MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- Today’s issue of the Iwakuni Approach is the final edition, ending six years of publication for the station paper. The Iwakuni Approach, introduced in its current format and name in February 2008, replaced the long-running Torii Teller as the station paper.
Beginning next week, the Public Affairs Office will transition from a print-based publication to a strictly digital delivery method using mediums such as the station’s website and social media.
The transition is an effort to make news more readily available in order to remain relevant to readers.
Declining readership, circulation and advertising has forced many newspaper and magazine organizations to either abandon printing and transition to the internet, or face the possibility of going out of business.
The most notable news provider to recently go digital was Newsweek, which rolled out its final print copy Dec. 21, 2012. While it was a hard decision to discontinue the station newspaper, it was a decision that mirrors many other newspapers similar to the Approach.
This delivery method will allow the public affairs staff to be interactive with the audience and release news quicker. Publications such as The Scout, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton’s base paper, and Marines Magazine have moved to a digital format as well. They now use sites like Facebook, Flickr and Youtube to deliver more relevant and timely news to their audiences.
As society continues to move toward an increasingly technology-based world, one with tablets and smart phones, news industries are quickly adapting.
A study conducted by the Pew Research Center this year shows that the number of Americans who read hard-copy newspapers decreased 18 percent in the last decade. The study also showed that 55 percent of current New York Times readers say they read the paper mostly on a computer or mobile device. The study also stated that 40 percent of Americans get their news from a mobile device - second only to T.V.
For readers who would like to continue to stay informed about MCAS Iwakuni, its tenant commands and/or unit-deploymentprogram squadrons, check out the following websites: The official MCAS Iwakuni website, http://www.mcasiwakuni.marines.mil/ , will be the primary location to read news stories and learn about community relations events; The station’s Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/MCASIwakuniJapan, will feature command information and highlight news stories; The station’s Flickr page, http://www.flickr.com/mcasiwakuni, will provide users a way to view photos taken around the station and during deployments and exercises. Flickr allows users to easily download officially released photos for sharing and personal use.
With these digital outlets, readers will be able receive relevant information faster than ever before.