Tablets and iPads: Savior or Bunk?

When newspapers first debuted on the internet, the platform was a regurgitated version of the daily print edition. Online news was designed for viewing on a laptop or PC with the theory that people would get their daily dose of news while avoiding the pile of work that awaited their procrastination. But mobile technology is beginning to the change the landscape of journalism; a trend that is becoming a constant in the world of news.

Tablets and iPads are growing with tremendous popularity and according to author Amy- Mae Elliott in her article “Is the iPad the Savior of the Newspaper Industry?” many technology experts and pundits in the publishing industry believe tablets and iPads have the opportunity to save the newspaper industry. And I believe the experts may be correct.

Mobile devices may be exactly what the newspaper industry needed to regain that loyal readership that graced them for so many years. With that said, I believe it is important for newspapers to continue to adapt and create content for their online version of news. According to Elliot, iPad owners are 75 percent more likely to read the news. The iPad and tablet may take the place of the tangible newspaper for one that is less expensive and easily accessible. But I also believe it is important for these industries to create news online for PC’s, tablets, and iPads, and avoid creating content for android and iPhone. Android users will likely support this notion that apps for the platform tend to be faulty and slow. It’s also difficult to read a news story or any story for that matter via smartphone making tablets and iPads the perfect platform for a digital newspaper.

My main beef with online content is the lack of editing that takes place. When this was first discussed in one of my classes, many were quick to point out that most of the poor editing I had experienced were from blogs which in most cases are not viewed by an editor before going live. However, I have started noticing the same errors in news stories as well. If newspapers want to convince the public to pay for “quality” content it needs to be created free of errors with a high level of accuracy both in editing and material. I understand the aspect of immediacy putting a heavy burden on journalists to produce articles quickly and accurately, but that should not excuse poor editing. And journalists who post their own blog should take enough pride in their own writing to make sure it’s edited properly. I think it will be difficult to charge for content no matter the platform if accuracy goes by the wayside.

Ultimately, online-beef-rant aside, the newspaper industry needs to continue to adapt in a world where technology is the center of the universe. Technology dictates the direction of innovation for a number of different professions. Journalism and more importantly newspapers must adapt. It is clear that users are ready and willing to pay for quality content; the industry needs to stay on the cutting edge and provide. Mobile (specifically iPad and tablet) has the potential to put traditional media back in the driver’s seat; but they need to be willing to make the changes necessary to adapt to a mobile driven public. I don’t know if iPad will “save” the newspaper industry, but providing content specific for the iPad is not a bad idea.