Make Way For "New School"

I work at a university. The other day I was looking at our student newspaper, a weekly publication that is produced as a result of a good deal of hard work by a number of people. I enjoy reading it just as I do most any newspaper. Part of the enjoyment comes from actually picking up the paper, holding it, leafing through it, folding it, and eventually dropping it in the nearest recycling bin. In fact, one of my favorite things to do is look through a newspaper while enjoying a quiet meal. I mention this because as I was looking at that student newspaper, a colleague passed by and mentioned that he no longer reads newspapers, but instead gets his news via the Internet.

This, of course is not the first time I have heard this kind of comment. There have certainly been numerous stories over the past few years as to how the circulation of newspapers across the country has been declining to the point that many of these print publications may eventually have to cease to exist. Such a turn of events, if it does come to pass, will be a sad day for me. Newspapers in a number of ways have been a key part of my entire life. I recognize, however, that it would not necessarily be a sad day for others who are more tied to the Internet than I am. For better or worse, newspapers are old school. The Internet is not.

My intent here is not to bemoan the possible disappearance of newspapers. (Should that day ever come to pass, you can bet I will have plenty to write about that.) Rather, I wish to note that this trend represents a significant turn for public relations practitioners. For over a century, communicators have used newspapers as a key channel for connecting with various publics and constituencies. In today's world, however, newspapers are quickly losing their luster as being an important aspect in any comprehensive outreach campaign. Public relations practitioners need to take note, then, that when it comes to print, the power of "old school" is being replaced by the potential of "new school."