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Do you subscribe to your local newspaper? I have not in many years, but I think it may be time to start. Recently, we went to pick up a babysitter, and her father asked whether we were going to see the big game. We asked, “What game?” Pdad and I understood his reply to mean that the game was BYU v. Utah (a very big game–but we learned the next day that it was actually BYU v. USU–not nearly as big). We marveled that it could be the day of the big game without any sliver of awareness from either of us. It was disturbing. Not because we are missing out on community sports–we are accustomed to this and are comfortable with it. However, being unaware of when the big game was to be played seemed to be the classic canary in a coal mine warning experience. Can someone who is unaware of when the big game is to be played be well prepared to vote in local elections? Is someone unaware of tomorrow’s likely weather getting the information useful to her life?
Benefits of Subscribing to the Newspaper: Voting is so important (excuse the earnestness, but I wrote my dissertation on what it means to be an excellent citizen, and I can’t help it!). However, only informed voting is worth the effort. In the weeks preceding the election I can cram, trying to get as much information as possible from campaign blogs and websites, but undoubtedly the clearest and best answer to whether the incumbents need to be thrown out or thanked and returned arises from following local events more frequently than once every year or two.
And that is where I have fallen down. I can talk about Afghanistan, health care, the public option and the deficit. I know the situations of Somalia, Iran, and Pakistan, but I am much fuzzier as to the fiscal health of the city or the intentions of my city council members.
And it isn’t just that. It is a personal, daily life benefit as well. It isn’t just my citizen quotient that the newspaper would help. Newspapers are useful, aren’t they? When a friend became a fan of the local health department on Facebook, I discovered that the H1N1 vaccine was already available in my area. Would I have known that had I read the paper? And when I saw a block-long line for the vaccine, I eagerly turned to the lcoal newspaper’s website that evening, hoping that they had snapped that surprising picture. They had. The New York Times helps me understand why it is important for me to get the vaccine. The local paper lets me know when it will be possible.
Problems with receiving the newspaper:
1) Mess and disorganization. My children will unfold it. They will scatter it. I won’t stay on top of recycling. Old newspaper will build up and clutter the house.
2) I already spend too much internet time reading news. Whatever time I can carve out for newspaper reading is time I do not yet see I have. Newspaper reading time could squeeze out more important priorities.
Your thoughts? Do you get the newspaper: Yes/No? Why? What do you do about the mess and lack of time issues? Do you see other advantages and disadvantages to newspaper subscription than the ones I mentioned?
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11 Responses to “Local Newspaper Subscription?”
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Read the local newspaper online? That’s what I do…
They’re also great to get a fire started with too. And as is the case with our local online news source it has a comment section which I just can’t seem to stay away from. After reading all the extremly rude and often disgusting comments about the article and fellow commenters, I usually come away angry and with no idea what the article was about because the comments have gone so far off track. Almost without fail it turns to Mormon or Latino bashing no matter what the story was about. KSL has one of these also and try as I might I just can’t not look at them. They’re like the tabloids at the grocery store, I just have to read the headlines. So I do much better with the paper edition if I want to remember what I read and keep my heart rate down.
About six months ago we signed up to receive the weekend editions of our local paper, mainly because they have a bunch of coupons every Sunday and we were striving to find ways to cut on grocery costs. However, somewhat to my surprise, in addition to the helpful coupons ( I think I save about $40-50 a month using them) I found I enjoyed reading the actual newspaper! You don’t have to read all of it, of course–I browse through it, reading a full two-page article here, only a headline there. Yes, they are slower in getting news–I often read stories in the paper that I saw headlined on MSN the day before–but since most of what I’m interested in is not usually fast-breaking news, I don’t think that matters much. We enjoy the movie reviews and cultural arts section, which lets us know about community events that we would otherwise never know about. The kids also like the Sunday Funnies.
Since we only get three days a week, the mess is there, but not overwhelming. I usually stack all of them on the living room coffee table and immediately remove all the sections we never look at (ads, classifieds, Sports page–yeah, we don’t care about the big game too much, either) and throw them straight into the recycling bin. I make a “read” pile, and a “not-read” pile. I throw out the “read” pile at the end of the day. Anything not read by Monday morning gets thrown out too. It’s mercenary, but necessary.
Anyway, I recommend the weekend subscription, it’s worth it..
[Long, sorry] I absolutely get the local paper, but mine is likely smaller and less intimidating than yours. I always want to know what’s going on. It would be hard to get a true picture of political candidates without knowing their contributions (or lack of the same) on an ongoing basis.
