
A new communications technology disrupted America’s newspaper industry—in 1845 - davidw
http://www.economist.com/displayStory.cfm?story_id=15108618
======
mcantor
FTA:

Writing in the Atlantic Monthly in 1891, W.J. Stillman, a journalist and
critic, decried the effects of the telegraph on his profession. "America has
in fact transformed journalism from what it once was, the periodical
expression of the thought of the time, the opportune record of the questions
and answers of contemporary life, into an agency for collecting, condensing
and assimilating the trivialities of the entire human existence," he moaned.

"The frantic haste with which we bolt everything we take, seconded by the
eager wish of the journalist not to be a day behind his competitor, abolishes
deliberation from judgment and sound digestion from our mental constitutions.
We have no time to go below surfaces, and as a general thing no disposition."

...

Competing journalist John Smith later commented, "@wjthrillman Don't be so
sensationalist; not everyone tweets about what they had for breakfast.
#luddites"

------
socratees
Its a well known that Internet has changed the way people access information.
And the best part is that it has empowered people instead of the oligarchs and
governments (except cases where human rights are censored).

Its in our hands to make the best out of this opportunity.

------
stuartjmoore
The difference: they figured out how to use this new technology to enhance
their business.

They're letting the internet hurt their brands. It has a lot to do with the
design, ads, and [citations needed].

