Death of Print

We are the internet generation. To us knowledge is just a click away. We don’t have to wait for twenty four hours just for news to reach us. We are up to date every waking moment. We are the internet generation, and with us, revolution will come.

Publishing houses and newspapers depend upon the revenue that is generated through advertisement, that means for a successful newspapers readership is everything. But, internet and online web portals have brought a major change in reading habits. Hourly updated on smartphones is the new trend. Its result, sales of daily paid newspapers in the European Union fell by 26% between 2000 and 2005, according to data from the World Association of Newspapers. North American papers have shown an even steeper decline.

In the developing world, where Internet penetration is significantly lower, newspaper circulations are still rising. But, they are living on borrowed time.

India has recently seen drastic growth in the number of internet users. Easy and free availability of internet has opened the virtual world. What does that mean for newspapers and books? Are we to see an era where books will be kept in museums? I remember a chapter in my English class where children from the future find a book and marvel at it. Are we headed in that direction?

The decrease in readership sure points that way. But how will a world without books look like? Screens will replace hardbound books. No more smell of new books, no more school bags, no more libraries and book stalls. Our information will be limited to whatever we read on the internet.

One drawback of this sort of change is the authenticity of knowledge. Whatever we read on the internet isn’t necessarily real or authentic. Sometimes false rumours are spread and people believe them. This creates chaos in the society like the time when Rupees 500 and 1000 notes were brought out of circulation. A lot of misleading information was broadcasted over the internet. Another drawback will be the effect it will have on the society. Publishing houses and media houses play an important part in keeping the society in check, books are considered man's best friends, and they teach us life lessons. Newspapers are still primary source of news in most countries. If they are discontinued, the world will lose a lot of good literature.

Another possible problem will be the change in lifestyle. A lot of people read. Books are not merely stories or words strung together. To people books are a getaway to another dimension, to a world where anything can happens. In a world where internet fuels all our imagination our world will be limited to what is seen on the screen. Our life wouldn’t be as colourful as it is now, surrounded by the adventures of Allices and Harrys.

Sure, development is an integral part of our life. To grow, we need to develop. However, there are somethings that are worth preserving, there are some routines and some habits that should never lose their glitter. And one of them is books. Surely we don’t want our children not finding who finally sat on the iron throne, do we?

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