Can’t imagine not getting our paper because there are often wonderful free events around town that I’d otherwise not know about. And garage sales where I’ve saved TONS of money because I love books, but no book lover has the fundage for everything they’d like to read. I also like knowing the human interest stories, what plays are being put on at the high schools, professional music and drama at the Arts Center, who’s died, what new businesses and doctors have come to town etc.
To keep down on the clutter, Robin’s idea of pulling out all the ads and stuff you would never read is a good one (especially for the big fat Sunday paper). Have a spot for it where your kids can’t get to it– a high shelf near the table maybe? You will have to think up a time to read it because otherwise it’s a waste of money. I like to read it the very first thing, while I eat breakfast. We both read it at the same time, or sometimes one will read it first, then the other, but the rule is that the second person to read it puts it in the blue recycle bin. The first person folds down a corner if there is something on the page they want to rip out (restaurant coupon, for example). That means they won’t throw it out after they are done, but the other person must get back and get it and throw the paper away. Papers need to be tossed at our house as soon as you read them. They are never held over to the next day or anything like that.
I agree with Lynn that there are lots of wacky comments online that bother me too. Who are those people? Anyway, it makes yet another case to have the paper delivered.
Kids who read should have free access to the paper, but not if homework isn’t done or if they leave it around to make a mess. I think my newspaper ‘habit’ started in junior high. I have been reading the comics and Ann Landers that long. Got a lot of my education from that old girl (two middle age girls now). Of course, there are stranger events reported in the papers now than when I began reading so I would think parents would need to offer explanation and discussion on many articles these days.
We get the paper — ever since I went to a work-related function with John and felt like an uninteresting uninformed lump. But I don’t think that applies to you.
I agree with the comment about online comments — who are these hateful people? It is very discouraging.
The papers do pile up. I usually take out the old when the new one comes in. If you are worried about this, and since you are obviously using other new sources, I think the weekend edition option is a good one. But be careful, sometimes they’ll want to send you more anyway. Be firm. : )
Great topic – I do get the local paper for exactly the reason you outlined: to be informed on city and County politics. I am also intetested in knowing what the local nonprofits are doing. When I unroll the paper, EVERYTHING except the national/local news goes directly into the recylce bin. Then I read it over breakfast while simulataneously listening to NPR. (A bit of each manages to soak in.)
If your town has a good free weekly paper, it can take the place of the local paper as far as summarizing the week’s local news. Not all towns have a solid weekly paper, though.
I read several papers on-line everyday. Usually I’m able to say away from the comments and I try always to stay away. They really are written almost exclusively by crazy people. So, if you can’t keep yourself from reading them, buy the physical paper. Otherwise, I recommend the on-line version.
Why is it that the online comments sections of newspapers attract this? I guess people who are like this crave publicity and the online fora are the easiest venues?
I believe there are two reasons. First, they enjoy being known, and yet anonymous at the same time They enjoy being known by their internet handle such as “luckybuzzard24″ yet in most cases can deny association in real life if their views are considered ilk by the masses.
Second, they lack courage and often conviction. Many of these people don’t *truly* mean what they post — in real ife, they would not say such things, due to being unsure of themselves… but in an online world, they can test the waters with polarizing comments which they would otherwise be unwilling to share. In an online world with such loose assocations they also garner cronies of the “luckybuzzard24 is so right–you are all idiots!” persuasion.
Real life social ineptitude coupled with longing for acceptance causes people in this scenario to pursue the fringes… it is easier to defend your position via attacks on others when you divide every situation into simple “us Vs. them” boundaries.
Many online comment boards are simply a breeding ground forthe mob-mentality and are devoid of civility.
Gratefully, your blog doesn’t seem to fit that description.
As Robin wrote, for the most part, we have enjoyed getting the newspaper at our home, although I don’t like it for three rasons. 1.) the mess (but it’s mainly confined to the weekends, so I guess that’s good); 2.) the awkwardness of holding the broadsheets (the LDS Church News is printed in tabloid style sheets and is therefore less unweildy; my iPhone is much easier to hold); 3.) the feeling of guilt that comes when I throw away all these unread stories; just another something that I SHOULD have read but didn’t have time for.
Oh, and as for those who post comments to local news stories online, no matter what the story or subject, it seems that the Mormons are at fault for everything in the world. It ALWAYS comes back to Mormon-bashing and I can hardly stand to read them.