Demise of newspapers

  • Brian Hoffies
    Land of 10,000 taxes, potholes & the politically correct.
    Posts: 6843
    March 23, 2009 at 3:01 pm #1262203

    Last night I was with a group of people. 5 families were represented. I started talking about a story I had read in the Sunday paper. To my surprise not one person had read the story. I soon found out that I was the only one who had even gotten the Sunday paper.

    Now this morning on KSTP they are talking about how the newspapers are going under. They are wondering how people will get the news. We all can get the sports scores if we want. We can get the weather. Heck we can even go to a home page and get major national stories. But, won’t you guys miss the daily paper? Won’t you miss leafing through the paper and a story catches your eye?

    Am I the only one out here that reads the paper? I read the paper 5 out of 7 days. I for one am really, really going to miss the paper when they are gone.

    How do you guys get the news or don’t you even care what is going on?

    To me this is the ugly side of technology.

    timmy
    Posts: 1960
    March 23, 2009 at 3:06 pm #761485

    I read our local paper daily –

    Mainly look at the police reports to see if I recognize anyone. Look at the obits for the same reason.

    Tim

    ederd
    Northeast Iowa, Randalia
    Posts: 1537
    March 23, 2009 at 3:06 pm #761486

    I still get the paper daily, I enjoy having a cup of coffee and read the paper. I don’t know how they would get the local news out, other than TV, if they go under. I only watch the early morning news on TV.

    Ed

    suzuki
    Woodbury, Mn
    Posts: 18543
    March 23, 2009 at 3:08 pm #761489

    I stopped delivery long ago because of the mess. I can appreiciate a paper and enjoy them but its not worth piling them up at home then dealing with disposal.

    Wade Boardman
    Grand Rapids, MN
    Posts: 4453
    March 23, 2009 at 3:08 pm #761491

    The quick answer is yes you are one of the few. Historically the older population read a news paper. The young crowd gets the news on their phones, computers, radio, TV, etc. Paper is a dying technology.

    A recent study found that a very small number of the population overall (less than 40%) I think will miss the paper if it doesn’t exist anymore.

    Brian Klawitter
    Keymaster
    Minnesota/Wisconsin Mississippi River
    Posts: 59992
    March 23, 2009 at 3:12 pm #761496

    I never did read the paper. I subscribed to the Hudson WI paper for a year and the Sunday paper for about the same time just to have fish cleaning paper.

    Google alerts to my phone, Ido and catching the news on tv once or twice a week is about enough news for me.

    But I’ve been called “out of touch” more than once.

    Brian Klawitter
    Keymaster
    Minnesota/Wisconsin Mississippi River
    Posts: 59992
    March 23, 2009 at 3:14 pm #761499

    Quote:

    he young crowd gets the news on their phones, computers, radio, TV, etc.

    Thank you!

    Ralph Wiggum
    Maple Grove, MN
    Posts: 11764
    March 23, 2009 at 3:18 pm #761503

    Quote:

    I stopped delivery long ago because of the mess. I can appreiciate a paper and enjoy them but its not worth piling them up at home then dealing with disposal.

    Same here. I read it on my lunch break at work on occasion, but I really don’t feel the need to have the mess at home.

    I really wish the Star Trib would quit calling my house! They call daily, and I have asked them to quit calling several times

    whiskeyandwater
    ????
    Posts: 2014
    March 23, 2009 at 3:19 pm #761504

    Quote:

    The quick answer is yes you are one of the few. Historically the older population read a news paper. The young crowd gets the news on their phones, computers, radio, TV, etc. Paper is a dying technology.

    A recent study found that a very small number of the population overall (less than 40%) I think will miss the paper if it doesn’t exist anymore.

    Sad but true. We have been having this conversation at work, as we have a large age range, Oldest is 85 youngest is 26 and we hit just about every age group inbetween. Anyways, Most of us feel that by the time I get the paper the amount of “new” news is minimal due to today up to the minute websites. Between the web, and the tv, most people feel that the news paper is just old news. Even the people that say they will miss it here, won’t miss getting the info, they will just miss holding the paper, since they already know most of what they read about.

    kooty
    Keymaster
    1 hour 15 mins to the Pond
    Posts: 18101
    March 23, 2009 at 3:26 pm #761506

    Besides my 3 neighbors, I’m the only one that DOESN’T get a daily paper. Hence, I’m not invited to the mailbox meetings, but I occasionally crash them.

