It was a little more than disappointing to find print journalism rated at rock bottom of the list of most marketable college degrees for 2009. We know the market for traditional newspaper journalists is on the decline, and we are aware that the way people are accessing news and information today is different than even just five or 10 years ago. But, we feel there will always be a need for trained, investigative and ethical journalists to dig for information and tell the true story, and we don’t see newspapers going away anytime soon.

Today, just about anyone can get onto their computer, create a blog while eating a bagel in their jammies and express his or her opinion about any topic. This accessibility to expression is one of many benefits to modern-day technology, but many people are substituting reading the paper each morning with a quick glance at an opinion blog written by a humorous accountant or biased politician. However, there is no accountability, standards or professional training behind this opinion being passed off as fact. How are sources validated? How is the information verified as truthful and objective? Was the information passed on second hand? What happens to the relationship of trust developed between the news gatherers and community? How do we know if a story has been investigated or is just surface level? The day the community has a complete disregard for these standards is when newspapers (and an appreciation for fact and truth) will disappear.

Is the real reason newspapers are on the decline because people aren’t willing to pay for news when they can access it online for free? Perhaps some feel they will save money by canceling subscriptions and getting news online but find they don’t check news outlets as much as they planned on and are becoming misinformed. It is interesting to note that The Utah Statesman, essentially free to students, has not experienced a decline in readership over the past few years as traditional newspapers have. Students still enjoy grabbing a paper on the way to class and reading about campus and community happenings. So, perhaps the answer to the problem of the newspaper decline is not for them to go away entirely, but for them to become free just like their online counterparts. We understand that as technology advances we must be flexible and adaptable.

So although we yearn for the days when a newspaper accompanied a bowl of cereal and a glass of orange juice every morning, we don’t see the century-old tradition disappearing anytime soon. People will always need access to reliable and trustworthy information and there will always be journalists willing to provide it. Even if MSN calls us the least marketable degree of 2009.