I never really thought about it that way.  Having read a newspaper (or 5 or 6) every day of my life since I was in second grade, it never dawned on me.

Of course, I grew up in New York.  Which, as far as it was concerned, was the center of the world.  (You do recall the famous New Yorker cover which depicted that belief, right?)

And, I still read the New York Times every day.  And, the Los Angeles Times, the Long Beach Press Telegram, the Washington Post, HaAretz, and the Wall Street Journal.   But, only a few of them leave ink stains on my hands.  Because I read the rest on line.

And, that fact has changed the newspaper business dramatically.  Because once a (reputable) newspaper was available on line, then every other newspaper became ‘at risk’.  Because now the news wasn’t a local issue- but a worldwide competition to provide information.   And, given the worldwide audience, it set problems for advertising and the revenue it provides to keep the papers in circulation.

To some degree that is the same problem for accountants and tax providers.  After all, it’s hard to compete when some guy or gal in Hyderabad offers to do taxes for $ 10.  It’s why folks like me really work hard to stay current with every regulation, to discern potential nuances that can let our clients pay the lowest amount of taxes required by law.  That knowledge is my competitive advantage.

It’s also happening to our colleges and universities.  Because the prestige of most institutions is more a factor of their selectivity- the number of admitted students when compared to the number of applicants.  (It’s also why some places work hard to get EVERYONE to apply, even though the school knows they won’t accept them.)  That ratio of acceptances to applicants is the Key Performance Indicator they are hoping to inflate.

But, as Harvard and MIT (you know I’m prejudiced) offer potential students access to their world famous professors via EdX (their MOOC- massive, open online courses), the exclusivity dims just a bit.   And, it may dim more IF (I don’t believe the preposition is yet “as”) the for-profits, the online institutions find a way to provide the education they promise to those they convince that a diploma is worth something.  (Diplomas ARE worth something.  It’s just the “gin mill” version of the diploma that isn’t.)

And, as far as I can see, a “Statement of Accomplishment” (the moniker proffered by Columbia to its on-line students) or a “Verified Certificate” (the choice for MIT and Harvard programs) isn’t going to pass the muster, either.

But, the internet (via computer, tablet, but especially smartphone) does seem to be making a difference for those who want to learn just enough programming to sell an app.  But, it takes a lot of those pennies earned from those smartphones to pay the bills.

This is going to be an interesting trip.

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