Changes at the Christian Science Monitor

This coming April, the Christian Science Monitor will take the unprecendented step of becoming the first daily newspaper with a national audience to drop its daily print publication and go to an online format that is updated continuously.

While some may see this as the next step in the death of newspapers, I prefer to see it as part of the ongoing evolution of journalism.

It's true, the traditional newspaper is going the way of the dinosaur. But that's a good thing, and won't spell the end for journalism in the United States.

What's been happening technologically for the past 20 years has created an incredible opportunity for us to interact with our audience in ways never imaged in the previous century. Newspapers, radio, TV and cable all have had one common short coming - they're primarily a one-way communication tool with no ability to personalize services for the individual audience member. Everyone receives the product in the same one-size fits all package.

Now the media can engage its consumers on an individual basis, generate instantaneous feedback and provide information in multiple formats to better tell the story. This journalistic evolution is not going to be easy. There are going to be some traditional news outlets that won't be able to adapt and die off. But the fight for survival will push others into a new realm of innovation that will fundamentally change the way news outlets provide information and work with their audiences.

For more on the changes at the Christian Science Monitor, check out: http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/1029/p25s01-usgn.html