Due to the wide spread use of the internet, many newspapers are going out of business because of the increased competition and readers preferring to read news on a phone or tablet. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this trend.

The subject of media consumption is a divisive topic in and of itself. This is a complex issue and one that has a variety of benefits and drawbacks. Yet, when one specifically highlights how many newspapers are going out of business, this issue becomes even more problematic. This essay will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of technology overtaking printing industry as the primary forum for news access. It will explicitly focus on how benefits such as personalized news apps, while illustrate drawbacks including increasing partisanship.

When one compares hard print copies of newspapers to the fluidity of news apps the difference in the reading process is striking. Newspaper are often printed the night before and obviously don’t change after the initial printing process. Alternatively, newspaper apps on smart phones and tablets are an extremely fluid form of news. This is a tremendous advantage for clients as one can assess the news anytime and can receive up-to-date information on topics that are important to the consumer.

On the other hand, the aspect that makes tablets and phones an attractive option for news consumption is also a disadvantage. With people consistently accessing their phones and tablets for news, people are inclined to become more bias in their views. This is due to news outlets sensationalizing stories in order to keep people looking at the ads and, often included, are partisan overtones built within them. Thus, as more people view these stories and news executives push for more viewers, these stories will increasingly become more partisan.

With all things considered, the main reward for having greater technology is instant access and personalized news stories, while at the same time, is plagued with the negative aspects of increasing partisanship. It is imperative that both of these talking points are including in any discussion surrounding the idea of access to media in future societal deliberations.