US media expert Jeff Jarvis is predicting a massive shift in the American media market this year -- the death of print newspapers across the country. In an interview, he explains why he believes the future for serious journalism lies with Web sites like Twitter and Google News.

The closing in February of the Rocky Mountain News in Denver, Colorado is the first in what is expected to be a wave of dying newspapers in the United States. SPIEGEL ONLINE: How did you inform yourself about what is going on in the world this morning?

Jarvis: I checked my Twitter account and several sites online. But my wife still likes to read the print version of the New York Times, and I saw a story on our local paper's front page about a swine flu case in our hometown in New Jersey. That caught my attention, of course.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Isn't that an example of how important newspaper reporting still remains in the digital age? In the US, where the industry is faring even worse than in Europe?

Jarvis: I thought it was a scandal that we did not get more information on that swine flu case quickly online from our government. They are still not entirely used to the different rhythm of news. Today, people no longer rely solely on media outlets to receive their updates. The online generation thinks: If the news is that important, it will find me. My son who has never subscribed to a print newspaper, gets his news from Facebook, Twitter or from friends. He no longer treats traditional media as a magnet. People now get their messages by relying on other people they trust.