Chapter 29: The Decline of the Newspaper Industry

[Chapter 29: The Decline of the Newspaper Industry]

The car door opened, and Ian stepped out. He stood on the street, watching Jett's vehicle drive away, his expression slightly grim. He whistled and turned, giving a thumbs-up to a small building in the distance. The editor, Bill, waved as he left with his camera. Ian then began to walk home.

As he strolled, he noticed the bustling crowd, confirming that Jett's people were indeed tailing him. The long street was crowded, but Ian remained calm. Emotionally, he felt no fear, but reason reminded him that he needed to be vigilant. He hoped for an upgrade in his personal safety.

...

Once at home, Ian hung his jacket on the coat rack. He walked into the kitchen and saw that his mother had prepared a hearty dinner.

"Looks delicious, Mom," he said, grabbing a piece of fried chicken.

Seeing her son return, Mrs. Carr beamed with joy. She took off her floral apron, stepped over, and hugged him tight, kissing his forehead with a smiling, plump face. "You've done a great job, son, and even saved an innocent girl."

As she spoke, tears filled her eyes. "It's a shame you're becoming so responsible too late; your father won't see this."

Ian responded sincerely, "I've always regretted my past mistakes, but I've stopped associating with those people. I will devote all my energy to exposing the truth and bringing the latest news to the world."

He took a seat at the dining table, enjoying his meal while happily updating his mother on today's newspaper sales and the buzz online about various topics.

Mrs. Carr clearly hadn't considered what all of this meant for her son; the simple woman was just grateful for his growth.

She murmured, "Your father's legacy will thrive in your hands."

Ian smiled, saying, "I can't guarantee that, Mom."

Mrs. Carr exclaimed, "What do you mean?"

Ian replied, "Actually... I'm planning to create an online news platform."

Mrs. Carr was taken aback. "Online news? Your father was against that; he said it was like selling gold as trash."

Ian wasn't surprised by this attitude. After all, initially, online news consisted of free sites that relied solely on traffic without making a profit, especially since they had just suffered through the dot-com crash and were still in a downturn.

Although Ian could make money by supplying news to these platforms, most were still operating at a loss -- advertising revenue was insufficient to cover expenses. Only a few news websites managed to turn a profit, but even then, the results were mediocre.

His father scorned this shift, believing it diminished the value of news altogether!

Ian argued, "The internet is the way of the future; it will evolve and improve."

Though the internet was booming at that time, the online economy was still in its infancy, with platforms like Facebook yet to surface, and mobile internet was a long way off. Even if the timeline seemed inconsistent, the prevailing trend seldom changed.

The question was, how to seize the opportunity...

Ian munched away, speaking through a mouthful, "Print media will decline sooner or later; the internet will challenge everything, not just print, but also television, and even movies will feel the impact."

Mrs. Carr looked shocked. "Are you saying there won't be any newspapers in the future?"

Ian shook his head. "No, newspapers will always exist, but their sales will continue to dwindle. In fact, many large media groups have already begun to transform. The 1920s were a golden age for newspapers, with daily print runs reaching 36 million copies. However, with the emergence of new media, sales are declining steadily. Currently, national newspaper circulation is around just over 20 million a day. Super newspapers like The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times peak at about 1.8 million copies, globally! This will only continue to shrink. Small print companies will have an even harder time, with hundreds going out of business every year."

Mrs. Carr sighed. "Well, I don't understand, but if you think it's the right choice, go ahead. Just remember, the Los Angeles Herald was your father's passion."

"Don't worry, Mom. Print may fade, but news will always exist; it's just taking a different form! Necessary sacrifices will bring greater rewards. The Carr family is in the news business, not just limited to print," Ian replied with a smile.

In business, one couldn't get too sentimental. This sentimentality included emotions related to people and organizations. The notion of, "This is my family business; I can't let it go; I have feelings for it," was just unnecessary thought in Ian's view. 

Thus, he looked at his mother with a smile. "I can't guarantee the Los Angeles Herald will last forever. I might sell it one day, Mom. But I can assure you that even if the Herald doesn't endure, the Carr family will be among the most prominent in America."

Mrs. Carr looked at her son excitedly. "You need to have children before you can have a family."

You need a woman before you can have kids.

Kate Beckinsale?

No, she wouldn't be the mother of my children.

Ian smiled. "There will be, Mom; everything will come together!"

---

After dinner, Ian took his camera and stepped out for a walk. This had become a nightly habit. After all, the night was when America truly came alive -- perfect for indulgence, robbery, or even murder.

If Ian had enough physical strength and skills, he could casually stroll through the streets of Los Angeles where gangs often hung out, and each night would yield some juicy scoop.

So many stories of gunfights and sensational news were prevalent.

His physical limitations hindered his potential! For this reason, Ian had started considering working out -- after all, Kate would appreciate it, wouldn't she?

She complained that I didn't spend enough time.

As he walked, the neighbors greeted him warmly. Just a short while ago, Ian Carr had been like a cornered rat, always chased by loan sharks, but now he returned their greetings with a smile.

At that moment, as he walked casually, Ian's gaze swept around, and he let out a soft gasp.

---

[A/N: This world is a parallel universe with some deviations. For instance, CBS had already been bought by Viacom in the original timeline, but not in this one. In the future, there will be different elements, and you can understand it as a timeline deviation. I'll also strive to stay connected to the original timeline.

Additionally, there will be some celebrity scandals, some of which are real, while others are purely fictional; please don't take them too seriously.

Actually, due to my brief foray into the film industry, I do know some celebrity stories, but I can't speak out... but I can connect them.

In matters of emotion, people don't even want the truth, let alone fabrications?

Lastly, this book won't just focus on Hollywood. News covers everything: violence, sex, economics, and politics! The main storyline is commercial development, and the story is everything news-related, which, given the protagonist's style, will lead to many riveting stories and unimaginable interviews later on.

Therefore, the plot of this book is bound to be exciting.

I hope everyone enjoys it.]

*****

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