News Media and the Press in T2K

[Raellus]

What would be the state of news media and the press in democracies c.2000?

I'm not sure what state media would be in c.2000. Would there be radio? Perhaps, but wouldn't EMP and shortages of electricity and batteries limit its reach (in terms of households who could listen on a regular basis)? As for newspapers, I can't see there being much newsprint paper being available, and then again you need power to print them (unless you have access to an old steam or manual-powered printing press, and then low volume is an issue) and fuel to move them around. What kind of news media would remain? Would we see a return to the town crier? Broadsides posted in public places, maybe?

I had a player run a reporter character in a Pirates of the Vistula campaign. He didn't last long- he witnessed a summary execution (conducted by another PC) and decided to return to Krakow. Otherwise, until now, for me, news media has been an afterthought vis-à-vis T2K.

What are your thoughts on the news media/press in T2K (c.2000)?

[Legbreaker]

Pretty sure this was discussed in some depth in another thread a few years back.

[Rainbow Six]

Originally Posted by Legbreaker

Pretty sure this was discussed in some depth in another thread a few years back.

There's this one

http://forum.juhlin.com/showthread.php?t=4580

[Raellus]

Thanks. When I used the search function in the Thread Map, I typed "press" and "media"; didn't think to search "journalists". The thread you guys referenced doesn't really answer my questions, though.

[StainlessSteelCynic]

I think that those people with parents who remember the earlier days of radio may have some chance to build simple receiver sets (i.e. crystal radios) but I think the media & press would be non-existent c.2000 except in a settlement where the population is large enough to be able to make a profit on media services or there is sufficient will to commit the resources necessary (e.g. a radio station set up by the local warlord to broadcast propaganda).

Even if the settlement is large enough I'd think that any news gathering would be limited to the local area simply because it would be too dangerous or cost too many resources to send traditional journalists out into the world to find news.
There is always the possiblity that items of news might be purchased from travellers etc. etc. by a local media organization.
But in all likelihood I think only organizations like the military or the government are going to be able to field the communications networks needed for a modern media/press that's able to get news from anywhere other than the local region.

I think in smaller settlements the demand for the essentials of life would outweigh any need for media and so whatever resources that could be used for media/press would be instead used for securing the essentials. I think people would return to the older forms of information transmission - that is to say, gossip and questioning strangers about "how things are outside of town".

[Legbreaker]

Try this one. http://forum.juhlin.com/showthread.php?t=1380