Internet killed the radio star
November 4, 2009 11:07 AM Subscribe
What are some jobs that the Internet is killing, or making obsolete?
I know some but am looking for more.
I know some but am looking for more.
The entire traditional newspaper business.
The entire traditional publishing business.
Eventually, services like Western Union.
Video stores, sort of.
posted by Melismata at 11:13 AM on November 4, 2009
The entire traditional publishing business.
Eventually, services like Western Union.
Video stores, sort of.
posted by Melismata at 11:13 AM on November 4, 2009
Non-specialized accountants in the United States.
If you go to a store-front tax prep office, your return is likely to be generated by someone in India.
posted by jefficator at 11:15 AM on November 4, 2009
If you go to a store-front tax prep office, your return is likely to be generated by someone in India.
posted by jefficator at 11:15 AM on November 4, 2009
All of the jobs at video rental stores are in trouble. Same thing for stores that special in selling compact discs.
posted by Pater Aletheias at 11:15 AM on November 4, 2009
posted by Pater Aletheias at 11:15 AM on November 4, 2009
Librarians. (I suspect some of the librarians here may take umbrage. I too have an MLIS and a couple of decades of experience. This isn't an endorsement, but simply my take.)
posted by Wordwoman at 11:17 AM on November 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by Wordwoman at 11:17 AM on November 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
Not completely obsolete, but the Internet is radically altering the real estate business. Realtors no longer have a lock on listings. Appraisers could take a hit from the likes of Zillow.
The Washington Monthly had an interesting piece recently about the threat that companies like Straighter Line pose to the traditional model for secondary education.
posted by alms at 11:19 AM on November 4, 2009 [2 favorites]
The Washington Monthly had an interesting piece recently about the threat that companies like Straighter Line pose to the traditional model for secondary education.
posted by alms at 11:19 AM on November 4, 2009 [2 favorites]
Over the last 5/10 years a lot of the utility companies have shed meter readers, certain telephone linesman (from VOIP services) , basically any position where data can be sent rather then needing someone physically on a site.
posted by jeremias at 11:19 AM on November 4, 2009
posted by jeremias at 11:19 AM on November 4, 2009
Any job having to do with cable companies, cable television, satellite television, etc. etc.
http://www.theweek.com/article/index/102370/Apples_cable_TV_pitch
posted by newwavexhomicide at 11:20 AM on November 4, 2009
http://www.theweek.com/article/index/102370/Apples_cable_TV_pitch
posted by newwavexhomicide at 11:20 AM on November 4, 2009
Librarians, like bookstore owners have had to shift their approach radically. Traditional models for these jobs are no longer sustainable. The biggest place you see this in the library world is with catalogers. They are the people who give a book subject headings and enter the data into the library catalog. This has been shared data for a long time. Many libraries, academic especially, would have catalogers on staff to catalog stuff that was esoteric or rare or in another language so they'd have accurate records for the library catalog. More and more public libraries don't have any catalogers at all, subscribing to a cataloging service instead of having humans doing original cataloging. This isn't "the internet" putting these people out of business per se, but definitely the ease of information sharing and being able to keep clean data that can travel fast has made having lots of staff doing this no longer cost effective.
Personally, I use the internet where I used to use an accountant for taxes, a travel agent for tickets/hotels/rental cars, AAA for maps [though I still pay them because I still own an ancient car and the internet isn't good at sending tow trucks] and the video store for videos. I still go to my local bookstore and library quite a big, but I'm edge case-y that way.
posted by jessamyn at 11:26 AM on November 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
Personally, I use the internet where I used to use an accountant for taxes, a travel agent for tickets/hotels/rental cars, AAA for maps [though I still pay them because I still own an ancient car and the internet isn't good at sending tow trucks] and the video store for videos. I still go to my local bookstore and library quite a big, but I'm edge case-y that way.
posted by jessamyn at 11:26 AM on November 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
Maybe the post office? Either directly with Email (spam is cheap, legit letters are free) or indirectly via the higher demand for quick-ship products that use ups/fedex/dhl.
posted by syntheticfaith at 11:27 AM on November 4, 2009
posted by syntheticfaith at 11:27 AM on November 4, 2009
Telegraph operators.
posted by Faint of Butt at 11:31 AM on November 4, 2009
posted by Faint of Butt at 11:31 AM on November 4, 2009
Lots more banking is done on-line so I imagine the tellers are getting cut back.
I imagine the greeting card business might be hitting a slump
Book stores, music stores, magazine stands.
The USPS has taken a big, big hit because periodicals, personal mail, and bill paying through snail mail have all decreased. Recently where my husband works (Raleigh) they offered $15,000 to anyone who would retire early.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 11:35 AM on November 4, 2009
I imagine the greeting card business might be hitting a slump
Book stores, music stores, magazine stands.
