I Napoleon's opinion that the newspaper industry was an institution more powerful than even the military reflects the influence and prestige that the print media have gained throughout history. But in our century, the print media have lost much of their influence to competitors like television and the Internet.
Newspapers are in danger of losing their readers and their respected status.
A major factor in declining readership is the lack of young readers. The future of print depends on getting and keeping the support of the next generation. Of the 5,000 Americans aged 18 to 29 who were surveyed, only 24 percent said that they had read the previous day's paper. This is dramatically less than the 67 percent who answered yes in 1965. If newspapers can overcome this obstacle, much of the battle will be won.