HIGH SCHOOL NEWSPAPERS GO ONLINE

Josiah Jones, 18, is the editor of his school's news magazine. He is guiding a group of 90 people who also produce a podcast and a website. Josiah's high school has begun posting its news online. Some other high schools are doing the same. Students say that it is faster to produce, they can publish their work on different portals like social networking sites and it is less expensive as they do not have to pay for paper or ink.

However, some people in the newspaper field are worried about this. They fear that readers will become less interested in printed school newspapers. This is the problem with many newspaper companies today. Many newspaper companies are having financial problems because people prefer reading online news to buying printed newspapers. This causes newspaper companies to make less money. Some newspapers even had to close down. Thousands of reporters and journalist have lost their jobs.

People now fear that online publishing can end the traditional, printed-based school newspapers, too. But Josiah and other high school students are hopeful. They believe their journalism will succeed both in print and online.

Diana Mitsu Klos works for a newspaper editors group. It is called ASNE. The ASNE's Internet site has links to school news Web pages. Klos says that more schools publish their newspapers online. In mid-2003, ASNE's site was linked to 150 student media sites. By December 2007, 735 school Web pages were linked to the ASNE site.

"This is the trend for youth journalism," Klos said. "This is the next and necessary step for them."

Although online school newspapers are very popular, many students still prefer the printed ones. Marc Russell is the head of the journalism team at Josiah's school. Russell says that they print 600 copies and those 600 copies regularly sell out.

"People come to us and say, 'When are you going to have more?' Russell said." We have not seen a decrease in readership or interest in the print newspaper."

Logan Aimone is the head of the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA). Aimone said “students will always be excited about the school newspapers because it is produced by their friends, it’s about them and their friends are in it.”

"It's going to open doors as far as what we can do as journalists," Josiah said.