Newspaper originally uploaded by James Yu
Last week’s poll asked about your bagel preference. I must admit that I’m a bit surprised that so many people responded with “Everything” bagels as their favorite. Here I thought I was special–nope.
Anyway, this week’s poll comes following my discovery that entirely too many small mom and pop shops/cafes are just not open on Sundays. Take for instance Morning Glory’s Bakery Cafe in Rosemount. I drove by Caribou and Starbucks (I have never been in one and I never plan to go there) on the way to this place specifically so I could support a mom and pop shop. But, as I and at least 5 others found out as we approached the door this morning, they just are not open on Sundays. Now, I guess it makes sense for restaurants to close at least one day a week but Sunday? Seriously? The day when everyone and their mother wants a coffee and a snack…you know, THE money maker day for Perkins. So why close? Ugh.
Anyway, after being disappointed with Morning Glory’s, I headed over to Caribou and sat down with a copy of the Pioneer Press (I bought it for the coupons as The Wife wants them) and began reading. Honestly, it was such a hassle I couldn’t even bring myself to make it more than about 10 minutes before I set it down, in complete disarray, and opened up Google Reader and read my news in a much more organized and interesting way.
I realize newspapers are for everyone, but 99% of what was in there did not appeal to me in the least. Nor do I understand the interest people have in flipping, folding, and fighting with a medium that is so bulky and filled with fliers that you cannot possibly enjoy what you’re doing. Yuck. But I realize that plenty of other people, especially those who were born last century, love to read the paper as part of their morning–especially Sunday, you know, at the coffee shops which are closed–rituals.
Still Read the Newspaper?
- Yes (59.0%, 22 Votes)
- No (30.0%, 11 Votes)
- What's a newspaper? (11.0%, 4 Votes)
Total Voters: 37
Loading ...So I need to know…do you still read the newspaper and why? What is it that makes it worthwhile for you? Perhaps you’re like me and just don’t get the entire thing and would rather read via the web. So whatever you have to say about reading the newspaper go ahead, comment on and then feel free to check out our expired polls in the archive or read through the previous posts about polls here.
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February 14th, 2010 at 12:13 pm
I still read the paper, just not the ink-on-paper version. Almost all of the stories I read on Google Reader had their genesis in a newspaper newsroom somewhere. We should be thankful that professional journalists are still out there, holding government accountable and digging up the big stories that Google and bloggers like to link to. Ink-on-paper news delivery might be on its way out, but we will always have a need for richly reported, deeply sourced stories about our neighborhoods and the world around us. The MSM is still trying to figure out how to pay for this incredibly labor-intensive process.
p.s. Most of you know I was a newspaper journalist for 25 years, so my comments should be read in that light. And no, I’m not saying there aren’t bad stories and boring content in newspapers or dumb decisions made by newspaper editors every day. But let’s not throw out the baby with the bathwater. We need good content and somehow we have to pay for it.
February 14th, 2010 at 1:38 pm
While I don’t read a newspaper, I do believe it is important to have news organizations with reporters, editors, fact checkers and such. I think they just need to find a different medium for their outlet. It’s unfortunate that newspaper organizations are so far behind technology. They could have lead the way, rather than be trying to find their way. Perhaps that issue comes from having their feet too far into the old school publishing business.
February 14th, 2010 at 2:31 pm
You’re exactly right, mikeh. The profits were in the old model and newspapers didn’t explore the new models quickly enough to figure out how to monetize their content. It’s the same reason why Kodak was so slow to embrace digital photography — when I first moved to Rochester, NY, in the late 80s, 90 percent of Kodak’s profits came from film production and sales. Hard for them to see a different sort of future in a new medium, when the old one had been such a golden goose.
February 14th, 2010 at 5:33 pm
I do read the newspaper 7 days a week. I get it delivered at home, and it’s part of my morning routine every day, along with my coffee.
I admit that I don’t read every story, I skim a lot, but to me the tactile feel of the newspaper in my hand is a big part of it. Yes, I read news online all day long after the morning paper, but there’s still something more to it than just the news.
One argument I hear about it is that this paper or that paper is “right-leaning” or “liberal media” or whatever, but these days, what media source isn’t biased? Thankfully, I don’t let the messenger tell me what to think. I’m smart enough to make my own judgments about what I read, be it in the physical paper or online.
February 14th, 2010 at 6:46 pm
We only get the Sunday paper now and that is mostly for the coupons (the husband is a coupon aficionado). I like to read it on Sunday but really, I rely on getting my news online now.
February 14th, 2010 at 10:38 pm
We get the Sunday Minneapolis Star Tribune…mostly for the coupons but I always skim through the front page section and the metro section. Newspapers were one of the first things I could read that made me feel grown up. My mom was an avid reader and so was my step-dad so it was some what of a Sunday ritual to gather around to read through the papers (obviously the comics were the highlight for me back then). It does feel like newspapers are slipping away to a thing of the past…kind of sad. Although, I won’t miss the ink on my hands…HATE that!
February 15th, 2010 at 4:32 am
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February 15th, 2010 at 10:23 am
I get the Sunday paper nearly every week for the coupons, and generally will buy one or two papers a week to read while having a coffee or lunch if I find myself alone for a meal.
I enjoy sitting and reading the paper. I find it peaceful and still mentally rewarding. For me, I dont enjoy surfing for my news near as much as I enjoy sitting at a starbucks, having a drink, and reading the paper.
That said, while I buy on average 2 to 3 papers per week, I surf the internet for news on a daily basis and even belong to a couple of subscription based sites where I pay for news. (sports mostly)
March 21st, 2010 at 10:32 am
[...] week’s poll asked if you still read the newspaper. While I wasn’t really clear about my meaning of “reading the newspaper,” what I [...]