Back in 2000, Walter Cronkite told the 'New York Times', "(Newspapers) have thrived because not even the best radio or television stations or upstart Internet sources have ever tried to duplicate the thorough coverage and the service to the community that newspapers provide. And that is an essential service that our nation cannot do without."
In October 2000, Andrew Lyons of 'The News-Journal of Daytona Beach' reported, "The World Wide Web enables readers to simply roll out of bed, flip on their computer terminals and within seconds start scanning headlines across the globe. According to Editor & Publisher, there are now 1160 newspapers in the United States and Canada with sites on the World Wide Web, or nearly three-quarters of the 1587 total newspapers in both countries."
On reflection in June 2007, the 'Herald-Journal' (www.GoUpstate.com) remarked, "The internet, with its breathtaking speed and unlimited capacity, spurred the biggest change in news delivery in a lifetime. Websites created by those daily papers are the most respected for local news on the web. Today's (in 2007) online and in-print editions are a multimedia partnership, with print stories referring readers to online audio and video. And online features using up-to-the-minute versions of print edition reporting. By combining the strengths of their online and print editions, newspapers give readers a richer, more immediate news experience."
On October 11 1990, over 50,000 copies of a new newspaper, 'The News', rolled off Knight-Ridder Newspaper presses. Editor Wayne Ezell made known 'The News' had undergone several changes to "include some innovations not previously seen in American newspapers." Changes in content, format, appearance, and advertising.
After studying survey results of some 1000 local newspaper readers and newspaper advertisers as well as listened to almost 200 other people in some 21 separate meetings, publisher Clement Winke Jr informed, "People told us they wanted a newspaper with traditional journalistic depth and breadth, but one that was more useful, better organized and more respectful of their time than existing papers. We've listened to our readers and advertisers as we worked to create a newspaper as vibrant as this area (the state of Florida)."
It was understood the Baby Boom Generation, those born between 1946 and 1964 had created "a headache for the industry because their reading frequency is considerably less than that of their parents and grandparents." Research studies concluded the Boomers "don't read newspapers every day because they don't have time and they don't think newspapers offer enough that's useful to them."
Wayne believed at the time, "The new 'News' is one that readers of all ages will want every day because it will make them feel plugged-in and smart, touch their emotions, recognize their time poverty and help them with their lives. The news will be a fast read at one level, a leisurely read at another level and so relentless well-organized the reader can choose between the two each time he or she sits down with the paper. It will have a what-it-means-to-you emphasis throughout, so the reader is always getting reinforcement for his or her decision to spend time with us."