As a resident Angeleno, I'm an inveterate reader of the Plaschke and Simers reports on the Lake Show and a keen follower of the David Lazarus' business column. How unfortunate so, that the LA Times is one of many newspapers that is being slowly strangled out of circulation by failing to adapt to the changing landscape of news.

The list of troubled newspapers is long and distinguished and includes names such as The Boston Globe and The New York Times. The Globe has had a difficult period adapting to the changes proposed by its parent company. But sadly its imminent demise appears to be etched in the granite stone that Massachusetts stands proudly upon.

The New York Times is not without its problems. The Sulzbergers, the controlling family of the paper have admirably fended off the vulture like attention of News Corp (the parent company of Fox) for several years, but now more then ever it will be seeking to stream line its operation and that means cut-backs and less investigative journalism, less eyes open around the world.

Printed press must evolve to survive the current trends of free media, as the current business models are no longer fiscally sustainable. This is evident from every major newspapers migration to the web, and their subsequent subscription or partial subscription based services that seem to attract little attention. TV underwent a similar metamorphosis and we await the full results of the Hulu experiment on the terrestrial channels and subscription based luxuries such as Showtime and HBO, which have both seen their numbers dwindle in recent months.

The newspaper that was once pursed between thumb and forefinger leaving inky residue is dying-- if not already dead to the iPhone, eReader generation. And now commences the battle for online readership and fan loyalty which means the language that the old printed press used is now obsolete to the leetspeaking tweeters of a new age.

The broadcast and Internet based news outlet CNN is changing its formula to appeal to a younger reader, and is readily aware of the fleeting attention span of its quickly distracted audience. The danger for CNN is its willingness toward embracing social networking as a means to retain its audience. Frequently taking questions in the form of tweets and texts, ultimately makes CNN guilty of pandering to the bizarre syncopated queries of the Facebooking & Twittering American. Couple this with the stations continued promotion of stories that provoke nothing more then the salacious interest of the sordid variety- and you will be witnessing the demise of journalism and the rise of the informed blogger.

The sad truth about journalisms battle is the lack of concern among the current generation. The challenge now facing news outlets is the quest to lace stories with quick facts, snappy stories and brisk links all to aide the reader to be informed in less time then it takes to order a Venti Americano.

The cacophony of online news outlets are clawing at a vastly ambivalent audience. If the attempts to sensationalize headlines questions a newspapers integrity, then seeking acceptance by courting followers on Twitter means investigative journalism is investigating the wrong stories. To put it another way, if a ball busting, no limits news agency like the New York Times-- ready to print the truth at all costs invigilates its popularity on Twitter then it's not interested in ruffling feathers that matter.

The means to find the truth is slowly sliding away from reporters and into the hands of bloggers. Journalism is dead, but you might still be able to join a revival group on Facebook.

Story by: Terry Winders