In the future, nobody will buy printed newspapers or books because they will be able to read everything they want online without paying. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

It is argued that modern e-books and online newspapers will replace physical goods and become one of the most advanced technology. Despite several advantages, I believe that they will not completely eliminate the hardcopies due to some reasons which I am going to explain.

On the one hand, it is undeniable that online books and news is becoming more popular because of their benefits. To begin with, people will not need to pay a cost for reading and access to online media, while a subscription to a printed newspaper does cost money. For instance, books can be downloaded easily with just a mouse click and even people can be readily available to read the electronic version in just seconds. Hence, they can reach a larger audience and increase their fame all over the world though it may be more financial loss than selling the book in the store.

On the other hand, traditional newspaper publications will never go out of date even if only a small number of readers are left. Avowedly, these are not considered suitable for elderly people and old-fashioned people who prefer to save the nostalgia of reading printed matters. According to a survey from London University, approximately 90% of elderly people who used to read printed books for long years do not like to use digital book-readers and tablets to read them. Moreover, students can avoid their health problems such as near-sightedness or lumbago when sitting for too long in front of the computer or phone to read e-books. For instance, the primary school children when interviewed said that they might find it easier to read from their paper-based source when compared to a screen. In addition, the internet facilities in some regions are not up to the standard, especially in a remote areas. So, in these kinds of places, the online option cannot replace the paperback version ever.

To sum up, I would subscribe to the view that in spite of various technological developments and unlimited data, many people will continue to read the printed copies of books because of their values. Therefore, the complete replacement will never happen.