| The age of the traditional newspaper is rapidly | | | | Twitter. Twitter allows users with accounts to create |
| approaching a very real end, though by the looks of | | | | small, 140 characters or less, messages or "status |
| mainstream newspaper organizations one would think | | | | updates" to other users who are following their feed. |
| it were still the 1950s, and the height of the paper | | | | According to Twitter, it is a "service for friends, family, |
| news industry. With newspaper readership dwindling at | | | | and co-workers to communicate and stay connected |
| alarming rates it would seem prudent for traditional | | | | through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to |
| information mediums to heed the warnings of an ever | | | | one simple question: What are you doing?" |
| changing global internet world. | | | | The Chicago Tribune used the tool to provide |
| One regional newspaper seems to be taking on the | | | | up-to-the-minute reporting of events, weather, and |
| challenge of thinking outside the box, however. The | | | | anything related to activities in New Orleans, before |
| Minneapolis Star Tribune has decided recently that it | | | | and while hurricane Gustav hit the coast. The Twitter |
| will no longer subscribe to the AP wire service. An | | | | site follower numbers grew rapidly within a few hours |
| organization spokesperson indicated that the Tribune | | | | after I began following the reports, and information |
| was simply rethinking its business model. Obviously that | | | | was relevant and informative. As time went on, a web |
| model no longer includes the inveterate wire service, | | | | page dedicated to Twitter updates was added the |
| which has been in existence nearly as long as print | | | | Tribune site, and other reporters were utilizing the |
| newspapers. According to the AP website, they are | | | | information to provide news articles related to, and of |
| "the backbone of the world's information system". | | | | significance, to the events of the hurricane and the use |
| Seems likely that may not be so true in the coming | | | | of social networking tools online. |
| decade. | | | | So far, I have not seen any other newspapers provide |
| An example of the type of challenges and changes | | | | this type of reporting service, but have noticed an |
| that newspapers across the country will face include | | | | increase in the number of political and business users |
| the recently launched This stunning effort takes the | | | | now finding useful ways to provide information and |
| Wikipedia concept to the next level with a global | | | | move traffic to their websites. I am certain, however, |
| newspaper written by the people, for the people. Of | | | | that newspapers everywhere will follow suit as quickly |
| course, the founding fathers may be turning in their | | | | as they can, hoping to ride the wave created by the |
| graves to think of local community members creating | | | | Tribune. |
| their own "news" (not to mention a few stolid | | | | What these developments indicate is a new era in |
| newspaper editors) but the surge seems clearly | | | | political and information networking. Whether this lack |
| something the future may sustain, and even more | | | | of commitment to the new social networking age is |
| clearly, something local newspapers will have to | | | | the result of corporate bungling and leadership, or local |
| address, and soon. | | | | newspaper's reluctance to fully change with the times |
| Recently the Chicago Tribune made a valiant effort at | | | | is likely too early to tell. What is very obvious, however, |
| merging the "by the people" concepts of local news | | | | is that newspapers everywhere will have to react |
| coverage with the traditional coverage of a paid | | | | very quickly, and very well, if they hope to ever keep |
| report. The reporter, coined online as GustavReporter, | | | | up with this fast-paced, rapidly changing news media |
| made use of the newest social networking craze, | | | | world. |