NDM: The decline of the newspaper industry

The future of newspapers

Read this article from the Economist on the future of newspapers.

1) Do you agree with its view that it is ‘a cause for concern, but not for panic’?
I do agree with the idea of it being  ‘a cause for concern, but not for panic’. This is because although the newspaper industry is dying, its main service (news) is still widely popular. The way in which we access the news has just changed. The concern is still here, however. This is not only because an entire industry is fading away but also a specific way of reporting is also leaving us. There is a decline in how reliable the sources of news we access are, this leaves audiences vulnerable to fake news. 

2) The article is 10 years old - an eternity in digital media terms. Have the writer's predictions come to pass? Use statistics from your Ofcom research to support or challenge the writer's argument.
The writer's predictions have become a reality. People are buying less newspapers now than ever before. This is supported by the fact that most newspapers bought are actually freesheets. The only way the newspaper industry is alive is through using digital forms of newspaper and through selling free newspapers, depending on adverts to keep them running.

• 94% of users use social media to keep track of the news

3)The Economist suggests that high-quality journalism in the future will be backed by non-profit organisations rather than profit-seeking media corporations. Is there any evidence for this?

4) How is the Guardian funded? 
News organisations around the world can no longer rely solely on advertising and sales revenues. The Guardian Media Group looks beyond traditional sources of funding, the backing of third parties who are willing to support the Guardian’s journalism while respecting its editorial independence and freedom enable the coverage of important subjects that may too easily be neglected elsewhere. The Guardian works with a number of private foundations around the world who support specific projects

What do major stories from the last year such as the Panama Papers suggest about how investigative journalism is conducted in the digital age?
history's biggest data leak - Panama papers