Lecture 18

New Media TechnologyWhen it first makes its appearance, a new industrial technology is often greeted with as much fear as welcome. The fear of course is the fear of obsolescence and replacement among those who depend on older technology for their livelihood. It's pretty clear why this happens, and I'm sure we could come up with a number of historical examples to show that this does happen. But. today I want to talk about one particular example from the world of mass media; one that I think makes a good case study.It happened with the introduction of radio as a medium of mass communication in the early 20th century. This caused a lot of anxiety in the newspaper industry. Many newspaper workers wondered what kind of impact it would have on their business and most assumed the worst. Considering the advantages radio apparently had, I guess their fears were understandable. Media experts predicted that because radio was a quick, virtually free medium that was so easy to access, it would replace the newspapers altogether. I mean, after all radio could keep large numbers of people spread over a wide area informed about events as they happened. This was something that newspapers obviously couldn't do, or at least not as well.But there were a few optimists in the newspaper industry too. They thought there might be a bright side to the situation. Their argument was built on the assumption that a brief news broadcast heard on the air would stimulate the listeners' interest in a news story; that it would, uh whet their appetite, so to speak. The way they saw things this might actually encourage people to buy a newspaper to get all of the details. Newspaper sales would go up instead of down. I shouldn't even have to ask this, but now. who was right, the optimists or the pessimists?(Student 1) Obviously, it was the optimists. Newspapers are still awfully popular today. They certainly haven't disappeared.Exactly! Today, almost a hundred years later, and despite the fact that there are radios and now televisions delivering a constant stream of news to virtually every home, newspapers are just as popular as they ever were, probably more so. The doomsayers were proved wrong. But the question for us is why? Radio and television are faster and. over the long term; they're even cheaper than newspapers. So why is there still a market for news in print? The papers must offer us something because we still buy them.Well, as it turns out. The relationship between different forms of media is not necessarily one of displacement or replacement. It's a bit more complicated than that. There is a third possibility; that is of reinforcement. We now know that the radio and the print news media are not usually in direct competition, but in fact complement and enhance each other. Each one supplies something the other can not. Newspapers supply detail and the all-important luxury of having the news when you want it and in a sequence that reflects your personal priorities. That's what has kept the papers alive. But for how much longer? Would anyone like to go out on a limb and make a prediction?(Student 2) I think papers will be around for quite a while. Sure, you can get customized news delivered over the Internet. The problem is you have to have access to a computer and anInternet connection.Okay, but you're really not risking much with that answer, are you? The question is for how long? High-speed wireless Internet access is already becoming possible from almost anywhere and over handheld devices as small as cell phones. You're no longer really tied to a computer, are you? So, what's left to attract people to traditional newspapers? Well, there is the probability that an aging population will continue to buy them out of habit, but that's a market that can't last. When alsowe consider the environmental impact of printing millions upon millions of newspapers every single day. it's pretty easy to imagine the traditional newspaper disappearing completely in the not-too-distant future, probably in less than a generation.According to the professor, what effect does the introduction of new technology often have?1.Improved efficiency in old industries.2.Concern among those who work in old industries.3.The replacement of older industries.4. A movement of workers from older to newer industries.According to the speaker, what relationship developed between the radio and the newspaper industries?1.Radio caused the downfall of the newspaper industry.2.Newspapers and radio increased each other’s audience.3.Radio drew readers away from newspapers.4.One provided what the other did not.Which of the following is supported in the lecture?1.Newspapers will gain in popularity.2.Electronic news sources are already more popular than newspapers.3.Newspapers will disappear gradually.4.Newspapers can survive if their price can be lowered.What is mentioned as a reason traditional newspapers are likely to disappear?1.Increasing subscription prices.2.The popularity of computers.3.The habits of older people.4.Environmental concerns.What does the professor imply when she says this?1.It is unlikely that the students will know the answer.2.The answer should be obvious to anyone.3.She has asked this question before.4.The students do not need to know the answer.What can be inferred about the professor when she says this?1.The student’s answer is insufficient.2.The student should have known the answer.3.The student gave too much information.4.The professor didn’t understand the student’s answer.。