The Web is here to stay, and it will be the dominant form of distribution of news and knowledge for the foreseeable future.

This might seem obvious but I have been hearing stories lately of older journalists believing that the Web is just a fad. One older editor believes that everything will come full circle after the infatuation with the Web wears off. In this alternate reality, newspapers are once again the No. 1 destination for news.

I couldn’t make this up if I wanted to.

The Web is here to stay, especially now that mobile networks are gaining power and mobile devices are becoming more usable. The Internet is arguably the greatest invention since the printing press when it comes to liberating knowledge and societies.

With an Internet connection anyone in the world can find out about anything, anytime over the Web. The personal computer and Internet dwarf other colossal inventions like the car, TV and refrigerator. When knowledge is freed, people and societies are freed. Not only has knowledge been freed, but the Web has brought on the social revolution.

The Internet allows everyday people to exchange ideas, question the status quo and form bonds. Now anyone can converse with anyone else anywhere in the world. It’s an incredible mechanism for the breaking down of stereotypes and assumptions.

Think you know everything about Communist China? Why don’t you go ahead and talk to someone from there or read one of the many dissidents’ blogs about how China needs democracy.

In the end one thing is clear — the Web is not a fad.

This entry was posted on Monday, December 17th, 2007 at 9:17 am and is filed under Mainstream Media, State of journalism. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.