I am so close to ending my delivery of the Dallas Morning News! Not because of its political bias, poor proofreading, new format, or delayed deliveries. It's the information to recycling ratio that is bugging me. Newspapers need advertising. That is the nature of the game. Still, I'm beginning to think subscribing to paperless news sources is more earth-friendly.
I already get the New York Times headlines online every morning. I pay a small fee to see the full text of Maureen Dowd, and to have access to the wonderful video slideshows about art exhibits. What if I paid the $34.95 annual fee to get the NYTimes crossword puzzle online?
The newspaper experience has deteriorated across most of the senses over the past thirty years. Editors and art directors have been messing with the format of our newspapers for so long that I have to squint at my memories to see the glorious black and white parade of narrow columns on the stiff, slightly yellow newsprint that crackled just so when you turned the page.
I equated our newspaper's lack of color with a Joe Friday consciousness--Just the facts, ma'am.
What is it I really want from a local morning newspaper?
- The chance to sit in bed from 6:15-6:45 a.m. wrapped in a quilt, drinking coffee and turning pages.
- The NYTimes crossword puzzle
- Doonesbury
- Zits
- One Big Happy
- Bizarro
- Get Fuzzy
- Dilbert
- Scott Burns' financial columns
- Scott Cantrell's arts reviews
- The weekly Guide to events, performances, exhibits, and restaurants
How much is the quilt/hot coffee experience worth in pounds carried to the recycing cart?
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