Reading other comments on here, seriously have newspapers had their day? Let's face it how many here actually read the papers?

Yes. Not so much when at home but when I'm traveling I will always buy a paper. A broadsheet will give me an hour or two or reading – nothing comes close in value for money.

Papers have changed from the only source of written news (apart from Ceefax/ Teletext) to more of a features and analysis in the 20 years I have been reading them and I guess they will continue to evolve. The fact most papers put their content online and free at the same time it appears in print but people are still willing to pay for a newspaper suggests the vehicle has a lot of life in it.

As I see it, the two killer advantages for a paper are that you can read a newspaper anywhere (train/ ferry/ plane/ tube/ bed/ shitter/ pub/ with dinner) as it doesn't rely on batteries or a network connection, and it's a very easy format to browse through and dip in and out of.

At the moment The Independent has a good iPhone app that has a lot of the print copy in it – it syncs online and can be read offline – I suspect when eReaders become mainstream and do something similar but better then (possibly paid for) digital papers will start to appear, but I am struggling to see how the newspaper itself will go extinct entirely.

Please… It keeps me in a job 🙂

Think they will survive and may start to charge for access online too, especially to their analysis and comment sections.

Nothing beats a good nosy through the paper with a mug of coffee after dinner. Yes you will have already heard all the major news but even browsing online is not as convenient or as likely to stumble upon interesting bits that you may not search out online otherwise.

Oh and can't beat the crossword too!

I like my newspaper thanks. can't read too much on a screen, gives me a headache, and I can't spread it out over my desk at work.

bruk – what like STW 'premier service'?! 😆

Mmmm, possibly! Haven't signed up yet but as subscriber will ring to upgrade. This type of set up is what I think newspapers may well head towards.

Grauniad on saturday.
Bike
Dirt Rag
Private Eye

As with books, the tinternet doesn't kill my enjoyment of all the hard copy.

I never read newspapers – either hard copies or online

It keeps me in a job too, and from the investment that is going on around the world with recent start-ups in UK, Switzerland and China it will be around for a long while yet.

There is more chance of us using electronic toilet paper.

Palm Paper Kings Lynn

And let's be fair here, how else could you make such sweeping judgements on people (other than by the shoes they're wearing)

Keeps me in a job too. So keeping buying those papers.

From my understanding newspapers rely on their sales figures to justify/value their advertising space. A paid for newspaper can charge more for its adverts. A higher cost paper can charge more for their adverts as their readers are better fodder for adverts. Papers don't make money out of their sales. I would have thought in the day and age of internet news and lower paper sales figures this has only changed the way advertisers view papers. In one respect paper readers might be less computer savvy so possibly less of a value to advertisers but on the plus side as they 'rely' on printed paper, are less likely to be inundated with the many news website adverts available if you use the internet as your source. I'm sure the internet news age has reduced paper advert income but I'm willing to bet it has increased the % price paid for advert space compared to newspaper sales.

As a result I see printed papers as being essential for a long time to come.

All in my opinion, could be talking out of my arse…

Harry – electronic toilet paper? The mind boggles……dare I say it but that's a load of *****! LOL! 😆

I like the occasional Sunday paper but I must say my newspaper reading is at an all time low. We are constantly bombarded by the 24/7 news media machine as it is, sure there are some columnists I find particularly funny, but do I need to buy a paper for that? Some of the modern 'journalism' is frankly appalling, never mind some of the papers themselves.

To fold and get all nostalgic about my paper-round days "yep, I've still got the nack" 😉

15 posts so far and 3 of them from paperboys. Pete Harry and djc I hope it's not raining too hard where you are this morning as you drag those huge Sunday papers around.

The only way to do a paper round is on this!

Yes. Not so much when at home but when I'm traveling I will always buy a paper. A broadsheet will give me an hour or two or reading – nothing comes close in value for money.

Papers have changed from the only source of written news (apart from Ceefax/ Teletext) to more of a features and analysis in the 20 years I have been reading them and I guess they will continue to evolve.

I travel a lot and subscribe to Time (originally a gift but I've kept it going), works out less than 50p an issue and a lot more in the way of features and analysis IMO without the irrelevance of yesterday's events. If I've finished that in a week there's always The Economist…

Of course we do. Have you ever tried drying out your riding shoes with a screwed up laptop?

If there are no newspapers what am I going to read whilst taking my morning sh!t.?

tankslapper – Member
Harry – electronic toilet paper? The mind boggles……dare I say it but that's a load of *****! LOL!

My point was that it isn't going to happen, and if it was there wouldn't be hundreds of millions of Euros, Rupees and RMB being invested in bits of kit like the one in the photo. Production methods are changing though, and the smaller paper mills are closing as the mammoth machines come on line. Much like Tesco killing off the corner shop.

Remember Tomorrow's World all those years ago when Raymond Baxter was telling us that the future would be paperless? It hasn't happened… and for a long time it won't.

Definately need newspapers – if only to keep me in a job 🙂

Just how many people on here work in the paper industry?

I thought the stereotipical STWer was a sandles n socks IT geek… like Terrahawk. 😉

Newspapers keep me (barely) in a job too… I think they'll be around for a while yet, though the business model has to change fast. Good luck Murdoch!

Some of the modern 'journalism' is frankly appalling

I agree but in a way we get the press we deserve. Firstly, as papers struggle financially cuts in editorial budgets mean more shortcuts and filler. Compare a UK paper with something like the New York Times (though even that is on its uppers). Secondly, editors know what their readers want – look at the most-read stories on a paper's website and many will be celeb trash. The greatest sadness has been the mothballing of foreign correspondents, the people who'd dig out fascinating and original stories from around the world. Now papers rely on the wires.

I'm a papermaker

I mend paper machines…

You can#t start a fire with a laptop, well maybe with a dell one and we use them for papier mache projects for our model railway layout, then there's lining cat litter trays, adding to compost heaps, mopping up spilt liquid etc

I spec them out and cost them.

National newspapers might be largely in decline in terms of sales (apart from the Mail, unfortunately) – but most are trying to evolve and leverage their key advantages in the online arena.

Remember that papers get paid for online adverts too, they're not giving their content away.

It's local newspapers that are really behind the curve, most have been cut to the bone over the last 15 years – and they seem to be suffering a lot more than the nationals.

I was a local newspaper hack for years, and I'm very glad I got out and moved into online.

Reading a paper whilst enjoying a leisurely breakfast is one of life's pleasures.

I process the pulp and send it to djc1245 (who posted above) runs a paper machine to produce newsprint. Pete (again who posted above) fixes whatever me and djc1245 break 😆

Today's Guardian is currently drying my shoes 😆

Never read a paper in my life, dont intend to start. But I can't absorb or enjoy electronic text, it doesnt feel right and it doesnt sink in.

I can't absorb or enjoy electronic text

The John Lewis xmas ad with the little girl reading the e-book does me 'ead in.

Reading a paper whilst enjoying a leisurely breakfast is one of life's pleasures

Totaly agree with you Mr riley

…now, where did i put the review section