Hard Copy? Entertainment News Becomes Tangible for Gen Z
The Staff Writers of Sunset Confidential, a new entertainment publication from Emerson College journalists, spent some quality time recently with the Calendar Section of the Los Angeles Times—not digital, the real thing. The hard copy experience got mixed reviews. Here are some of their thoughts:
Photo by Sarah Gilbert/Creative Commons
“It almost reminded me of how many young people consume podcasts as a way of receiving news or updates on the world. We listen to it entirely, often without pauses or constant distractions. When you consider this comparison even more, you can even connect to the fact that many young people start their days with coffee and podcasts, while older generations stereotypically start out with the morning news or a newspaper and coffee.” — Sydney Rowley
When thinking about the way this is different from online publications, the first thing that comes to mind for me is that when you are holding a newspaper, it’s a way to stop time and center your attention on the words in front of you with no distractions. Online articles are more accessible, but they are equally easy to click out of. For me, when I have a newspaper on my hands I am so fascinated by it and all the work that has gone into creating it that I want to dedicate time to reading it. Another thing is that the ads are also not as redundant, yes, they might take half a page, but they will not block your screen or divert your attention away from the article. Lastly, I think that at least for me, now working remotely at my internship and overall, just spending a lot of time looking at my computer and phone screen, having to dedicate time to reading an article also on my phone or computer just simply involves more mental effort. Whereas reading a newspaper is different, and now feels like a way of escaping reality. — Catalina Perez de Arminan
I wish there was an option for a happy medium between the way print is written and the way digital media is written. I would love it if there was a combination of very creative and descriptive writing with very visual pictures. I think sometimes the original intention of journalism is lost on the digital media and many entertainment journalists now are seen as paparazzi and that’s it. Overall I really enjoyed this exercise. It reminded me of the beauty of journalism, specifically print journalism. — Sophia Karesh
A hardcopy newspaper is a catalyst for an intimate conversation, oftentimes. Local newspapers offer customized talking points to specific communities – whether a midsized suburb or a 5 person family unit. The newspaper tells you what is going on in your community. That connection is something harder to pinpoint once the internet is involved. Reading the newspaper felt nostalgic because it is something so abnormal but familiar to me. The paper was diverse, captivating, structured and I was satisfied after I was done. And because it’s in front of you, you really do have to pay attention to it. You have a choice. There are less distractions going on (with the lack of a phone or computer) and it is an activity that feels fulfilling. That being said, I will say a newspaper is limited. There’s only so many articles to be read and if you have questions about the articles there are no answers. I can definitely see how the Internet and online newspapers have a more unlimited power to tap into when it comes to giving people (something) to read. — Delaney Hyldburg
I liked the fact about not getting distracted by other notifications that appear on my phone screen while reading. I think living in a world where phones and social media exist, you can easily get distracted by other things or “news.” Something pops up that catches your attention and even if you intend to come back to the article you were reading, you tend to forget about it and move on with your life. — Maria Sato
I like that the first section you see in the paper is feedback from readers. It gave a sense of community within the Los Angeles area and shows the variety of people who read the paper and engage with it. Regardless of whether the feedback is negative or positive, it’s great that they include it. — Ashly Ibarra
What amazing thoughts from bright Emerson journalism (and VMA) students! Just think how wonderful it would be if all members of the class added their insights to this post?… Comment from an entertainment journalism professor who shall remain nameless