Should I Cancel My Newspaper Subscription?
Written by: Admin
A printed newspaper has higher carbon footprint as it requires considerable amount of water and energy use. The main raw material of printed newspapers is wood pulp that requires cutting trees. The distribution, delivery, and recycling process of used newspapers requires using fossil fuels, putting additional pressure on the environment.
In contrast, reading news online is considered an eco friendly option.
People are increasingly using Smart Phones, Blackberries, Pocket PCs, and other Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) devices. These high tech devices have the capability to connect to the Internet. Thus, making the online news accessible at touch of a click.
Since majority of the newspapers are already online and free, should people just cancel their subscriptions for printed newspapers and go for the online news sources?
Post your comments here!
January 8th, 2010 at 2:48 pm
I could be careless if printed newspapers are discontinued. Reading news online is easy plus you get to read news almost as they happen nowadays. I am sure my grandpa has a different view on this as he likes to read Sunday newspaper on a hot cup of coffee. Well, Internet is where the world is moving. So, sooner the newspaper companies realize its time to stop printing, better it is for them. And that’s my two cents on this.
Cheers!
January 8th, 2010 at 7:36 pm
I understand the benefits of online news, but one has to also think about the jobs printing newspaper industry creates too. If you have only online news, what would those people do?
January 8th, 2010 at 10:53 pm
News reading has become one of the most imperative parts in our daily routine. Without knowing what is happening in and around the world, we can not step out of our house. Online news is in huge demand in today’s world as almost every person in this world is habituated to the Internet and neglecting the usage of printed newspapers.
Nonetheless, people who do not have the knowledge of Internet prefer the printed newspapers. Recent surveys and polls indicate that online news is in leading position when compared to that of the printed newspapers. Most of the significant world-wide news is being published in the online news websites and hence even though people travel to some other country or state in all of a sudden, or people living in some other country can still watch the news regarding a particular location in any part of the world with the help of the online news websites.
Also, the printed news causes a lot of wastage to the wood, papers and money to the industry. And the news which is being printed in the newspapers is also being published by many news websites all over the world. Hence, newsreaders are showing interest to the online news websites rather than subscribing or going to the market for buying printed newspapers. In such case, I think it’s better for newspapers to just stop printing and provide news online.
January 9th, 2010 at 2:25 am
One of the beauties of the information age is not just the amount of information that is available, but the speed with which that information can be made available to people: it is simply mind-boggling! However, the foregoing statement does not even begin to get the attention it deserves except one has been around as an adult for at least forty years now.
A lot has changed!
Without getting into the details, it seems that the internet has had the greatest global effect on people than any other means of communication in this age, and the fact that the media now comfortably functions in this domain has been a blessing to the human race. Fact is, the demands of this age create such a pressure on time that it does not make sense to expect things to be done the way they used to be, especially when this will cost more time, both for the individual or organization.
There is no question on the question of whether I should cancel my newspaper subscription. OF COURSE I SHOULD!
Maybe the question should be why a person would want to endure the inconvenience of subscribing to a printed page — with all the strings attached to this kind of endeavor – when the online option exists. A cousin to this question, for me, will be: should you drive a car to work or mount a horse? While a horse has its place – fun, recreation, sport, etc – it will punish the man that insists on using it to travel within the city when no sane reason can be given for this choice.
I read all my papers online and am trying hard to understand — without meaning to disrespect alternatives views — why a person with online access will insist on doing things the old way. I can only courteously wish them good luck!
January 9th, 2010 at 11:01 am
Tim has a good point in saying “one has to also think about the jobs printing newspaper industry creates” . That’s true, but in this fast generation world, people should not stick to the old customs all the time.
People having the old traditional jobs can be trained as well about the Internet and it’s usage. Today, almost every normal and middle-class person has a mobile and a PC with Internet connection with him. Understanding about the Internet and using it for some means is not a difficult task for anyone. Hence, the newspaper industry should realize this fact and should train their existing employees on the Internet, it’s usage, how to publish news online etc. If they can do in this way, there would not be a problem to the employees as well as the newspaper industry and this can help in saving the trees and wood.
Today, everything is being published live in the online news. Suppose a cricket match is going on and a cricket fan wants to know about the current score , he can just open a website related to cricket score and check what’s the score. So, no need to wait for tomorrow’s newspaper and check for the score. Like this every news is being published in online so why go for printed newspapers?
January 23rd, 2010 at 11:08 am
newspapers are made of recycled paper, so ur not doing a major benefit to the environment by canceling ur subscription. u also have to consider the impact of reading news online, on ur eyes, and the amount of carbon emitted by huge servers that run those websites.