minor roles, he says. He goes on to say that ratings are to blame for the lack of minority casts/characters according to "CBS' chief of diversity."

Interesting throw-back in these times of feel-good about Obama. The reality may be that this is not a throw-back, rather it is the present. Progress happens and it happens slowly.

Let's keep ourselves aware that our media is not making everyone equal yet. Let's be aware that there is much more to do. Let's be aware when watching and listening to entertainment and news of how our society is shown/not shown on the TV/Internet etc.

Let us be skeptical.