Newsweek Revives its Printed Edition

January 7, 2014

Unlocking Word Meanings
 今日の単語・フレーズ

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article. 

1. facilitate /fəˈsɪlɪˌteɪt/ (v.) – to make a process easier
Example: The editor’s detailed plans facilitated the work in his team.     

2. investigative /ɪnˈvɛstɪgətɪv/ (adj.) – in-depth, supported by extensive research
Example: The investigative journalist conducted a lot of interviews for his documentary. 

3. premium /ˈprimiəm/ (adj.) – of high value or superior quality
Example: Great effort is involved in making premium magazines.

4. reversion /rɪˈvɜrʒən, -ʃən/ (n.) – a return to a previous state
Example: The company’s reversion to typewriters is a big adjustment for its writers.   

5. have a shot at /hæv eɪ ʃɒt æt/ (idiom) – to have a chance, to make an attempt
Example: A well-written article has a good shot at being published.    


Article
 ニュース記事

Read the text below.
Newsweek, currently a news website, will revive its printed edition a year after it ended.

Newsweek ended its printed edition in December 2012 due to a decline in sales. In the early 1990s, Newsweek had 3.3 million readers. This number steadily decreased and in 2010, having only 1.5 million readers. 

A string of ownership changes also caused the end of Newsweek’s printed edition. Also in 2010, billionaire Sidney Harman bought Newsweek.  It was again sold in August 2013 and is currently owned by IBT Media.

IBT Media chief executive Etienne Uzac said the company will restart the printed edition in 2014. The printed edition will be an extension of the news magazine's current online format.

To facilitate this change, the company recently hired editor-in-chief Jim Impoco. Impoco continues to put up a team who will do investigative reporting. He said the team aims to produce a premium product that can pay for itself with subscription fees. The company expects a circulation of around 100,000.

Newsweek's reversion to print goes against the trend of shifting to digital formats. Despite this trend, Ken Paulson, former editor-in-chief of USA Today, said that Newsweek's printed edition has a shot at succeeding. Paulson said that print is still a very convenient way to obtain information. It has no viruses, pop-up ads and it does not require electricity to work.

Paulson also pointed out that Newsweek has a good history and is still respected by the people. Even if the audience is narrower, Paulson says there will still be a market for sophisticated reporting. 

Viewpoint Discussion
 ディスカッションテーマ

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.  

Discussion A

·         Do you agree with Newsweek’s decision to revive its printed edition? Why or why not?
·         Which do you prefer: printed newspapers or digital ones? Please explain briefly.

Discussion B

·         Why is reporting the news important?
·         How else can people become more aware and updated about current events?

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January 7, 2014