Who still subscribes to a Newspaper?

**GoodSteward** · 07-16-2016, 07:17 AM

I've grown up in the computer craze era. I don't ever remember getting a paper as a child that wasn't free (small town papers), and even those I didn't have any interest in.

I'm used to finding out everything I need to know that is important to me and my ability to be a better person on social media.

**creditcardfree** · 07-16-2016, 08:16 AM

We moved a year ago, across the country. We stopped our subscription at that time. It is expensive. Our oldest daughter really liked reading the paper and we did learn a lot about a lot of things going on in our town. It was worth it, but I haven't missed it since moving. I get most news (including local) online. And the older daughter is at college, thus it's up to her to find access to a newspaper now if she wants one. I sure don't miss the walking out to get it, or moving it around until it gets to the recycle bin!

I walk early in the morning and I've seen only about five homes getting a newspaper out of the 100 that are in our neighborhood.

I say keep it if it give you pleasure and enjoyment. It does support local reporting which is actually really important!!

**msomnipotent** · 07-16-2016, 09:12 AM

I tried canceling about two weeks ago. I have a stingy data plan and I like having the paper to read in the car while I"m waiting for my daughter, but I had enough with the rate hikes, wet papers, and billing issues. They seemed pretty desperate to keep me on and I don't like going out for my Sunday paper, so I downgraded my service to save money. Then they charge me for six months instead of three and wonder why I'm complaining about it.

I can't stand "internet news". I try reading MSN and I want to pull my hair out. Misspellings drive me crazy, and important facts are often left out of the article. I feel like I'm reading someone's text instead of news. My sisters bombard me with news from Facebook that usually turns out to be false or half the truth. Where is a good news source?

**Joan.of.the.Arch** · 07-16-2016, 09:40 AM

Nope, I don't subscribe.

When I first moved to this metro area from another metro area many years ago, I was amazed at the quality of the writing and knowledge in the newspapers, as compared to where I moved from. There was still a strong influence of a superb school of journalism at the state's biggest university, and the home of the Pulitzer was here. There were two major dailies. They were large on weekdays and weekends alike. Occasionally there were special editions when something especially significant had happened between normal publication times. Younger people may not know this, but even as newspapers were on the presses, stories might be updated or added. Thus, if you did not read your home-delivered "four star edition" when you woke up in the morning, but bought one on the street corner when you arrived at work, you might get an ever so slightly different edition, the "five star."

Local, national, and international stories were covered. There were columns and commentary on science, education, politics, economy, religion, social sciences. There were lighter weight columns written with humor about local situations; medical Q & A; ask the mayor; ask the public health director; publications of proposed public transportation changes; yearly huge charitable appeals along with supporting stories; sports galore; television and radio schedules; fair, concert, and move schedules; voters' guides from the League of Women Voters; travel; weather; just a huge range and depth every single day.

The two competing newspapers were of different editorial bent and some people were very loyal to one or the other, but many people read both. Newspaper reading was something people of all education levels did. I remember, for example, the preacher who lived across the street from me in the 80's, a black man originally from Arkansas who had a 3rd grade education, used to sit in front of his storefront church every morning to read his papers and greet passers-by. I truly think more people were better informed when newspapers were doing so much better. Even our free newspapers were of good quality, reporting on micro-local issues, down to the neighborhood level. Coverage of kids' sports was even professional and amazing.

Now, I keep thinking there is no way our remaining newspaper, which is largely online, could get any worse, yet it does keep getting worse. The writing is terrible, the follow-through is terrible. The coverage is shallow and lacks history. Stories that once took a full page are now about eight paragraphs spread over four days, with repetition rather than much further info.

I find it hard to get info on candidates for public office, the content and outcome of public meetings, upcoming events. I used to get some info just by stumbling on it in the newspapers, but it would not likely occur to me to go looking for it. For example, if the fireworks display has been post-poned due to a water main break in the launch area, I might have found that out in the newspaper. What are the chances I am going to go googling "Is the fireworks show still on" when I don't even know about the water main break.

Instead, I am all over the internet looking for the info, sometimes having little idea where to look. A couple of local bloggers do a really good job keeping me informed on the particular slice of public life that they specialize in, but I'm not wholly satisfied.

So I do read what is worthwhile online for news, but I don't subscribe either online or on paper. I do think I (and a bunch of us, advertisers included!) cheaped out until the newspapers were strangled. I very much regret what it has come to.

