What happpens when big media goes boooooooom?

May 2nd, 2005

This post by Jeff Jarvis at Buzzmachine is a powerful echo to Bob Garfields piece Chaos scenario in Adage in early April of this year.

Collapse is not too strong a word to describe what has happened to America’s major news media. Stripped of their old economic and technological advantages, befuddled by the changing character of their audiences, and beset by new competitors, they are reeling from the blows recent scandals have dealt to their credibility and presige. Their old authority is one, and with it, perhaps their ability to define for Americans a shared realm of information, ideas and debate.

Killer stats

1). Daily newspaper circ from 1990 to 2003: 62.3 to 55.2 million
2). Number of daily U.S. papers from 1990 to 2003: 1,611 to 1,456
3). By age group, percentage of Americans who read a paper yesterday: 18-29 – 23, 30-49 – 39, 50-64 – 52, 60+ – 60
4). Time spent by 8-19 year olds on all media: 6 hours, 21 minutes; time spent on print media: 43 minutes
5). Combined viewership of network evening news: 1980 – 52 million, 2004 – 28.8 million
6). Median age of network news viewer: 60
7). Percentage of people who believe all or most of what’s on: network news – 24, CNN – 32, FoxNews – 25, C-Span – 27, PBS NewsHour – 23

Thanks to Adriana for the hat tip

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