We’ve all heard that print news is dying. That’s old news, but in a ten-year study released Thursday, The Pew Research Center indicated that television news may not be far behind as the next generation of news consumers goes online and digital. In Changing News Landscape, Even Television is Vulnerable.
According to Pew, “the percentage of Americans saying they saw news or news headlines on a social networking site yesterday has doubled – from 9% to 19% – since 2010.” The trend is not just increasing in young people but other age groups too. Pew also found that “among adults under age 30, as many saw news on a social networking site the previous day (33%) as saw any television news (34%), with just 13% having read a newspaper either in print or digital form.” Pew said this growth is complementary since the majority of Americans can access the internet on a mobile device, such as a cell phone or tablet.
The corollary that technology and communication are changing news consumers and society, fits nicely with the Technological Determinism theory. According to O’Shaughnessy and Stadler, Technological Determinism is the belief that technological innovation reshapes social life and drives social change.
New media analyst Manuel Castells argues that each part, society and technology, is integrated in their growth and one does not drive the other. (p. 117)
So which is true? Is society changing their news consuming habits because new technology is available or is technology changing society’s news consumption? The answer will be news to you and me.
Strategically Communicating 
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