# The (Inevitable) Death Of Newspapers

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inevitable-death-of-newspapers/537772>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [April 29, 2010, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inevitable-death-of-newspapers/537772 "2010-04-29T19:00:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\
**Post date:** [May 9, 2010, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inevitable-death-of-newspapers/537772/41 "2010-05-09T02:29:48Z")

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> [@Joe\_Kerrman](#):
>
> Here’s my $.02: Google has made a trajilliabazillion dollars every hour accessing what is in large part stuff we produce. Google needs to share some of that. Google – and other search engines – eventually will.
> 
> If newspapers die, there will be nothing for Google to search, except for maybe porn. TV “news” will have nowhere to turn for story ideas, or in many cases stories, period.

Is your name Rupert? And do you _really_ think this is how the Internet works?

This is the attitude that will kill newspapers, and if guys who think like you are in charge, you will be out of a job.

But newspapers will not disappear. No medium has ever been eliminated, despite dire predictions upon the invention of every new technology. Radio did not kill newspapers, books, or live theater. Television did not kill radio. And the Internet did not kill television.

But all of these things had to adapt. You don’t get radio plays any more, because people can get their sitcoms and drama on TV. Radio stations that found new formats (say, popular music, sports, or talk) thrived, those that didn’t went away. And networks and cable stations that have taken a reactionary stance with regard to the Internet will go away, too. Others will adapt.

A lot of newspapers will go out of business, merge, consolidate, and change. But some of them will find successful niches and continue to be viable businesses. That’s life.

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