Yet more evidence that newspapers are an endangered medium:
New Orleans is famous for marking death with a celebration, and this was no different. More than 300 current and former colleagues, family members and well-wishers gathered to raise a final glass to The Times-Picayune’s 175-year run as a daily newspaper.
I recognize that the current generation — my son’s generation — does not have much use for a daily newspaper. You’re firmly convinced that you get all the news you need, for free, online — with perhaps, a dose of Jon Stewart and/or Stephen Colbert.
But if you believe that, frankly, you’re missing out. Countless times, I’ve found information, both of interest and of importance, in the printed pages of a newspaper that I would have never seen anywhere else: from news about decisions contemplated by state and local governments that could affect my take-home pay … to details that I’ve used in class to put concrete examples next to abstract principles and thus enhance student learning.
The paid journalists working at newspapers generally outnumber those employed by TV, radio, and Internet organizations. And when the ink-and-paper people are out of work, who will be left — will enough remain — to serve as the watchdogs (of government and business and other powerful actors) that a thriving democracy requires? And no, the answer is not “citizen journalists.” With all due respect to the latter — I am, in fact, one of them — they/we can never replicate the hard and often tedious work done by newspaper professionals.
Here’s the kicker: As part of the tuition and fees UMSL students are required to pay, you can pick up free copies of a number of newspaper on campus, including the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. So there’s really no excuse for not supporting newspapers by giving them a few extra eyeballs they can count in their readership numbers, which (in turn) will support their advertising sales.
Ignore me in class if you’re so inclined, but please don’t ignore me on this point. Your generation — and mine — will regret it when newspapers die. Please don’t let that happen.
