The Pros and Cons of Print and Online Media

I guess it is evident by now that I am definitely a supporter of printed media over online media. It is not hard for me to think of pros when it comes to print media. Narrowing it down to just two is what is hard for me. However when discussing the pros and cons of printed and online media, you will find that the pros of one are the cons of the other and vice versa. Check it out for yourself.

Accuracy and thoroughness in Reporting are two Pros of printed media and the lack of accuracy and thoroughness are two cons of online media: The most important thing about printed media is the fact that most reports are thoroughly checked for accuracy. Because most newspapers are printed once or twice a day, printed media has much more time to check facts and include all pertinent information necessary to the subject of the article. I was taught the importance of the five W’s early in my education and career in journalism. Who: What: When: Where: and Why! The inclusion of these facts was drilled into my head very early on that no article is complete without this information. In the race to be the first to report many news events, the five W’s are sometimes sacrificed for the scoop. It is important to me and should be for everyone else that all the information surrounding an important story be check for truthfulness. This prevents misinformation from being spread and leads too more informed readers. Newspapers and news magazines in my opinion have an advantage in these categories over online media.

Cost and Timeliness would be two negatives of printed media but pros for online media. To put it simply, if you can acquire news at no cost without waiting, you are more likely to prefer online media to printed media. Newspapers have to charge to stay in business. With many advertisers, the main source of newspaper revenue, preferring to reach larger audiences via the web, the minuscule amount of money newspapers charge per issue is necessary but also a hindrance to many who would prefer not to have to spend anything. As stated above, the fact that the information is available on the web before the printed newspaper is distributed is also con for the printed media industry.

What are some of your pros and cons relating to printed and online media?

Local Print Media in Jackson

There is only one major daily newspaper in Jackson, The Clarion-Ledger, and that is where I get most of my media information from.  As a Jackson native, I personally feel that the Clarion-Ledger aka as The Clarion-Liar, is marketed as being non-partisan but really has a liberal slant to some of its reporting.  The House redistricting plan leaving committee is the current headlining story in the Ledger. 

The Northside Sun (weekly) and the Mississippi Link (weekly) are the two other newspapers in Jackson.  The Mississippi Link is considered the 'African-American' newspaper and covers a lot of news and community events that affect Blacks, while the Northside Sun covers mostly local non-ethnic news, sports and community events and is not widely read by African-Americans.  The Link currently has a story about the Greenville woman who placed her 3 year old son in the oven and killed him.  This story is currently garnering national attention.  One story in the Sun this week deals with the high property taxes City of Jackson residents pay as opposed to other metro cities.

The Jackson Free Press is a popular weekly newspaper in Jackson that covers a lot of entertainment news but does delve into deeper social and political areas.  It is currently running a story about Barbour's decision to lower funding for Mississippi Public Schools.  The Jackson Advocate, the oldest African-American newspaper in Mississippi, is published once a week and is very similar to the Mississippi Link in content but delves more deeply into state and local government issues that affect Blacks. The youth Town Hall Meeting held on Sunday, February 27, 2011 at the Regency Hotel in Jackson is their front page story.

There are also a two subject-related newspapers in Jackson as well.  They include:
The Mississippi Business Journal  (weekly)
Baptist record (weekly, Christian)

Don't believe the hype!

When I read in the Clarion-Ledger that there was a bill submitted in the Mississippi legislature that would honor Nathan Bedford Forrest, founder of the KKK, I was embarrassed but honestly not shocked.  It would seem that my state gets a lot of attention in the media for being first or close to first at everything bad and last or close to last for everything good.  I am often asked by people who do not live in Mississippi, how could I stay in such a racist place.  When I try to explain to them that it's really not that bad here, they don't believe me.  Who would? Reading the stories printed about MS would make most people cringe...including me.  Are these stories an accurate portrayal of what life is like in MS is the question.  Yes, we are the fattest state.  Yes, our state is controlled by Republicans who do not have the best interest of minorities at heart.  Yes, our kids are scoring lower on national tests.  Yes, our teen pregnancy rate and drop out rates are among the highest in the U.S.  I could go on.  But do these stories accurately portray life in MS.

I believe that they are true in many aspects, but can be misleading.  Having lived up north in Detroit, Mich.  I experienced more prejudice and evidence of social ills that I had ever seen in MS.  And yes, Detroit does get its share of bad press.  But I do believe that if you polled a hundred thousand Americans asking them what is the worst state to live in, MS would once again be first in the minds of those who don't live here.  I'm saying all that to say this: however you get your media information, please be aware that the articles you read and reports you watch will never tell the entire story of what is really going on.  Additional research is always needed.  For example: the Bedford-Forrest tag issue got national attention, however no one has talked about how MS has more black elected officials than any other state in the U.S.  Makes wanna say, hmmm............ I say, don't believe the hype!