Hear ye! Hear ye! We want quick and entertaining news, and we want it now

At Elon University both students and faculty say they lean towards easy to read digital news more than traditional news. In four interviews, the same conclusion was drawn: in this rapidly progressing world, newspapers are dead.

Social media is quite literally in the palm of our hand. This means there is a constant stream of information that freely flows in and out of the general public every second of every day. Elon students and faculty gave an inside scoop to their top three ways of obtaining news:

One: Social Media and Emails

“I get most of my news through social media,” said senior Kathleen Harper. “It’s a fun and quick way to keep up.” Harper also gathers news via daily email newsletters from theSkimm. She appreciates receiving news in a unique way that she believes is more entertaining and attention grabbing than a morning paper.

With sites like Twitter and Facebook constantly uploading links, sharing information and spreading the news, it is hard to ignore what is right in front of your face.

“News from social networks keep me more entertained,” said sophomore Marcela Hawkins, “more so than printed papers.”

Two: Online websites and news organizations

Constant connection to the internet allows online news to grow in popularity among teens and young adults. Even some previous newspaper readers are making the switch to online platforms. Many individuals are involved in classes, social networks, or jobs that lead to internet use making it quick and easy to check online for news updates.

“I am all online, I don’t ever watch TV news, and I rarely read a newspaper,” said Dr. Lucinda Austin, assistant professor at Elon. Even though Austin is “on the cusp of being a millennial,” she confidently joins the new trend of her generation by being “all about social media and websites.”

When it comes down to it Austin believes websites are simply the most convenient during a busy lifestyle.

Three: Word of mouth 

The speed of sound is about 342 meters per second. This means word travels fast. One person says something in a crowded room, and all of the sudden someone a thousand miles away could have that information.

“I generally get news through word of mouth,” said sophomore Katie Pownall. “If I hear something on the streets I will then go look it up myself.”

With a hectic schedule to manage, many college students cannot find time to constantly check for news updates. But, when they hear information in passing, students such as Pownall have a higher inclination to follow up on the information.

“I remember overhearing something about a Malaysian airplane crashing last year,” said Pownall, “so I immediately pulled out my phone and checked online.” Her ears and her smartphone proved to be the most essential resources used to quickly gather information on an international crisis.

“Without online news, social media updates, and randomly overhearing that one conversation,” Pownall said, “I would have been totally out of the loop.”

Cocaine and Cupcakes

This fascinating article from the Boston Globe exposes the growing issue of recovering drug addicts who are becoming dependent on sugary foods to quell their drug cravings. These individuals do are in a habit of dependence and have not been taught how to properly take care of themselves. It cites a number of first hand accounts of the problem as well as a number of research experts on addition and nutrition.

The article does a very impressive job integrating quotes into its evidence. While it is quote heavy and relies little on paraphrasing, the inclusion of direct quotes from those affected pulls on the heart strings of the reader and direct quotations from research experts gives the article a lot of accreditation. It is able to integrate quotes seamlessly into its sentences rather than using the typical “so-and-so said” format, and instead using partial quotes. This takes a lot of skill and shows the writers full understanding of the topic as he is able to use the quotes as both hard evidence and analysis.