Newspapers: The effect of online technology

1)  Do you agree with James Murdoch that the BBC should not be allowed to provide free news online? Why?

I don't agree with James Murdoch's statement about BBC not providing free news online as this would then make BBC lose many consumers. This is because audiences now are more likely to be online when they consume the news not on a paper base form as it’s a traditional form of media. Another reason to why BBC should still be free is because its easily accessible and therefore shouldn't be charged as this would lose more consumers. As is states that it can only be accessed by an internet connection, in some cases consumers have to pay for an internet connection hence they shouldn't have to pay to read news online. 

2) Was Rupert Murdoch right to put his news content (The Times, The Sun) behind a paywall?

You only reach profit through subscriptions when you've deducted the cost of acquiring and retaining users. Three years on, The Times should be starting to see the benefits of their toil now. For several years now, Times Newspapers has been losing money. The company has tolerated this because it could use profits from elsewhere in News Corp to pay for our papers and because the proprietor has a passion for newspapers.

3) Choose two comments from below the Times paywall article - one that argues in favour of the paywall and one that argues against. Copy a quote from each and explain which YOU agree with and why.

AGAINST

 Follow

Russell Wiley @newspapernovel

@rajunarisetti @newscorp @psmith but what are they really buying? http://crave.cnet.co.uk/laptops/nexus-7-for-50-when-you-subscribe-to-the-times-tablet-app-50009904/ …

I agree with this comment as creating a pay wall is just making customers spend their money on things that should be free 

AGREE

 CNET

Nexus 7 for £50 when you subscribe to The Times' tablet app

Rupert Murdoch's upmarket paper is chucking in a knock-down Nexus 7 with a subscription to its tablet app. Good deal? We do the sums.

4) Why do you think the Evening Standard has bucked the trend and increased circulation and profit in the last two years?

The London Evening Standard is an anomaly when its circulation and estimated readership figures are compared. It has increased due to the ABC audiences consuming paper based news papers as they would take a copy underground or on the way to work. 

5) Is there any hope for the newspaper industry or will it eventually die out? Provide a detailed response to this question explaining and justifying your opinion.

I believe that the newspaper industry will soon die out due to the advances in technology. Due to consumers accessing things online, as well as having smart phones due to apple being such a popular brand, more people are more likely to consume news online and not on paper base forms, as its something audiences can access easily and not pay for it. whereas some newspapers audiences have to pay for and therefore shows why the newspaper industry will die out. As the years go by, the newspaper industry will become less popular and therefore die out; as people will be used to the online.