The Beginning of The End

Traditional media seems to be a dying breed.

That’s the message the CBC Documentary “The End” continues to explore, as the power of online media becomes more dominant within today’s society. The three part series analyzes the future of Radio, Television and Print, while bringing forth a number of growing concerns for these traditional media outlets.

This apocalyptic thinking stems from the overwhelming response of online media. Today there are more than 35 million blogs and more than a billion videos watched per day, globally on YouTube alone. Furthermore, critics are expecting there to be roughly 80 million online podcasts by 2010.

With an overwhelming number of online outlets available, it is easy for critics to forecast the death of traditional media. However, there is still a large audience of loyal, traditional followers.

Print is still important as society still spends a number of hours outside the digital realm. A variety of print marketing and news collateral is still responsible for driving sales and informing the public. In addition, as Margaret Attwood discusses, the convenience and portability of print material goes beyond any computer. Overall, I’d like to think that majority of people are not as tech-addicted as most bloggers/designers and social media enthusiasts. I’d say they enjoy time away from their computers, and view print material as a social hobby.

Television is a questionable entity within today’s media realm. With so much news and programming online paired with the ability to fast-forward ads, TV faces a tough road ahead. With that being said, the introduction of HD programming and North America’s overall addiction to live sports and events could allow for television to stay afloat. The television industry needs to start innovating, as they start to walk a similar path to that of the music industry.

Radio is on its way out, as today’s youth and Gen Y have found new, innovative methods to meet their music and news demands. With portability no longer an issue and new in-car audio avenues available, consumers are spending more time with their own audio collection as oppose to the ones put in place by the CRTC. This, in addition to the opportunities available online, are causing radio stations to slowly die out.

What does this all mean for society, is the big question? Ultimately I’d like to think it would lead to a more informed society, as consumers are bombarded with endless avenues of information and opinion. The ability to create conversation and get involved has become a reality, as all of society is now involved. The cultural and informational opportunities are abundant as corporate spun news now takes the backseat.

The death of traditional media, like all things is inevitable. As the Internet and technologies continue to grow, the ideas surrounding new wave media will begin to surface. Ultimately, the continual evolution of the “mediascape” will hopefully allow for a growing society of informed and involved consumers.

Interested in finding out more? Check out the documentary here.