New York Times to Stop Print Edition|《纽约时报》将停止印刷版本

New York Times to Stop Print Edition

《纽约时报》将停止印刷版本

It seems that The New York Times (NYT) may soon be following the fate of the Oxford Dictionary—both may go out of print in the foreseeable future. Arthur Sulzberger, Jr., publisher of the NYT, announced in a conference in London that eventually the print edition of the leading newspaper will cease to exist.

The decision is in the wake of losses accumulated by the company. It is estimated that the NYT has revenues of US$150 million against expenses of US$200 million per year. Sulzberger predicted a brief outlook for the print edition of the paper and announced that sooner or later, it will come to an end even though no dates have been decided.

The demise of the print edition of the NYT is a severe blow to the ailing print media. With the number of newspapers steadily declining, readers are turning to new media for news. Microblogging websites and online news portals are increasingly being adopted as trusted sources of news and information.

"Nothing can ever replace the printed newspaper," says Seetha Jayakumar, the Copy Team Head at Stark Communications Pvt. Ltd., Trivandrum. When asked what her response would be if newspapers like The Hindu or The New Indian Express stopped their print editions, she said, "It will be like losing a daily companion. The online news portals are doing a good job.

 However, what I associate with a printed paper is not just the information but also the warmth of holding something physical in your hands. It's a part of my daily routine that I'll lose if the printed newspapers go out of vogue."

1.  Why is the NYT compared to the Oxford Dictionary?

(A) Both companies are shutting down for good.

(B) The NYT just bought the Oxford Dictionary.

(C) Both companies are changing their formats.

(D) They both have a lot of big words.

2.  Why is the NYT going to an online-only edition?

(A) People don't trust newspapers anymore.

(B) It's losing US$50 million per year.

(C) It can't compete with microblogging sites.

(D) Its website is making US$200 million per year.

3.  Why would Seetha Jayakumar be upset if all newspapers were only available online?

(A) She would miss the sensation of reading a hard copy every day.

(B) She works for a printing company and would probably be fired.

(C) She shares a newspaper with her husband each day.

(D) She thinks computers are cold and heartless.

　　《纽约时报》看来或许即将步上《牛津辞典》的命运，在可预见的未来都不再出版印刷版本。《纽约时报》的发行人阿瑟‧沙兹伯格在一场位于伦敦的会议中宣布，这个在报界具领导地位的报纸最终将停止出版印刷版本。

　　这个决定是由于公司不断的亏损所致。据估计，《纽约时报》每年的营收有一亿 5 千万美金，但支出却高达两亿美金。沙兹伯格简短预测该报印刷版本的未来，表示虽然确切的时间尚未明朗，但印刷版本的报纸迟早会面临停刊的命运。

　　《纽约时报》印刷版本的终止对于已经衰退的印刷媒体无疑是严重的打击。由于报纸的发行量持续下滑，读者进而转向新型的新闻媒体，像是微网志及在线新闻入口网站都逐渐被大众接受，并被视为值得信任的新闻信息来源。

　　印度特凡德兰的 Stark 通讯有限公司，其印刷部门主管 Seetha Jayakumar 表示：『没有东西能够取代印刷报纸。』当被问到如果像 The Hindu 或 The New Indian Express 等报纸停止印刷版本，她的反应为何时，Jayakumar 说：『这会像是失去一个每日陪伴我的同伴。在线新闻入口网站表现出色，但我喜欢看印刷报纸不仅止于里面的信息，还包括把它实质握在手中的温暖感觉。如果印刷报纸被淘汰，那我将会失去这个每天必做的例行项目。』

答案：1. (C)　2. (B)　3. (A)

For Your Information

为了解决报纸的生存危机，美国业界近年来多方探寻救赎之路，结束免费在线阅读成为一大共识。世界传媒巨擘、新闻集团总裁默多克早就宣布，免费网上阅读的时代即将结束。作为集团旗下的一部分，《华尔街日报》已经对所有在线内容收取订阅费用。默多克认为，报纸的未来发展将依托数字化设备，但开发相关的产品需要时间，公众也需要一个过程来适应这种付费的在线阅读方式。