Maria Benito, journalist

Internet: salvation or condemnation of newspapers?

The latter have been The Philadelphia Inquires, The Philadelphia Daily News, which on Sunday announced the bankruptcy, and San Francisco Chronicle, Hearst group, which may have to close. Both side of the Atlantic as to press charges the crisis by falling advertising and cut dividends, jobs or close the headers. But in addition, has intensified the debate about the end of the press (not new) to the unstoppable advance of the Internet, which is the future ... or the present?

Philadelphia Newspapers have succumbed to its own debt, but continue running. The editor of The Times suspended its dividing and a few days ago an article was referring to the financial difficulties of the empire of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. (which publishes The Sun, New York Post or The Wall Street Journal), which announced record losses of 6,400 million in the fourth quarter of 2008. In addition, publishers New York Times, Gannett and McClatchy, who number among the three 135 day, saw their income fell 13%, 16% and 18% respectively in 2008. In Spain the Prisa Group announced in February that its net profit fell 56.8% last year and its debt has increased to 5.044 million euros.

The press survived the development of radio and television, are complementary means, however, fears about its demise have been revived by the rise of the Internet. Now is not the newspapers disappear, but the role (as with digital readers of books). The threat is serious, we must adapt to the new format and most editors know, the question is if they have not taken too late. In Spain the major newspapers launched their digital versions because we had to have them and subordinated to the role completely, limiting their growth potential. Now it seems that things are changing, they must change, because neither readers nor advertisers seeking the same thing on the Internet than in print newspapers. Are different media also involves very different working rhythms. One indicator of this change is the merging of digital templates and the role of the Country (formalized in late February), the director has decided to promote the online version, they say is their priority.

The second debate is about the profitability of digital newspapers, which apparently is not clear, although there are examples that show that work and can be profitable, but perhaps not at the same level that have been printed editions. In the case of large heads, their systems in the network have experienced sustained by the revenue of newspapers on paper. The steep drop in advertising has made a point of reflection and inflection. In Internet advertising continues to grow, but may not be sufficient to maintain the structures of the newspapers as they are now. In any case, the digital versions saves paper, the presses and the people in charge of handling them, and the cost of distribution.

There is no consensus on how to make websites profitable. The user is accustomed to free access to information and attempts to collect it have been generally unsuccessful. There is talk of using the iTunes system to charge for pieces of information, but it is unclear that it will work. It also notes that the mainstream media should join together and agree on the payment or part of their contents if they want to work, or that create a sort of G-20 to implement the new measures that could save the business . I see it unlikely ...

What is clear is that change is needed. But regardless of the support to survive, we must not forget the importance of quality information and contrasted. Newspapers are necessary for democracies.

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