Can the Kindle "re-kindle" the newspaper industry?

Thanks to my colleague and PRSA mentor Brant Skogrand, he suggested I write about Amazon's Kindle, and whether or not it might resurrect a dying newspaper industry.

I must be the craziest person on earth - as I know what Amazon's Kindle e-reader is. I've never seen one live, just in pictures. I'm not entirely sure how it even works to tell you the truth. Nonetheless, it is an interesting piece of technology.

The Kindle must REALLY be an amazing piece of technology. I read an article in the New Jersey Star-Ledger that claims students at Princeton will be receiving free Kindles, in lieu of textbooks. And a report from News 8 in Austin, TX says this, "Newspaper and magazine publishers are excited at the introduction of Amazon's new Kindle DX, a handheld reading device. Some speculators say the device, which sports a nearly 10-inch display that is more than twice the size of the standard Kindle, could help save the dying world of print media."

But, if the Kindle is really as popular as it seems, what will happen to libraries? What happens to publishing houses? And, will people pay a subscription price to read the newspaper on the Kindle, when they can get it for free on the paper's Web site? And, I don't think I even know anyone who has a Kindle.

There is a website called coverleaf.com, which publishes magazines online. There are the mainstays: Family Circle and Better Homes. There's the on-line specific ones, i.e. Sporting News Today, which I do "subscribe" to. And, I was very pleased to see an industry publication available on coverleaf.com: Advertising Age. They are also subscription-based.

While the electronic edition seems to be the new thing in the world of news, I still think there is much to be said about seeing something in print. Maybe it's the generation I'm from. When I was a kid, there were no such words as "internet" or "e-dition (electronic edition)" or even "online." The Kindle might be able to save a dying print industry; but I still think there's enough to still keep it going. At least for now.

Other than that, I'm stumped.

Thanks for reading.