Do you need the Newspaper?

Today I discussed with one of my most intelligent colleague - Jitu and he told me that it took him 4 hours to read the New york times. He was troubled because he cannot do so everyday. Now being a traditional non conformist [Oxymoronic], I questioned the need to read the news paaper in the first place? Before reading any further, ask yourself why do you actually need the newspaper.

• Is it because you want to subscribe to daily news?
• Is it because we want to be up-to-date?
• Is it because our fathers had started this tradition and we ought to continue this [as in most of the cases] blindly?

Years ago, there was a prediction that with the rise of the online form, the print media would be dead....DEAD. However, it never happened and now the same gurus say that consumer would always want the news in black and white form. Is it? I believe, all these predictions and explanations are reverse engineered rather than having any logical base.


Ok. This is my prediction and this is what I do: I don't suscribe to a Newspaper rather I buy it on weekends - when I know I will have time. Many a times, it is hard to find time even on weekends but that's ok. For the weekday stuff, I prefer the Economist or any weekly magazine about the current affairs. If in India - Please Do Not Subscribe to India Today. Its a tabloid in the name of Current Affairs. If you do no believe it, take any month and compare the editions with that of the Frontline. I believe it has to do something with the owner company. Times Group is renowned for its tabloid features and Hindu Group for its qaulity. Lets Not digress the issue.


Is the Newspaper a Waste: Definately NOT? I don't mean that however, for people like us, who rarely use the news, its a big waste. We struggle to get the relevant material out of daily newspaper and many of us cannot do it on a day to day basis. Also, a vast majority do not actually require the news with that pace. What I mean is that if we are not in the stock business or any other business, where daily news can make or break a decision, newspapers are a waste. It is only in those business, where the news is used on a daily basis - Newspaper makes sense.

For example, warren buffet spends the first ten hours of his day reading dailies and newspapers. For rest of us, its better if someone [Economist] categorises the news neatly in respective folders, and give it to us in a capsule form. It's easy for us to digest the news capsule over a weel's time rather than on a daily basis. During the spread of the week, you can find your own time to cover the magazine. If you have a real interest in any topic like Business - Subscribe to Businessweek as well.

As for the Breaking news - I get the daily gist by Google News. This is what I do practically almost everyday after checking my mail - In Office. ;) It takes not more than 5-10 minutes a day.

Do we really need the newspaper. What do you think ??