Re: Magazines & Newspapers
Doug, the most difficult part of my job of running a small country weekly is selling the advertising. With the larger newspapers (the largest being the Denver Post) and the magazines I worked for all had independent advertising staffs, and I held exactly the same opinion as you. Now I realize it's the nature of the beast. Without it we have no newspapers, television nor magazines. I subscribe to Sirius Radio, supposed advertising free, yet every 15 minutes or so there is a spot announcing the virtues of Sirius Radio. That, my friend, is still advertising. There are some instances where I really like it: Super Bowl Sunday, because of all of the creativity; and anytime during one of those hidious sitcoms. Anything that can put a stop to that atrocious sound of laugh tracks is fine with me. JGW
Re: Magazines & Newspapers
I have come to the conclusion the only media worth looking at is FAOL! They have their advertisement - it is located on one page and when I need something I go to that page to learn what is being offered out there.
The rest of the media is like you say. Only I would throw in television as the worst. :shock: The latest offerings of sex, violence, and stupidity are only compounded by the same in the useless commercial advertisement that follows. It has been enough that I GAVE AWAY my television. I don't need the influence of unintelligent worthless media insulting me and doing what it can to degrade my ability to be what I was meant to be...
The Internet is no different - I only keep certain sites in my bookmarks for recreation. FAOL is my homepage. :D
Re: Magazines & Newspapers
I agree, I enjoy the magazines but hate the advertisments. as far as TV, I watch mostly PBS, (yes there begging for money twice a year is awful but I get three PBS stations so I can choose the one that isnt beggeing)
I bet if they got on the air and said our goal is $$$$$ and were going to run this awful fundraising program till we make it, people would pledge the first day just to shut them up.)
I thought the Oregonion was awful 20 years ago, you couldnt find any local news. (too many columnusts not enough reporters) but they always were big on running what was happening in newyork.
As far as internet news I read Nortwest cable news. a good source for Oregon Washinton and Idaho
Eric
Re: Magazines & Newspapers
Quote:
Originally Posted by white43
Doug, the most difficult part of my job of running a small country weekly is selling the advertising. With the larger newspapers (the largest being the Denver Post) and the magazines I worked for all had independent advertising staffs, and I held exactly the same opinion as you. Now I realize it's the nature of the beast. Without it we have no newspapers, television nor magazines. I subscribe to Sirius Radio, supposed advertising free, yet every 15 minutes or so there is a spot announcing the virtues of Sirius Radio. That, my friend, is still advertising. There are some instances where I really like it: Super Bowl Sunday, because of all of the creativity; and anytime during one of those hidious sitcoms. Anything that can put a stop to that atrocious sound of laugh tracks is fine with me. JGW
JGW,
I'm glad you replied to this Post, because You are exactly the kind of person I want to hear from. My first Job was working for a Oregonian Wholesaler (Delivery). I got to know the inside of the Delivery building where the Oregon Coast Trucks had to be the first to load Newspapers. I am a Loyal person so it's bittersweet to think that my old habits of reading the Paper everyday might be going away! My X brother In law WORKS/WORKED for the Oregonian Classifieds and he announced to me, the Ads were slipping away, thanks to Craigslist and the rest of the Internet. The Oregonian Classifieds reduction is an indicator that all is not well with the Newspaper. Another problem is small Newspaper competition. I know of at least a couple of newspapers in Portland that are FREE!.
When I tell you what my Oregonian reading habits are, it is going to sound silly, since I read the Front Page section (FAST!), other reading musts are the Living Section (Stupid Human stuff & Comics (Only a couple), also my Libra Horoscope (Totally worthless). The Metro Section (Politics) MY personal UN-Favorite! This is the Section that people weigh in with their Liberal Crying! Don't CUT THAT TREE!! Take that OWL back to the Forest!! Why am I NOT a Liberal?? Well anyone can gripe and whine but they have NO intention of making things BETTER!, since that would RUIN EVERYTHING!!!!! I call it Monday Morning Quarterbacking. These people didn't or have no intention of doing anything positive, but their POSITIVE their going to be OUTRAGED the City closes a School because their are only a few students left in the neighborhood. So the Oregonian has a Reputation as a Liberal Paper, which I have ignored, until now. The Facts are that the Oregonian and a lot of other newspapers develop an Identity, not much balance possibly. What's it like to work for the Oregonian?? I have a lot of respect for those employees, because there is NO downtime, just the every day grind to deliver the paper. I wish things wouldn't change, but they ARE, and it's strange and exciting.
Doug
Re: Magazines & Newspapers
I used to work for a company that produced newsprint for newspapers. With declining newspaper circulations, our mill was shut down and I now work at a different company. Newspapers need the advertisements in order to stay alive. You wouldn't pay the price of the newspaper if there were no advertisements. By the way, are you telling me that there are no advertisements on the web sites you go to? You may have trained yourself to ignore the ads on the inet for the most part, but they are still there! So do the same for the newspapers/magazines you read.
