All 'Fragged' Out

George Will* lost the coin flip; the Sunday newspaper and its pre-ponderance has elected to kick-off.

Sunday morning was shrouded in mist-ery; I put on denim, shoes worn 250+ times, saved the umbrella for when rain is serious about being rain, and got coffee and the Sunday paper; coffee shop style. Dank Sunday mornings gently put the brakes on the roller coaster of time. Occasionally, gray is great.

Eye was on church later with kids; God cares that you go and listen with others rather than risk precip related wardrobe fallout and stay in. :) My Sunday morning hunkerdown coffee shop is Caribou Coffee. I've never actually seen a caribou, but I go there for coffee because, one day, like a winning lotto ticket, I hope to see one.

Okay the point. I have the luxury of a commute to work on mass transit that is just under an hour. I am expert in reading the news, taking a nap, and being prepared to discuss anything from pleasant to pressing. I leave too early during the week to 'subscribe'. I prepare on the train. I rarely buy a Sunday paper because it's not part of my routine.

I kinda remember why. I got rid of 2/3 of the paper without bothering to look at it. I don't need anymore shrubs or twilled khaki, or life insurance applications or glossy car ads. BUT, just because I don't bother with those parts of the paper doesn't mean others don't. Newspapers are information sources that appeal to a broad spectrum of readers/subscribers. This formula has worked great up until recent times. Print news, like broadcast news and music and movie purchasing has become 'fragmented'.

The vehicles that were in place to service the greatest amount of consumers are becoming disabled. Denver and Seattle have recently shutdown dailies; where are those readers going? Well, the consumer spenders will go to coupons on-line. That saves the hassle of sorting through the fliers in the paper. Also, you don't have to buy a paper to get free internet coupons. But advertising revenue is what keeps paper afloat. At least I buy, sort, and toss. Are papers failing because of harsh economic times or dwindling readership?

I know a number of young professionals who don't even read newspapers on line and yet are very up to the moment about politics, sports, social issues, etc. They join 'issue forums' that subscribe to news feeds on line; high speed internet service providers supply news as part of the service. They, in effect, customize their news sources which fragment the all purpose newspaper. The convenience of having everything at your fingertips (and cheaply) is giving way to customizability and growing wifi accessibility. How sad the day will be when people can no longer begin a conversation with the likes of "Did you see that article in the New York Times or Carl Hiaassen's last column in the Miami Sun". That day is coming.

I don't want a new routine.

*George Will's take on denim comes next. Stan