    Steve Vick
    New London, MN
    Posts: 428
    March 23, 2009 at 3:41 pm #761515

    Quote:

    But I’ve been called “out of touch” more than once.

    Now there is prime material for a top 10 “Biggest understatements of the year” contest!!!!

    walleye_wisdom
    Big Sky Country Helena, MT (Adel, IA home)
    Posts: 1160
    March 23, 2009 at 3:44 pm #761516

    Google has a really nice search engine for news stories. I use this each morning instead of getting a paper.

    http://news.google.com/

    You can search for exactly what you want, or browse a wide variety of topics.

    Brian Klawitter
    Keymaster
    Minnesota/Wisconsin Mississippi River
    Posts: 59992
    March 23, 2009 at 4:17 pm #761528

    Quote:

    Now there is prime material for a top 10 “Biggest understatements of the year” contest!!!!

    I see the chickens made enough electricity to power up the computer in New Londin this morning.

    smithkeith
    Waterloo, Iowa
    Posts: 889
    March 23, 2009 at 4:18 pm #761529

    If you go to refdesk.com then down to newpapers, you can go to any state and then to the newpaper in that state. You can do the same and see papers from around the world.

    Brian Klawitter
    Keymaster
    Minnesota/Wisconsin Mississippi River
    Posts: 59992
    March 23, 2009 at 4:20 pm #761530

    Quote:

    If you go to refdesk.com then down to newpapers, you can go to any state and then to the newpaper in that state. You can do the same and see papers from around the world.

    Now there’s a good useful post…unlike SOME posts coming from the Wilmar area.

    Randy Wieland
    Lebanon. WI
    Posts: 13407
    March 23, 2009 at 4:26 pm #761537

    I dropped my subscription to a Sunday paper around 1993 or 94, and never thought twice about it. News medias are so bias in their repoting and I didn’t want to contribute to it. The only thing that concerns me is the “official Public Notices” which can still be easily looked up while online

    Brian Hoffies
    Land of 10,000 taxes, potholes & the politically correct.
    Posts: 6843
    March 23, 2009 at 4:58 pm #761548

    Quote:

    I dropped my subscription to a Sunday paper around 1993 or 94, and never thought twice about it. News medias are so bias in their repoting and I didn’t want to contribute to it. The only thing that concerns me is the “official Public Notices” which can still be easily looked up while online

    Ummm, so the plane crash in Montana is biased? The cops shot in Oakland are biased? The flooding in Fargo is biased? The Petters investigation in Mpls. is biased?

    I might buy the biased angle in relation to politics but that is it.

    Seems many here don’t follow the news, at least on a local basis. I find that very interesting.

    Oh well,…………..

    bret_clark
    Sparta, WI
    Posts: 9362
    March 23, 2009 at 5:01 pm #761552

    Quote:

    Quote:

    I dropped my subscription to a Sunday paper around 1993 or 94, and never thought twice about it. News medias are so bias in their repoting and I didn’t want to contribute to it. The only thing that concerns me is the “official Public Notices” which can still be easily looked up while online

    Ummm, so the plane crash in Montana is biased? The cops shot in Oakland are biased? The flooding in Fargo is biased? The Petters investigation in Mpls. is biased?

    I might buy the biased angle in relation to politics but that is it.

    Seems many here don’t follow the news, at least on a local basis. I find that very interesting.

    Oh well,…………..

    Thank for bringing me up to date…..and to think, I was just going to go purchase the paper

    Steve Vick
    New London, MN
    Posts: 428
    March 23, 2009 at 5:13 pm #761559

    Quote:

    Now there’s a good useful post…unlike SOME posts coming from the Wilmar area.

    Stay tuned for a “useful” “Top 10 Ways to Fry a Flathead” post coming to a computer near you!

    As for the newspapers……..I get it, but recycle most of it without ever looking at it. Online is a great way to read what you want, without paying for a paper………..why do I still subscribe to it? I guess I do like the ease of flipping pages vs getting sidetracked for hours while online!

    jon_jordan
    St. Paul, Mn
    Posts: 10908
    March 23, 2009 at 5:16 pm #761563

    The demise of the papers here in the Twin Cities (Strib in bankruptcy The Pioneer Press not far behind) started in the late 70’s or early 80’s when the kid on the bike delivering his route were overtaken by “Independent Contractors” in beat up Chevs with no mufflers tossing papers at your house without any regard to your property or the condition of the paper when it was finally found!!

