RIP Newspapers

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-december-9-2008/clusterf--k-to-the-poor-house---final-edition-edition#@k-to-the-poor-house

First of all, let me start by saying that I love Jon Stewart.

He has a valid point in his video in that the Newspaper industry is struggling. Dying?  I don't think so. Newspapers are just having to adapt to the ever-changing technological times. More people are going to the Internet for information, instead of sitting down to read the paper. Many newspapers have quickly adapted to having the same coverage available online as they have in their actual hard copy.

On the other hand, many of the older generations of society still prefer to read an actual newspaper. Whether it be because they are technologically illiterate or set in their ways, we'll never know but many people still rely on it as their source of news. My grandmother gets her newspaper every morning and sits down to read the entire paper over a cup of coffee. I feel that for them, there is also a sense of security in relying on a newspaper. Many people (and myself included) believe that journalists are first account reporters of a story and give an unbiased, mult-sided view, therefore we feel that the paper is the best way to get the real scoop.

I feel like if the newspaper industry disappeared, we would be in a mess. TV News is too biased and every News Corporation is on a different wavelength, therefore I feel that consumers don't get the best coverage in that spectrum. As for radio, in order to get the volume that we get from our newspapers, we would have to invest in a few radio stations that were strictly news. And they would have to be free because not everyone will splurge on XM Satellite radio. Therefore, not profiting the news industry.

I think the Newspaper industry adapting to the Internet is a good thing. Everyone is jumping on the Green/Eco-friendly wagon anyway, and saving paper is never a bad thing (Just ask UNC ). For the younger generations, it is more convenient in that we can access our news anywhere without having to go retrieve our bulky hard copy.  There are downsides in that many people will only read the news that is interesting to them, causing a decrease in public awareness on some issues. Also, Newspapers will have to eventually start charging a fee or sell more online ad space to supplement their income and pay their writers.

Will they ever stop printing newspapers? Probably not. Jon Stewart made this video in 2008. 3 years later, you still receive a USA today under your hotel door and you can pick up The Daily Tarheel on the way to class. Many people will continue to read a paper copy whether it be because they're old fashioned or they enjoy their newspaper clippings. To Each His Own.

G-Male: The Perfect Boyfriend or Big Brother?

      Thanks to our dear friends at Google, apparently the search for the perfect boyfriend is over! Or is it? This video personifies the "keyword tracking" that the company uses in order to display sites and advertisements appropriate to the user. While I think having a live-in, know-all-tell-all boyfriend who can find anything that my sometimes scatterbrained self might misplace would be ideal, knowing my every thought leaves nothing to be desired.

      Google's tracking tactics have never seemed to bother me. I have always found it helpful that my computer and/or browser knew me well enough to suggest places I might enjoy going or things I might enjoy looking at. Sometimes it shows me things I didn't even realize I was interested in buying! However, G-Male has shed a new light on the tracking issue. Seeing Google personified in this character makes it seem a little more creepy and slightly annoying. While the ad recommendations are helpful and seemingly entertaining, the lack of privacy is not so much. G-Male seemed insanely helpful and cute to start with but then his increase in pervasiveness completely altered his character. I would have knocked the guy out at 1:33.  My mother isn't even that nosy/needy.

     While Google has always been my search engine of choice (and I LOVE Google Chrome by the way), this video has potentially altered our relationship. If Yahoo! was scanning my e-mails, I would be a little more accepting due to the fact that they host my account. On a side note, I am irritated that I keep getting Viagra and Male Enhancement e-mails in my Spam. I checked "female" for a reason Yahoo! Anyways, while Google's tactics do seem creepy and invasive, I doubt it will have much of an effect on how much I use it or how private I keep my browsing. The people at Google don't know me from Adam.

     I did think Comediva's portrayal was hilarious. It really made the issue seem more public and more open and made you think of it in a completely different aspect. The fact the guy knew such private information was a wake-up call to just how much information we do allow to be lost in the web. But as long as G-male stays in my computer and doesn't interfere with reality, we can be friends!