For years, it has been said that newspapers are dying. Every year brings more news of closing. But why is the situation so terrible for newspapers?
Newspapers have a long history. The first newspaper was printed in the 1600s. Their most successful period is in the early 20th century.
With the appearance (出现) of radio and TV, however, newspaper circulation (发行量) began to fall. By the mid-20th century, radio and TV had become so popular that people no longer had to depend on newspapers for news.
Afternoon newspapers were the first to fall. After work, more and more people turned on TV instead of opening a newspaper. That was because TV could provide news that happened a short time ago. It’s true that newspapers couldn’t compete with TV on speed, but they could provide in-depth (深入详尽的) reports that TV news could not.
But newspapers suffered another heavier blow (打击) in the 1990s. With the appearance of the Internet, tons of information became free. Many newspaper readers realized that they could read news on the Internet.
So will newspapers die in the future? Many newspapers are now making changes. Some are going digital. Some are going farther and taking the industry to places it has never been to. After all, people still want the news. If newspapers disappear completely, there will be nothing to take their place.
【小题1】What made the newspaper circulation fall?【小题2】Why did more and more people watch TV instead of reading a newspaper?
【小题3】How are newspapers now making changes?
【小题4】Where would you like to get news, from TV, the Internet or newspapers? Why? (Write 30 words or more.)
