I used to read the reviews in the local paper, primarily because that was all that was easily accessible. That helps, to a degree, but only if my movie tastes coincide with the reviewer's, or if I can decode the reviewer's bias and decide if it's my thing or not.

With the internet, it's so much easier. I can read dozens of reviews quickly and easily. I can pick reviewers who's tastes match mine to some degree, without regard to where they are from or what newspaper they write for (or if they write for any paper at all). With sites like Rottentomatoes.com, you can get a broad consensus of what a lot of reviewers think of a movie.

Who needs newspaper reviewers?