If your newspaper could speak

Published Nov 07 2008, 01:19 PM by Ian Donnis

Much as I appreciate the speed and endless info available through the Internet, N4N is a semi-dinosaur who loves the old-school ritual: walking out to gather the ProJo and the Times, taking them from their wrappers, unfolding them to reveal the news of the day, and delving deep into their pages.

Because of Obama's historic win, many folks suddenly wanted the feel of a printed newspaper in their hands. Now (h/t Romenesko), the newspaper is speaking back:

To: You
From: Your newspaper

Dear You:

Every day, I was there for You, rain or shine, good times and bad. I was always available. Like a puppy, all I ever wanted was to please You.

Was it lively conversation You wanted? Cackling opinions? The latest news and gossip? I gave You all that. I even tried to keep up on all the sports and business stuff because I knew you cared about that, too.

Oh, we had so many beautiful years together. Sometimes I made you mad. Often, I moved you. But we always made up.

And then a few years ago you rewarded my loyalty by straying. You went elsewhere. You sought the company of others who, you thought, gave you something that I could not. Fickle and faithless, you went looking for something faster, newer and younger.

Oh, You.

I wondered, incessantly, had I failed you? Was it me?

And then one day this week, You wanted me again. Hungrily. Desperately. You searched everywhere for me. You lined up outside my door, stood in the rain and cold, on the chance that I would be available to You again.

And I wasn't there. How ironic! . . .

Filed Under: Media

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1 Comments

Patrick said:

And I think a fair response to my paper would be, I'm looking for you on days that you actually have meaningful local content. Information that I can't get off national news web sites. Why should I go looking for you if you're just going to copy/paste national articles onto your pulp? Give me something interesting, something local, something meaningful, like the local elections, and maybe I'll look for you more often. As long as you're only going to have (AP) in your bylines, I'll just keep surfing around and saving the 50 or 75 cents you cost each day. Heck, even the Phoenix doesn't have a lot of local RI content, but at least it's free.

November 8, 2008 3:48 PM