Fall in young newspaper readers indicates move toward ignorance
Elizabeth Davidson
I was appalled by a conversation I overheard in class Tuesday. Two women were discussing why one of them had the Wall Street Journal on her desk. She said it was for a class, and went on to complain about how ridiculous it was for her professor to expect students to read it every day. The other woman actually sounded relieved, saying how it would be weird if she read it on her own.
And this was even in a class required for journalism majors.
I was amazed.
No wonder so many students don't know what's going on in the world around them.
The number of students reading newspapers is continually decreasing, and students are less informed about current events than in the past. The percentage of adults age 18 to 24 who read the newspaper on a daily basis has decreased from about 44 percent in 1998 to 34 percent in 2007, according to statistics on the Newspaper Association of America's Web site.
If this trend continues, how much will ignorance spread in another 10 years?
A survey conducted by Common Core, an education research organization, reported that fewer than half of teenagers surveyed didn't know the answers to basic history or literature questions. Think of how much of a problem this will become later if people aren't even aware of events that are happening now. Adults won't know anything about our history if this continues, whether it's from the 1700s or 2000.
There seems to be a general disinterest in affairs occurring outside our individual "bubbles." Many people think that if it's not affecting them, then it's not of their concern. But it's important for people to stay informed with news from around the world or at least within their own nation.
So the next time you pass by a newspaper stand in the Student Center, go ahead, pick up a paper, even if your professor doesn't require it.
Liz Davidson is a junior news-editorial journalism major from Austin.
Viewing Comments 1 - 5 of 5
Ignoramace Andy
posted 3/06/08 @ 2:17 PM CST
I am appalled by the ignorance of Ms Davidson on the decline of students reading newspapers. Students don't read papers these days since the invention of the internet by Al Gore. (Continued…)
Tom U.
posted 3/06/08 @ 11:36 PM CST
Andy makes a valid point – somewhat convoluted, but valid nonetheless.
My hope for the survival of the print medium is that conventional newspapers will continue to push up-to-the-minute news items via their web sites, while migrating the morning dailies to evening editions. (Continued…)
Brian
posted 3/07/08 @ 4:33 PM CST
We print journalists actually don't kill as many "tress" as you might think, Irony Andy. Newsprint contains a good deal of recycled product.
What could have helped this column is a look into how many young readers are actually pulling their news from the Internets, as the Current Occupant would put it. (Continued…)
Anon
posted 5/03/08 @ 12:45 PM CST
The person who wrote this has a very selfish way of thinking. Have they not considered that individuals may have their own prerogatives and may not want to lead boring lives with their faces stuck in a newspaper all day everyday? Please explain to me what harm it does if people live within their bubbles? On the grand scale of things nothing really ever changes as a result of newspaper readers. (Continued…)
Amazon Herbs
posted 5/04/08 @ 7:10 PM CST
You must keep in mind that people on this site may not be reading your physical newspaper but they are reading your paper in cyberspace and no trees are being used to do it. (Continued…)
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