The debate between digital journalism and traditional journalism continues to heat up. Everyone in the journalism world has been talking about the future of newspapers and traditional journalism. It seems to most people that new technology, especially with rise of digital journalism and social media, the newspaper is on its way to "extinction." Is this even a possibility?
Journalist ABDUL RAHMAN AL-RASHID from arabnews.com offers his opinion on the future of newspapers. In his article named Twitter will not kill Journalism, he argues that this kind of "apprehension" for the fate of newspaper is not reasonable. He points out that newspapers have existed since the 17th century and have yet to cease through some important technological evolutions. However, he does recognize the fact that newspaper may not remain in printed version forever. Looking at the bright side, we may end up having the kind of newspaper with live images like those appear in Harry Potter.
The author also comments on the impact social media have on journalism. He assures others that Twitter will not kill newspapers but instead become a helpful addition to newspapers. As he mentions in the article, "it [Twitter] has enabled interaction with the readers which is impossible in the print media". Twitter can be a platform for disseminating information faster. However, people are still going to refer to newspaper if they are desperate for more details. Because let's be real, how much can you really get out of a 140 letters tweet.
Like the article said, Twitter and digital journalism are not killing newspapers. Newspapers will always exist one way or another. So no fear to all journalists and potential journalists!
An entry by Ashley Huang
This article from Abdul Rahman Al-Rashid is certainly appropriate for the course, since it covers both anxieties about the possible end of traditional journalism and the limitations of microblogging sites like Twitter. I like the fact that like Clay Shirkey, you are trying to take the historical view that treats newspapers as a particular type of technology. I did a little copyediting of your entry to eliminate typos, but keep in mind that many news outlets have gotten rid of their copyeditors, so keep a writing reference near you as you work!
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