The newspaper business in the United States is widely regarded as terminally ill. Or, at the bare minimum, in need of major re-constructive surgery.
That phenomenon isn’t limited to U.S. media.
The major Israeli daily Maariv is seeking investors to fund the publication to keep it alive. Most Israelis read either Yediot Achronot (Ynet) or Maariv. Haaretz is considered a “high brow” publication that the masses don’t pick up, even though the newspaper is linked to the International Herald Tribune and is well-regarded internationally.
Unlike Yediot and Haaretz, Maariv has not established itself on the internet as a major news organization and has not developed an English site.
It remains to be seen how the Internet will transform the news industry, and that revolution will assuredly affect Israeli publications.
The effect on Palestinian media is also up in the air. The West Bank and Gaza are significantly less developed than Israel, therefore changes might take slightly longer to take root. However, the greatest threat to the Palestinian media is not changing and emerging technologies; it’s the lack of freedom and the constant intimidation from the government that hinders democracy and press.