    Still no regard for you or your lost quarter when it is stolen from you after inserting it into a 20 year old paper dispenser. No customer service, no customers.

    These pin heads sit back and blame the internet. They should look at 20 plus years of bad business!

    -J.

    Paulski
    “Ever Wonder Why There Are No Democrats On Mount Rushmore ? "
    Posts: 1180
    March 23, 2009 at 5:37 pm #761570

    I grew up reading the paper every day.

    I gave up on the daily and only kept the Sunday for the coupons as I feel that the bias in the papers along with the correponnding political correctness is not something I feel the need to support with my money.

    I gave up on the Sunday after a month of trying to get the delivery guy to find my front door…

    iacanoeguy
    Iowa - Franklin Co
    Posts: 277
    March 23, 2009 at 5:51 pm #761576

    I work for a small town newspaper in Iowa. We have 3500 subscribers and also own 25 other small town weekly papers. YES, many LARGE papers are failing, but our newspapers are doing well. I think we have a nitch to fill and that is NOT current national news. Of course we can’t do that. We prosper because we are in touch with our subscibers and our advertisers. Our readers are loyal and hang on to the paper for the week. I think papers are like any other business. Offer a good product, for a good price and treat your customers (subscribers and advertisers) well and you can be successful. Let the biggies fail – more ad bucks for me (translate ad bucks to FISHING GEAR)

    bzzsaw
    Hudson, Wi
    Posts: 3476
    March 23, 2009 at 6:08 pm #761582

    I’m still doing my part to support the local papers (mainly the Pioneer Press) and also do my part to stimulate the economy. I buy a paper at work each day. Bring it in to the reading room each morning and leave it there when I’m done. Then there is the guy that gets paid to pick up the paper. I don’t think he likes doing this though.

    Don Hanson
    Posts: 2073
    March 23, 2009 at 6:46 pm #761608

    Usually pick up the local Sunday paper to get the Fleet Farm sales for the week.

    jon_jordan
    St. Paul, Mn
    Posts: 10908
    March 23, 2009 at 7:10 pm #761622

    Quote:

    Usually pick up the local Sunday paper to get the Fleet Farm sales for the week.

    You can get the weekly FF add (And others) on line. Usually a day or 2 before the Sunday paper.

    Fleet Farm Add

    -J.

    Prestige
    Elgin, MN
    Posts: 245
    March 23, 2009 at 7:16 pm #761627

    Much easier to get the news online. And its a lot easier to skip through the liberal garbage. The only person in my family that I know of that gets the paper is my dad. And he only gets the weekend paper just so he can start fires in the fireplace.

    Randy Wieland
    Lebanon. WI
    Posts: 13407
    March 23, 2009 at 8:05 pm #761663

    Quote:

    Quote:

    I dropped my subscription to a Sunday paper around 1993 or 94, and never thought twice about it. News medias are so bias in their repoting and I didn’t want to contribute to it. The only thing that concerns me is the “official Public Notices” which can still be easily looked up while online

    Ummm, so the plane crash in Montana is biased? The cops shot in Oakland are biased? The flooding in Fargo is biased? The Petters investigation in Mpls. is biased?

    I might buy the biased angle in relation to politics but that is it.

    Seems many here don’t follow the news, at least on a local basis. I find that very interesting.

    Oh well,…………..

    You only stated the headline topics and I never said the topics are bias. The body of many of the articles are. Too often personal opinions are injected in (whether intentional or unintentional) before the final ivestigation is complete. On a personal experience, the Capital Times in Madison wrote an article about how wreckless I was by trying to cross a pressure crack on Mendota with my snowmobile. The answers I gave during an interview were completely taken out of context and injected with different questions. Total BS, but that is how the media sells. Topics are real, the personal slant I can do without.

    jon_jordan
    St. Paul, Mn
    Posts: 10908
    March 23, 2009 at 8:43 pm #761678

    I agree on the liberal slant in both Twin City papers. They could learn a lesson from a paper like the Wall Street Journal and leave the commentary to the editorial page.

    -J.

    Don Hanson
    Posts: 2073
    March 23, 2009 at 8:49 pm #761684

    Thanks Jon, you just saved me .75 cents a week.

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