I think maybe the answer is balance and compromise. Best would be a synergistic curriculum that could blend the old with the new in an engaging way. Using an imaginary Venn diagram (because I don't really know how to imbed a real one in this response) imagine the old domain, the new domain, the school domain, and the private domain. They must have some and maybe even a lot of overlap. I would dump long text reading assignments as a lost cause but shorter text reading with complementary video. The Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor would be a good subject to experiment with. Lots of short news texts, every major paper had coverage, lots of video even if semi-fictional or re-enacted. I don't know how modern your classroom is but give an assignment for every student to provide a link to one short text story and one video or audio recording of something surrounding the event. Grade them on relevance, quality and interest. Show the best ones on screen in the class time. This is simple homework that actually creates in class content and maybe very engaging to the students.