..... the passing of newspapers. They have been not only a source of news, but of information, differing opinions, and a window into the local, national, and world. In addition, some of the best social commentary is being lost. I speak of the cartoons.
Producing that package cost money. Everybody has to get paid. Newspapers are losing money. I was willing to pay for the package for years, and it was comparatively a small pittance considering what it gave me. Advertisers were always the major source of income. No more.
I am willing to pay for on-line access to the newspapers I have trusted. I would hope they would continue to provide an editorial page, the classifieds. local and state news, letters to the editor, wedding and engagement announcements, and obituaries by my local printed newspaper. UI would hope for the same quality of reporting and investigative reporting by national ones. From both I expect them to continue to identify who owns them, their publisher, editor, etc. That is because I believe they should continue to be responsible for what they say.
But, again, those involved in the production of an on-line newspaper need to get paid. I suspect some advertisers would sign on. But, like the print needier before them, they paid subscribers.
I will not be feeding my hunger for news at free sites because they (the editors, publisher, etc.) do not identify themselves and seem to be funded either privately or donations. Some have ads.
My generation may have more respect for old-fashioned newspapers than younger ones who have had more options.
I guess spoiled printer paper can take over some of the uses once done by newspapers. 
Angeline
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General discussion
Survey: Readers don't want to pay for news online
NEW YORK (AP) - Getting people to pay for news online at this point would be "like trying to force butterflies back into their cocoons," a new consumer survey suggests.
That was one of several bleak headlines in the Project for Excellence in Journalism's annual assessment of the state of the news industry, released Sunday.
The project's report contained an extensive look at habits of the estimated six in 10 Americans who say they get at least some news online during a typical day. On average, each person spends three minutes and four seconds per visit to a news site.
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Not exactly a shock. There are few stories that you can't see for free online somewhere. Why would anyone pay? New business models needed?
Discussion is locked
11 Posts
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Maybe they can go back to mowing yards, if they can pry themselves away from their Xbox, and parents quit giving them everything.
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..... in my area. At least, not te kind we generally recall as making deliveries riding their bikes.
Here it is usually a second or third job for a grown-up, and deliveries are made by car.
There were always jokes about the paperboys throwing the paper on the roof or in te bushes. But in my experience they did a better job that those who throw the paper from a car.
There isn't much employment for a boy under 16 any more. We used to hire a neighbor boy to house and dog sit for us while we were on vacation.
Elvis' mentor, Colonel Parker, lived in a house on the main road a little over a mile away. When Elvis visited there in the early days he was a paper boy in our area. he sat on the curb outside of a local grocers folding his papers. Long time residents say he was always nice and polite.
Angeline
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I never knew Elvis had been a paper boy. You always hear about his truck delivery job.
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When I was a kid, finding pop bottles was the norm to get at least some candy. As we got older doing chores for Dad rarely paid for. 
However as time when by, shoveling snow, shining shoes, hauling trash for neighbors cleaning out the basement or backyard produced some much needed cash for movies. Even that dried up once you really had to work to pay for clothes, etc. that your tastes seemed to be the right ones to wear. Working at the local gas station was the first real money maker, fixing tires, pumping gas, changing oil, the simple stuff. Nowadays you can't even do that w/o some certification or even if there is a local gas station that does this. So, for a kid to get any fun cash is to be at the right place and right time or apply(yeah) apply at some local govt. service. Its not the way it used to be. I think now older adults fight to deleiver the papers now. -----Willy
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Kids aren't picking them up in my neck of the woods, It's grown men hauling a little cart behind them.
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And we pay extra for recycling of our garbage and still get the privilege of collecting it for the county and putting at the curb so they can make something from recycling it.
Used to they paid, we picked it up. Now we pay, and still pick it up.
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I agree. Its hard to suggest to pay for something that's in one way or another provides the same news content for free anyways. The WWW does so much good then does bad thing only because it seems that way to certain groups/business/people/religion, etc. that its a monster to be described that can't be stopped until something "new" is developed and even bigger, though I don't what that would be.
Since, I worked for a real daily newspaper, I saw things in the computer world before PCs really took over. I know if I came back and mused over what's happened I'll find little to recognize as it was. Alas, that's the way it is. -----Willy
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I used to work for a company that published informational booklets and materials, mostly on medical issues. But a lot of the same information is available online for free, so even though we researched it and checked facts thoroughly, and packaged it attractively, sales were impacted.
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Yep.
Been a long time coming.
Since the vast majority of people will not pay to read news online, what may eventually happen is that "BIG NEWS" will lobby congress to get legislation passed to force ISPs to pay them for news content and of course when congress is involved, the cost will be added to the consumers..
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