trees are people too

Somewhat ironically, news agency Reuters has assessed the future of news, and it is predicting that in the future, all newspapers will be free.

Adrian has pointed out that as current media students, we are on the cusp of major changes occurring in the communication and media environment. These changes are driving traditional or ‘old’ media to search for different models to adapt to a new breed of media consumer.

Some 86 percent of respondents believed newsrooms should become more integrated with digital services as two in three believe the most common form of news consumption will be via electronic media such as online or mobiles within a decade.

The prognosis is thus: Innovate, integrate or perish.

It is interesting that this shift is being driven by ‘emerging’ newspaper markets in developing countries, such as South America, Russia, the Middle East and Asia – they are the environments in which these new journalistic practices will be developing.

Also interesting is that 35 percent of the news agency surveyed also wanted to train their journalists in this new media.

So lucky us. We’re already half way there. Until the next upgrade, that is.