Monday, May 22, 2006

Who says people don't read newspapers anymore?


can you believe this rag?
Originally uploaded by toyfoto.

Who am I kidding? They don't. I don't even get a paper delivered to the house anymore. Is that horrible or what?

My job, my way of life for the past decade or so, is on the verge of extinction and I don't even have a subscription. Why? Here's the short (and embarrasing) list. ...

7. We get enough free newspapers in the mail, which we use to start fires in the woodstove, line the flower beds and pack away old dishes.

6. I don't have a bird ... ergo no cage.

5. I do have a toddler, which means I have been unable to read anything that requires large pages be turned since late 2003.

4. I can't stand that stories featuring Brittney Spears or American Idol make Page One ... ever.

3. I listen to radio. I read magazines. I surf the Internets.

2. I can't stand that icky feeling I get from newsprint ... and the ink stains my hands.

1. Recycling is not as pleasurable an experience as the other "Rs" - reduce and reuse.


THE YAYA REPORT
What's happening at the other mom's house ...


Let's just say the only good thing that happened today was that Annabel was reported to be a "little angel" while she visited with Miss Sherry (one of Lori's dear friends, who also provides daycare for kidlets) while Lori went to the doctor to see about her lingering cough. Diagnosis: Walking pneumonia.

In other not-so-good news: Lori's other half (whom Annabel calls "No, Honey") broke his leg playing soccer on Sunday. His cast is blue.

This just in ... my tiny patron. During a diaper change Annabel turned her head in the direction of this photograph on the playroom wall and said, "I yike your pisher, Yaya." To which Lori replied, "You know, your mom took that picture. She'll be glad to know you like it."

4 comments:

Andrea said...

I posted about this very thing, since the journalism industry is something close to my family.

Pulitzers No More

If you're interested.

toyfoto said...

Your piece is perfect, and notes many of the reasons why journalism has gone the way of the locomotive in this country. We are so hell-bent on the bottom line that we no longer care about quality. I'm not sure what happened to me, though. I used to read five newspapers a day. Now I just read my own paper, surf the web and try to get through my day without crying.

Andrea said...

Thank you for your kind words. I personally have nothing against progress, but mainly what scares me isn't that people are getting their news from the Internet. I get scared when thinking about one big company owning so many media outlets that they can control the content.

It is kinda sad to me to think that newspapers, the actual papers, are falling by the wayside. It's the end of an era.

toyfoto said...

I don't think newspapers will go away completely, but I don't think they will ever be what they were. It's like how digital photography is making film a specialty item for a few hobbiests and artists. The market has to adapt.

I think what you wrote about how there are fewer voices out there is what the corporate structure likes to call SYNERGY. Broadcasters are partnering with newspapers. There seems to be no limit to limits.