A Refreshing Viewpoint on the Future of Newspapers

May 20th, 2009

Rather than belaboring the usual arguments about newspapers and democracy, what will become of our youth, what will I read at breakfast and so on, Beth Teitell in The Boston Globe offers a fun article called Save the Presses! OK Internet, Just Try Replacing Newspapers in these Situations (tip courtesy of The Future of Print blog).

save_the_presses

(Uncredited in the original, but presumably copyright 2009 The Boston Globe)

Ms. Teitell offers a total of 11 situations where we’ll miss our newsprint copy of the daily paper. My favorites include:

2. You can shed a tear right now for the iconic ransom note, with letters clipped from newspaper headlines. What’s a kidnapper to do? Print out letters at home using different fonts and point sizes?

ransomnote

(Also uncredited)

3. How are concerned neighbors supposed to figure out that the little old lady who lives alone is sick if the papers aren’t piling up on her doorstep? And how will burglars know which houses to target?

6. You know all that money you’re saving by not shelling out for a subscription? Well, put it aside for a good umbrella. You’ll need it the next time it rains without warning. Holding an iPhone over your head won’t exactly cut it.

Read ’em all.

A little comic relief is a wonderful thing in these grim times!