News deserts pose a serious threat to American society and reveal that most Americans chose to get their news via online platforms. A news desert can be defined as a community, either rural or urban, with limited access to the sort of credible, local, or comprehensive news and information. News deserts have become much more frequent across the United States and show that people would rather get news online rather then in paper. Now, we are seeing century old weekly papers that were able to survive even the great depression struggle to make ends meat. This turn from paper to computer has caused historic news sources to crumble and fall into bankruptcy.
This change was very foreseeable, as technology has advanced, so has society. Why would people continue to buy and wait on physical papers when they can read the news on the same device they can listen to music, play their favorite crossword, or find other sources telling similar stories from a different perspective. The ability to read news on the computer makes the process much easier, cleaner, and less wasteful. Still, old school newspapers are good to keep around and the progression of news deserts needs to stop.
While newspapers are more costly and difficult to deliver, they still hold an important role in society. Tradition is a value not to be overlooked, and plays a major role in why people continue to buy a subscription to a weekly paper. Many of those who had been reading a physical paper on a weekly basis do not intend for that to end, hoping to keep that tradition alive. News deserts are a major threat to those who value this tradition, preventing people from getting a news paper from previous sources; or any source at all.
While the majority of society might be less affected by this change to online, the groups most effect are the older or less wealthy. This is because, as previously discussed, the older generations may value tradition above change, not looking to read news online but on physical paper. The less wealthy are effected through potentially not having the money to purchase the devices necessary to read the news online. Moreover, once the device(s) is owned, many news sources require a monthly or annual subscription, which not everyone can afford or is willing to pay.
Personally, these deserts have little effect on me thankfully. My family and I are fortunate to live in an area of New Jersey that values physical papers with many donors supporting sources such as The Monmouth Journal and The Two River Times. I also am more likely to use my computer to find news as its incredibly easy to do a quick Google search to find information about something I am interested in learning more about. My father, on the other hand, certainly appreciates a physical copy of the paper. While he is not opposed to using his computer to research and learn about local happenings, he greatly appreciates getting a paper once a week delivered.
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