The USPS has taken a big, big hit because periodicals, personal mail, and bill paying through snail mail have all decreased. Recently where my husband works (Raleigh) they offered $15,000 to anyone who would retire early.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 11:35 AM on November 4, 2009
adult book store.
I imagine the internet might be putting this places out of business, but the internet is likely making the businesses that supply those stores filthy stinking rich. I know more people than I can count who wouldn't be caught dead in an adult book store, but who've bought brown paper packages of goodies online.
posted by jefficator at 11:37 AM on November 4, 2009
I imagine the internet might be putting this places out of business, but the internet is likely making the businesses that supply those stores filthy stinking rich. I know more people than I can count who wouldn't be caught dead in an adult book store, but who've bought brown paper packages of goodies online.
posted by jefficator at 11:37 AM on November 4, 2009
I disgaree with librarians. Yes there are fewer traditional books, but the additional work we've been seeing is twofold. First, information is generated at a much faster rate, and libraries are cataloging more and more materials including websites and other "new media". E-book publishing also creates millions and millions more items than traditional publishing ever could. Secondly, that makes targeted research that much harder and scary to patrons, which leads to more reference jobs and more information literacy librarians to reteach all the lazy search strategies developed by years of Googling. I've noticed significantly more work needing to be done and more under-staffing as opposed to less in most areas. jessamyn is right on public library cataloging, but the job is still very available in special and academic libraries, and in all libraries has largely shifted to database building for OPAC's and E-materials. And certainly someone must catalog a new book the first time, even if the information is shared, so the position will likely never completely disappear. However microfilm and microfiche technicians are running scared.
So I guess also publishing, post, travel agents, television providers et. al. I would also say that technologies like youtube and inexpensive digital editing platforms are democratizing media, making the "big name producer" more and more obsolete.
posted by itsonreserve at 11:44 AM on November 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
So I guess also publishing, post, travel agents, television providers et. al. I would also say that technologies like youtube and inexpensive digital editing platforms are democratizing media, making the "big name producer" more and more obsolete.
posted by itsonreserve at 11:44 AM on November 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
Lots of intermediaries, though some don't realize it yet. Or kill everything around them in their death struggle.
Some not named yet:
Encyclopaedia salesmen;
Large music companies;
Small bookshops;
Small and generic shops in lots of other fields as well;
Pharmacists;
posted by ijsbrand at 11:45 AM on November 4, 2009
Some not named yet:
Encyclopaedia salesmen;
Large music companies;
Small bookshops;
Small and generic shops in lots of other fields as well;
Pharmacists;
posted by ijsbrand at 11:45 AM on November 4, 2009
My husband wants to add that the buy-out is nation wide and that "It is classified information." Ooops.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 12:13 PM on November 4, 2009
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 12:13 PM on November 4, 2009
As a librarian who had the misfortune to get my MLIS in 2006 and has yet to spend a day in the employ of a library, yeah. Librarians. But I think there may be other factors at play, such as the economy.
Oh, and shoe stores. Sadly.
posted by chez shoes at 12:23 PM on November 4, 2009
Oh, and shoe stores. Sadly.
posted by chez shoes at 12:23 PM on November 4, 2009
adult book store
...it depends on why one goes there.
posted by Robert Angelo at 12:35 PM on November 4, 2009
...it depends on why one goes there.
posted by Robert Angelo at 12:35 PM on November 4, 2009
On the library front, I would definitely say the traditional fact finding part of my job is a much smaller part of my tasks now. Most people can use google to find out little pieces of info, like populations, or names of politicians. People still need help doing research, but I only do more involved searching now.
posted by Gor-ella at 12:35 PM on November 4, 2009
posted by Gor-ella at 12:35 PM on November 4, 2009
Photo development stores (that don't cater to pros).
posted by wenestvedt at 12:39 PM on November 4, 2009
posted by wenestvedt at 12:39 PM on November 4, 2009
Retail in store jobs. The actual stores might be taking a hit from online business but in turn that means more deliveries for the postal system, more call center, and warehouse jobs.
posted by comatose at 12:53 PM on November 4, 2009
posted by comatose at 12:53 PM on November 4, 2009
Local film reviewers.
posted by meadowlark lime at 1:03 PM on November 4, 2009
posted by meadowlark lime at 1:03 PM on November 4, 2009
To clarify adult book store--
...to buy a magazine to see naughty pictures. No longer is it necessary to "find buried treasure" by finding a stash of your dad's Playboys or to go to an adult book store to find pictures of sex acts, no?