My biggest concern about the move away from the local newspapers is the loss of a connection to the community/politics and the fact that so many people get their news from a single source. This has the potential for Uni-Think taking place - for a single company to control what the people are hearing on the news and about what's going on. Some might argue that the internet brings lots of viewpoints to the table but I argue in return that most people don't bother to seek the other opinions out. In order for our democracy to work, it is necessary for a multitude of views of the news to be presented in an open environment and for people to think about all of these viewpoints. The loss of our local newspapers threatens this since the large media control the larger outlets.
So I still take my local paper, the nearest big city paper, sometimes the Wall Street Journal, listen to NPR, and catch the nightly news when I can. There's just no substitute for sitting down with the paper and taking my time to read it cover to cover. It's also hard to do the crossword sitting in the car or other transportation on the way to/from work. For me, I'll take paper thanks.
I'll get off my stump now....
TxEngr
Re: Magazines & Newspapers
Quote:
Originally Posted by TxEngr
I used to work for a company that produced newsprint for newspapers. With declining newspaper circulations, our mill was shut down and I now work at a different company. Newspapers need the advertisements in order to stay alive. You wouldn't pay the price of the newspaper if there were no advertisements. By the way, are you telling me that there are no advertisements on the web sites you go to? You may have trained yourself to ignore the ads on the inet for the most part, but they are still there! So do the same for the newspapers/magazines you read.
My biggest concern about the move away from the local newspapers is the loss of a connection to the community/politics and the fact that so many people get their news from a single source. This has the potential for Uni-Think taking place - for a single company to control what the people are hearing on the news and about what's going on. Some might argue that the internet brings lots of viewpoints to the table but I argue in return that most people don't bother to seek the other opinions out. In order for our democracy to work, it is necessary for a multitude of views of the news to be presented in an open environment and for people to think about all of these viewpoints. The loss of our local newspapers threatens this since the large media control the larger outlets.
So I still take my local paper, the nearest big city paper, sometimes the Wall Street Journal, listen to NPR, and catch the nightly news when I can. There's just no substitute for sitting down with the paper and taking my time to read it cover to cover. It's also hard to do the crossword sitting in the car or other transportation on the way to/from work. For me, I'll take paper thanks.
I'll get off my stump now....
TxEngr
TxEngr,
I'm fully aware there has to be Advertising for any publication. Have I trained myself to ignore advertising on the Internet?? Check out FAOL Advertising and you will understand I'm NOT a Multi-Tasker! I kind of like to FOCUS on what I'm reading and if I want to read Advertising, then I will go to the Ads and read THEM!
I'm not sure what you mean by Local newspapers and how valuable they are?? There are Town Hall Meetings, No paper involved, Club functions, No paper involved, E-Mail me and I get in my car and drive to the Event, learn something, go back home and Wall AAH!! No paper was killed! So your argument about HOW valuable Local Newspapers are to keeping our communities from falling apart doesn't make sense. Paper doesn't get people involved, People do!
TxEngr, The one thing you said that showed me how serious you were about reading Newspapers is when you said you read the Wall St. Journal. I'm glad you like reading the newspaper! I just want to know if there has been a Shift with people's News Reading habits?
Doug
Re: Magazines & Newspapers
I like my computer news, I even like to listen and catch glimpses of the Natonal and local news on TV. But I love my newspaper. I still get two, one city paper to keep tabs on all the local issues, and one Metro paper, to keep up on state develpments, on a daily basis. Even get the Washington Post delivered in a weekly format. The advertisements drive me nuts, but I'm getting most adapt at ignoring them. I literally long for the written word, and I read them all cover to cover. Being as old as I am has distinct advantages ... I can enjoy a prolonged cup of coffee (or two) and read my paper each morning, before starting the balance of my day.
Re: Magazines & Newspapers
DShock,
The community I live in has no local TV, the radio stations are owned by large companies and, if it weren't for the local paper, there would be no local news at all. I would rate the local paper as a 6 on a 1-10 scale - they try hard but don't always provide the coverage we truly need. I really think things would be improved with another daily or weekly paper to provide a little competition.
You have to know when the town hall meetings occur to attend - oh yeah - the newspaper posts that info. You certainly don't hear about it on the radio stations. I leave for work at 6:30 am and get home at 6:15 p.m. - doesn't leave a lot of time for organizations other than church on the weekend and a fly club meeting ( 1 hour drive) once a month.
So I stand by my opinion that the newspaper provides a valuable service that most other outlets don't provide in smaller communities. But in answer to your question - people's reading habits are changing. Just look at the number of newsprint mills that are closing and how the industry is shrinking in North America. That's clear evidence of less readership of newspapers. The same is true of magazines since the growth of lightweight coated papers (used in magazines) has slowed over the last several years as well.
TxEngr
Re: Magazines & Newspapers
TxEngr,
Thanks for telling me more about where you live. Your local newspaper is very important to keeping you informed. Preferable to a Big National paper. Portland is a small market, in between Seattle and L.A. Sometimes I might get an inferiority complex, but being a small city has it's advantages, less traffic, less crime. I'm like anyone that has been around here for my whole life, it can be BORING! :lol:
I think it would be a Cool Idea if cities would trade groups of people for a few weeks at a time. Trade ideas, compare notes (Maybe they already do!). Portland has a Famous Public Bus system called Tri-Met. Officials from other cities have come here to see how it works so well. I think we could all help each other with some up close and personal touring.
Doug