The media’s favorite topic these days is the demise of newspapers in a world of Facebook, Twitter and blogs. While its clear that many Americans choose to get their news from their favorite blogger or twitterer, its less clear to what extent this is hurting traditional media.  Its possible that the threat to traditional media is overstated.

The newspaper business is witnessing a decline in revenue and many attribute that decline to non-traditional media.  If true, the effect seems to be less in Montana (and perhaps in other rural small-newspaper markets).  Declines in ad revenue seem to be happening not only to print media, but online media as well.  This could mean that declines in readership and ad placements are caused more by the weak economy than a shift in customer news preferences.

According to The Childrens Partnership, 9% of all Montana’s households have broadband compared to 20% of all households nationally.  This reduced access to the Internet provides one of the reason’s local news outlets are not being as adversely affected by social media as their  cousins in large metropolitan areas.

I work for a local newspaper (part of a larger chain) and this is topic one around the water cooler.  While we see the tsunami coming, it seems – at least in Montana – to be somewhat in the future.  But it will hit here eventually.

I’d love to hear your comments. How do you get your news?  How do you view news coverage provided by your local newspaper versus the blogosphere?