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עמוד:18
Look at the title of the article . What do you think this article is about ? The Online Cure for News Addicts Instead of waiting for the newspaper to arrive , you can get the news from the Internet whenever you want By Wanda Jones the morning paper and has gone to sleep only after hearing the midnight news . For his wife and children , Terry ' s behavior has become part of their lives . When asked . his daughter Katie says , "My dad is obsessed with the news . He needs the news like a smoker needs nicotine . " Terry ' s obsession is not rare . Thousands of people like him around the world identify themselves as news addicts and claim that they cannot get enough news . For these people , the Internet offers the perfect option — 24-hour-a-day online news sites . Now , instead of waiting for the newspaper to arrive , they can get the news from the Internet whenever they want . Online news is relativel y new . We can all remember when the traditional media — TV , radio or newspapers — were our only sources of news . However , in the past few years , the numberof online news sites has grown significantly . According to one survey , in 1994 there were only 20 online newspapers . Today , that number is closer to 1 , 000 and growing . "In my opinion , what we are seeing is a new medium taking over an older one , " says Janet Miller , an online news editor . "Five years ago , we got our news from the television or from the newspaper . Today , a growing number of people are getting their news online . There is no doubt that the Internet has changed the way people get their news . " Online news , or cybcrjournalism , has become the topic of many debates and research . In her book , News i / 1 a Global Village , Alison Puglisi looks at the Internet ' s effect on newspaper reading . Not surprisingly , she finds that the future of online news is full of both hope and doubt . On the bright side , Internet news sites let readers enjoy updated news from many sources 24 hours a day . Already many major newspapers have made the jump to cyberspace . There are now also himdreds of local newspapers and news networks that have online sites . Since most of these sites are free and open to everybody , online readers have access to more news than ever before . Moreover , they can interact with the news in different ways . For example , they can follow links to video , pictures and other articles , look in the archives , and send an e-mail to the editor or reporter . If that weren ' t enough , some news sites also allow the users to customize news pages . The readers choose the type of news they want to receive . "All of these features , " claims Pu U 1 isi , " show that the news is no longer just bits of information . We are witnessing the development of a new type of medium . It is possible that the Internet is more powerful than the television or radio . " However , Puglisi is also aware of the problems of online news sites . "We have to accept the fact that online news has its negative side . " One of the major concerns is ensuring that the news stays accurate and reliable . In the rush to publish an online 'scoop , ' there is not always time to check the facts , and sometimes mistakes are published . Another problem is convenience . Many people prefer to read news from a printed paper than from a computer screen . "It seems that many people still like to read their daily newspaper on the way to work or in bed at night . They want to fold up the newspaper , cut out certain articles and buy a fresh one every morning . " While it is true that many people still prefer a printed paper , news addiets like Terry Brown are very enthusiastic about online news . "The Internet has changed the world into a global village , " he says . "For me personally , it is a dream come true . Now I have more access to news than I ever thought possible . "
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