**kork13** · 07-16-2016, 11:38 AM

I grew up getting the paper delivered, but mostly just read it for the comic strips. Once I was old enough to read & comprehend & evaluate the news articles, I realized how much bias & poor journalistic style (not to mention ethics) was present in every newspaper I read.

After going to college, I learned to rely exclusively on a variety of online news sources, and to compare coverage between multiple sources in order to cull a more complete view of current events. At the moment, I get my news from WSJ, AP, and BBC (all online)

**frugal saver** · 07-16-2016, 12:40 PM

I subscribed a few months ago to just the weekend paper. I'd stopped the paper years ago due to their incredibly biased reporting, but now I skip most of the news stories and go right for the coupons, ads, sale flyers, and notices of events and free activities.

And the comics, of course.

**disneysteve** · 07-16-2016, 05:50 PM

We get the Sunday paper only. Always have. I think it's $8 or $9 per month. We like to have the comics, Parade magazine, coupons and sale circulars, business and travel sections.

**FLA** · 07-16-2016, 06:45 PM

we get a daily paper because my father, whom I share a household with, wants one. It seems the easiest way to get good local news (I haven't found a good online source for the local stuff) but the quality of the rest of the paper has really gone downhill and feels partisan. I get my news from BBC, NPR, PRI, etc.

I absolutely cannot stand the local nightly news. It had been so long since I'd watched the news, when we moved in together and my dad watches, I couldn't believe how the anchors had aged! I just cannot sit through it so I never know the weather, lol.

my dad is a digital guy, I don't get his clinging to the paper. He says it's for my mom, who has an end stage illness and really reads nothing. I'll wait til the pile for her is up to her knees and then ask him, "she's really doing great with the paper, huh?" She probably hasn't read one in 2 yrs. total waste of money, IMHO

**greenskeeper** · 07-17-2016, 06:17 AM

My dad worked for a newspaper (sportswriter) for 35 years and got out when he saw the future in the internet.

The problem with internet news/information is that there is no credibility or accountability. If you put a story out there in a printed newspaper you were backing it with the name of the newspaper. Online however any crackpot can throw out a story no matter how ridiculous or slanted compared to the truth.

Perfect example - research some of the "quotes" that candidates supposedly said that are being floated around online.

**MonkeyMama** · 07-17-2016, 06:30 AM

We dropped the paper several years ago. I was getting annoyed because every time we'd pay ahead for the full year, but they would try to retroactively charge us more at the end of each year. ??? I mean, that's their policy but we would complain and they would drop it.

My husband really wanted to keep the paper for this or that but I think mostly just weekends. I said we could walk over to the corner store and purchase. I believe we've done this once in several years. & I think he'd still like the paper but just sees it as too much hassle (even though *I* am willing to go walk down and pick it up for him. I just didn't see the point of paying for all the paper we never use and having to complain about the bill every year).

P.S. My parents are struggling with this decision. They really enjoy getting the paper, but it's just gotten so expensive.

**Jluke** · 07-17-2016, 07:32 AM

Sunday only - for the coupons and ads. they also throw in a few bonus papers throughout the year (1st friday of the month and major holidays)

$92/year

**Thrif-t** · 07-17-2016, 05:31 PM

Yep, I love getting up and reading the paper in the morning while drinking my coffee. And I gotta admit, I'm fine with it being smaller, that just means I can read it all faster. It's like reading cliff notes

.

**InvestorShark** · 07-17-2016, 10:00 PM

Paper

Newspapers are very close to obsolescence. If it's a habit you can't bear to break, there's nothing wrong with it - treat it as an entertainment expense.

My news source is a combination of social media (our local paper posts the articles for free on FB anyway), CNN, WSJ, and the BBC.

I keep more informed than my peers, but I've always taken news with a large grain of salt... it's good to be informed, but if you focus too much on it, it warps your world-view and you can become insanely cynical.

**DaveInPgh** · 07-18-2016, 05:04 AM

I gave a newspaper subscription a try when I bought my first house. The first time I retrieved the paper from the snow, I gave the guy a pass. The next day when it landed in the snow again, I called that morning and cancelled.

I bought the Sunday paper at the grocery store for many many years since, but stopped buying altogether this year. $2.50 just so I can look at the ads, get the coupons & read the Real Estate transfers just isn't worth it.

In my area, the subscription option went to **** as soon as they took the routes from the kids. For the life of me, I can not comprehend why anyone would pay for something they have to retrieve from the wet grass or snow.

Who still subscribes to a Newspaper?