posted by teg4rvn at 1:06 PM on November 4, 2009
...to buy a magazine to see naughty pictures. No longer is it necessary to "find buried treasure" by finding a stash of your dad's Playboys or to go to an adult book store to find pictures of sex acts, no?
posted by teg4rvn at 1:06 PM on November 4, 2009
The printing industry is hemorrhaging. Newsletters and mailers are being distributed as email, websites, or downloadable PDFs. Mega-printers are using the internet as a customer portal and distribution network to smaller satellite shops, and this allows them to use their size to drastically undercut local mom-and-pop printing shops. (It's analogous to the problems that local booksellers are facing from Amazon.) In some cases, print jobs are sent overseas to be printed where labor is cheaper and then shipped back, but this only affects other large-scale printers.
posted by lekvar at 1:08 PM on November 4, 2009
posted by lekvar at 1:08 PM on November 4, 2009
Oh, advertising is increasingly going online, where the return-on-investment ratio is often much higher. This undercuts another revenue stream that printers have traditionally relied upon.
posted by lekvar at 1:10 PM on November 4, 2009
posted by lekvar at 1:10 PM on November 4, 2009
Today I paid my first bill electronically (I know, what took me so long?), to the trash collector whom the internet will not replace. This transaction will effect postal workers, bank data entry people, Envelope and check printers and manufacturers, airlines who haul first class mail, pen manufacturers. did I miss anything?
posted by Xurando at 1:29 PM on November 4, 2009
posted by Xurando at 1:29 PM on November 4, 2009
Your local video store. Classified ads.
As far as librarians, the need for librarians staffing the reference desk at a public library has gone way down. Ask most librarians and they will say that the internet, though, brings in a lot of foot traffic.
posted by nestor_makhno at 1:55 PM on November 4, 2009
As far as librarians, the need for librarians staffing the reference desk at a public library has gone way down. Ask most librarians and they will say that the internet, though, brings in a lot of foot traffic.
posted by nestor_makhno at 1:55 PM on November 4, 2009
The company I work for laid off a huge number of tech support agents because people were using our forums for technical help, which other users were providing for free.
There are a lot of shit jobs undergrads used to get that are now being done on Mechanical Turk for what appears to be pennies on the dollar of what those undergrads were getting paid to do them.
posted by crinklebat at 2:29 PM on November 4, 2009
There are a lot of shit jobs undergrads used to get that are now being done on Mechanical Turk for what appears to be pennies on the dollar of what those undergrads were getting paid to do them.
posted by crinklebat at 2:29 PM on November 4, 2009
Craigslist has totally changed the apartment rental market in major urban areas.. granted, brokers hopped on it as quickly as they could, but it's now far easier to find an apartment without paying a 15% broker's fee than it used to be
posted by chalbe at 2:47 PM on November 4, 2009
posted by chalbe at 2:47 PM on November 4, 2009
Along the lines of Alms post, I'm aware of a venture-backed site that will do to mortgage brokers what Expedia, etc. did to the local travel agent. The real estate / mortgage market is going to change fast over the next five years.
posted by centerweight at 3:17 PM on November 4, 2009
posted by centerweight at 3:17 PM on November 4, 2009
Photo development stores
Not the 'net, but digital photography that's killed off the one-hour photo places. Both arrived about the same time and distribution of digital imagery via Internet is replacing tasks formerly performed by the post office as well as books, magazines, newspapers, and the merchants who sell those things.
posted by Rash at 5:17 PM on November 4, 2009
Not the 'net, but digital photography that's killed off the one-hour photo places. Both arrived about the same time and distribution of digital imagery via Internet is replacing tasks formerly performed by the post office as well as books, magazines, newspapers, and the merchants who sell those things.
posted by Rash at 5:17 PM on November 4, 2009
Response by poster: thank you. all great answers.
posted by bunny hugger at 5:54 PM on November 4, 2009
posted by bunny hugger at 5:54 PM on November 4, 2009
You might think digital photography had killed off the one-hour places, but recent experience tells me that people just bring their digital media to the same places to print. This may only be true for other businesses that offer photo developing, rather than the places that only offered developing and prints, but a modern photo lab offers prints from film or digital, including Bluetooth as well as CDs and various memory cards.
posted by Cricket at 10:12 AM on November 5, 2009
posted by Cricket at 10:12 AM on November 5, 2009
bicycle messenger
posted by vegetable100% at 3:35 PM on November 5, 2009
posted by vegetable100% at 3:35 PM on November 5, 2009
A guy I work with had a neighbor that made a lot of money as a ticket broker. He has experienced a huge cut in his business because of sites like stubhub.com
posted by verapamil at 3:54 PM on November 20, 2009
posted by verapamil at 3:54 PM on November 20, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by oinopaponton at 11:08 AM on November 4, 2009