Lightweight Newspaper

This morning when I picked up my morning newspaper from the front porch I thought, "The paper has gotten really light lately."

 I put it on the kitchen scale and it weighed in at 4.1 ounces, including the plastic bag in which it is delivered. That same bag advertised jobs earning from $800-1000 per month as a new carrier. I don't know how much a carrier gets paid for each subscription he delivers but he must have to deliver lots of papers to make $1000 per month.

After I read the news of the day I counted the pages. There were 14 pages, which, when printed on both sides, totaled 28 pages of print including 5 pages of advertising. Not so long ago it seems there were upward of 50 pages. Of course, there were many more pages of advertising but even with that there was more news.

I guess lots of people nowadays get their news from the TV and radio shows.For the computer users (and who isn't now?) there is the ever-present home page with its news teasers aimed right at the reader. 

I find it amazing that if you like to read about riots, for instance, there will be lots of headlines about riots next time you visit your home page. If you prefer stories about beauty contests you will see scantily clad girls and news of beauty contests from around the world. Myself, I like to scan recipes for possible future candidates when it's my turn to cook. Of course, soon I see lots of leaders for recipe sites.

I like to defeat the little (wo)man in my computer who is my personal news selector by skipping my home page completely and going straight to email or other favorites. I know, I know, the little man doesn't get any extra revenue from me but I figure he makes enough off the others who nibble at his bait.

On a more serious note, I do wonder how people gain exposure to the other side of the news when all they see or hear is what they like or have selected in the past.

My morning paper, lightweight as it is, still prints only one local edition. They don't put out one edition for conservatives (not many in Seattle), one for liberals, one for tree huggers and one for heavy users of natural resources. 

I can skip the stories written by journalists from the other end of the political spectrum but they are there just in case they catch my eye and I might see some interesting editorials that I don't particularly agree with but at least I see them. There's something to be said for wide ranging news and opinion exposure. It's sort of like the days of the draft when I first entered the Army, you never knew who you might meet sitting next to you in the mess hall. Interesting people from many walks of life populated the Army in those days.

Another point to make in favor of the newspaper is the people and money they can send after stories that wouldn't necessarily make the evening news or find their way to your home page. 

So, what can I do to prolong the life of my local skinny newspaper? First, I can continue my own subscription. Second, for those of you who can, please subscribe, or re-subscribe. 

Help save news diversity in our time.