Guardian boss agrees: grim future for national newspapers.

Outgoing head of editorial development at Guardian.co.uk, Neil McIntosh, predicted the end of Scottish newspapers, The Scotsman and The Herald, during a lecture at the University of Westminster.

The soon-to-be European editor of The Wall Street Journal Online supported his old employer, director of digital content at Guardian News and Media, Emily Bell’s prediction of a bleak future for national newspapers

“Of course I agree with my boss,” said McIntosh, when asked about Bell’s recent comment that up to five national newspapers could go out of business.

Bell said: "We are on the brink of two years of carnage for western media. In the UK, five nationals could go out of business and we could be left with no UK-owned broadcaster outside of the BBC."

The Independent is one of the big names expected to struggle as Independent News and Media announced that half-yearly profits tumbled 35.6% at its UK unit, which includes the national daily.

However, McIntosh does not expect the death of The Independent because “Rich people like owning newspapers for political access and prestige,” hinting that the national daily could go down the route of hand out papers like The London Paper and The Metro.

“Some people are saying The Independent could go free.”

McIntosh does expect a better future for online journalism with wallstreetjournal.com one of the few companies hiring this year.

Photo taken from Sophie's Online Project

Links for old people online

http://www.digitalunite.net/ssd/

silver surfer site

http://digitalunite.com/

silver surfer blog site

http://www.digitalunite.net/ssd/?page=ssy&ssy_id=2

silver surfer of the year

http://digitalunite.com/category/silver-surfers-in-the-news/

silver surfers in the news

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4582831.stm

surfers say its vital


http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=DpOTIWpAjQQ

youtube clip

http://www.brandrepublic.com/News/841242/Reclassifying-silver-surfer/

online article

The Daily Express

The Daily Express, jokingly called The Daily Depress is a conservative tabloid newspaper aimed at the British middle market. With a circulation of over 750,000. The newspaper is known for it's controversial themes, such as it's constant publications of conspiracy theories and its bold statements about the Madeleine McCann case, causing a public front page apology to the two parents.

Looking at the above picture we can see that the online version of The Daily Express is very similar to the print version, pictured below. However, the website has attempted to add some interactivity and new media.

There are pictures, vidoes and audio clips now available although the clips have not been made by The Daily Express themselves, but instead come from another source.

Also the internet version of the tabloid has tried to interact with its readers by having a comment section. However, the comment section doesn't seem to be that widely used in comparison with a more popular online newspaper such as Guardian.co.uk.

The reason behind this is that the demographic for the Express is of a much older, conservative generation, not open to new media as a more liberal, younger audience of The Guardian.