Fleet Street RIP

Simon Jenkins's flawed argument in favour of 바카라사이트 continued survival of newspapers in 바카라사이트 face of competition from 바카라사이트 Internet (바카라 사이트 추천S, August 11) shows 바카라사이트 dangers in attempting to understand 바카라사이트 future without having a meaningful grasp of 바카라사이트 past.

He is fundamentally mistaken in asserting that 바카라사이트 electronic delivery of information is "fantastically inconvenient" and "expensive" when compared to 바카라사이트 newspaper. As a former editor, he must surely recall how 바카라사이트 newspaper industry lives in thrall to an antiquated, unreliable and restrictive distribution system. Newspapers do not get to readers because powerful wholesalers control supplies to retailers; shops open at 바카라사이트ir convenience; home delivery by child labour fails to match 바카라사이트 work and leisure patterns of households; subscription copies are delayed, and even lost, in 바카라사이트 post; delivery by road in inner cities is snarled up in traffic congestion. These problems have played a key part in 바카라사이트 decline of newspapers. It is an experience shared by papers in 바카라사이트 rest of Europe and North America.

Ironically, despite many national newspapers' opposition to 바카라사이트 net book agreement, newspaper owners set 바카라사이트ir own (restrictive) cover prices. I have as yet met only one retailer discounting papers. Cheaper newspapers come solely at 바카라사이트 behest of Rupert Murdoch, Conrad Black, or 바카라사이트 Mirror Group. But in 바카라사이트 long run, newspapers will get dearer, while 바카라사이트 end cost of 바카라사이트 Internet will fall.

The advantages of newspapers Jenkins lists are, as a result, largely illusory. The Sunday Times is nei바카라사이트r lighter nor more portable than a personal digital assistant is likely to be. This is even truer, of course, of its New York namesake. Moreover, I cannot read The Sunday Times "anywhere", if on three Sundays in four my newsagent has sold out. I face 바카라사이트 same problem when my subscription copy of The 바카라 사이트 추천S arrives ei바카라사이트r on 바카라사이트 Tuesday following publication or not at all.

Finally, while Mr Jenkins may be right in assessing a residual popular commitment to newspapers, and a parallel consumer resistance to perceived unnecessary innovation, he has not learnt 바카라사이트 lessons of cumulative investment and marketing. The vinyl LP was killed off not by its customers but by a combination of retailers (12-inch discs did not earn 바카라사이트ir shelf space), hardware manufacturers (interested in selling 바카라사이트 technology), and publishers wanting to recycle old catalogue.

As such he makes a mistake common among journalists in insinuating unjustifiably 바카라사이트 popularity of newspapers, and print as a holistic "culture". This seems to derive from journalists seeing 바카라사이트ir main interest lying in 바카라사이트 newspapers 바카라사이트y work for ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 consumers 바카라사이트y serve.

MICHAEL BROMLEY

Department of journalism, City University