World's Oldest Newspaper Gets The Axe, But Gains new Life On The Web
Judy Ramsook
February 06, 2007
One portion of internet technology that has not bothered me is that of the online newspaper. Call me old fashioned, but I find it far more enjoyable to pick up the physical paper from the lawn, bring it inside and read it over coffee or breakfast.
As opposed to logging on to the paper of your choice’s web site to read said the online version of said newspaper. Now, as more and more people are turning to the internet for the news, so are they also not renewing their physical newspaper subscription. They find it easier and faster to get their news from an online source.
And none of this bothered me until I learned that the world’s oldest newspaper, Sweden’s Post-Och Inrikes Tidningar which had been around since anyone reading this article was even thought of being born, 1645, decided to go completely digital.
Then Sweden’s Queen Kristina certainly made history when she introduced it to the public, and now it seems that country has once again made history by making said newspaper available only in an online capacity. It has been available online since January 1st.
Is this a sign of things to come? For if the world’s oldest newspaper can fold up its printing press by making that newspaper available on the internet, will other and newer newspapers follow suit?
It might be so. But let’s hope it won’t happen too fast, for some of us still enjoy leafing through those pages one can touch and feel, as opposed to stepping over to his/her computer to make contact with only his/her computer mouse and keyboard.
And there are still some places in the world where there are no cyber cafes, or countries where there are no computers in the libraries. People who live in such areas, also need to know what’s going on in the world around them. Whether they are perusing a newspaper they can touch and hold in their hands, or one they are viewing via their computer monitor.
As opposed to logging on to the paper of your choice’s web site to read said the online version of said newspaper. Now, as more and more people are turning to the internet for the news, so are they also not renewing their physical newspaper subscription. They find it easier and faster to get their news from an online source.
And none of this bothered me until I learned that the world’s oldest newspaper, Sweden’s Post-Och Inrikes Tidningar which had been around since anyone reading this article was even thought of being born, 1645, decided to go completely digital.
Then Sweden’s Queen Kristina certainly made history when she introduced it to the public, and now it seems that country has once again made history by making said newspaper available only in an online capacity. It has been available online since January 1st.
Is this a sign of things to come? For if the world’s oldest newspaper can fold up its printing press by making that newspaper available on the internet, will other and newer newspapers follow suit?
It might be so. But let’s hope it won’t happen too fast, for some of us still enjoy leafing through those pages one can touch and feel, as opposed to stepping over to his/her computer to make contact with only his/her computer mouse and keyboard.
And there are still some places in the world where there are no cyber cafes, or countries where there are no computers in the libraries. People who live in such areas, also need to know what’s going on in the world around them. Whether they are perusing a newspaper they can touch and hold in their hands, or one they are viewing via their computer monitor.
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