A proposal for a digital newspaper

Learn how to write a proposal.

Do the preparation task first. Then read the text and tips and do the exercises.

Preparation

Reading text

There are plans to stop production of your university newspaper. You feel that the newspaper should be saved. You decide to write a proposal to the university suggesting a digital version of the paper.

A proposal for a digital version of the university newspaper

Introduction

This proposal intends to outline how a digital version of the university newspaper, The Scallion, could function and aims to show that an online paper is viable for the future of the newspaper. It draws on the views of 3,000 students surveyed in May.

Background

The Scallion is printed weekly and distributed free in faculty buildings, with a readership of approximately 10,000 students. It is written and produced entirely by students. The survey shows that the newspaper is highly valued by university students and staff for entertainment, cultural enrichment and work experience.

Current problems

The cost of printing newspapers is significant. Furthermore, some students do not have easy access to the paper, since the only way to obtain a copy is to physically go to university. An additional environmental issue is that a large number of copies end up as litter on campus.

Proposed solution

It is proposed that the newspaper could shift to an online format. An overwhelming majority (95 per cent) of survey respondents were 'keen' or 'very keen' on this.

The key benefits would be:

Lower costs. Electronic publication is much cheaper than printing, and the website would require minimal maintenance. Although there are considerable initial costs of developing a website, these would be offset over time.
Improved accessibility. Students unable to collect a copy and those with visual impairments would be able to read the paper online.
Eco-friendliness. A website would reduce paper usage and produce no litter.
Digital media experience. For student journalists, gaining experience in running a web-based news site would be invaluable for any job which involves digital communication.

Drawbacks

One issue is information management. The site would have to comply with data protection and privacy laws. Advice should be sought from the IT department.

Another drawback may be personal preference. Twenty-five per cent of survey respondents liked having a physical paper to flick through in a café. However, as this is a minority view, I would suggest that the benefits of the online paper outweigh the inconvenience on this issue.

Conclusion

The results of the consultation suggest that moving the paper online is the best option given that it would reduce costs, be more environmentally-friendly and reach a larger audience. A change to a digital format is therefore recommended to maintain the benefits of the newspaper while addressing its current difficulties.

Tips

Start by reading the question carefully. Brainstorm all your thoughts about the proposal first. Then choose your best ideas and plan your paragraphs.
Use subheadings to make the structure clear. Start by stating the aim of the proposal (Introduction) and giving information about the context (Background).
Next, move on to the Current problems and your Proposed solution. You can also mention the Drawbacks and how to address them before you finish (Conclusion).
You should use an impersonal, formal tone for your proposal. Passive verb forms (e.g. It is proposed that … , Advice should be sought …) are a useful way to avoid I think or You should.
The final section should include an overall recommendation based on your previous points.

Discussion

Do you prefer to read a newspaper online or on paper?

Download

Worksheet83.81 KB

Try another writing

Language level

C1 Advanced

for so long time I didn’t prefer the physical newspaper as I found the pages are big and not easy to handle with the thing that makes it difficult to find themes that I prefer.The opposite in online newspaper where we find the easiness of accessibility, attractiveness and easy to follow.

I would very much prefer to read the newspaper online instead of on paper but only when I am in a hurry to do so. Like, I have to search for a word or a date mentioned in some article I read in the newspaper that morning which I want to tell my friend with whom I am speaking over a phone. To do so, I will quickly grab my laptop and search put the heading of that article online. Also , even if the heading I wrote in the search box isn't correct, doesn't even it won't affect the result as long as it has the correct keyword mentioned in the article's heading. Although, online newspaper has quite a few merits including the one I mentioned above and that it is eco-friendly as there is no ink or paper involved, I would still prefer reading it the traditional way, on a paper because I don't think that my morning tea will be complete without the rustling sound of a paper and the joy I feel when I sit and read it peacefully and play my sudoku or crossword after reading a few articles.

Do you need to improve your English writing skills?

Join thousands of learners from around the world who are improving their English writing skills with our live online classes and personal tutoring courses.

Find out more