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The other day I was listening to someone tell me that newspapers are going
the way of the great white buffalo.
Not the first time I have heard that but hey, I still go to work every day and
I still have plenty to do.
I am a lucky man. I get to cover a couple school boards, a ton of sports
and write a short story along the way. I also get to interview a lot of wonderful
people for our Spotlight page.
The best thing about it is that I enjoy it and have for a long time.
This is National Newspaper Week and while that falls in with a lot of weeks
observed every year, it is special for me. It is special because I get to tell
people about it.
The newspaper business has changed a lot. But so what? Lots of business
go through ups-and-downs as technologies and customer preferences change.
Name any business and I will bet it looks a lot different than it did 10, 15, 20
or so years ago.
That doesn't mean they are dying businesses. People want and need the
products and services and businesses adapt to be successful in the new world.
According to a University of Southern California study, Americans are absorbing
five times more information a day than in 1986. And as the demand
for quality news grows, storytelling evolves.
And we love to tell good stories.
When our staff goes to cover a meeting and return I often ask how many
people were there to watch?
The answer often is "just me."
That means we have to represent the people who are affected by decisions
made at the meeting and report them honestly and accurately. That is our responsibility.
I don't believe newspapers are going away, not for a minute.
And during National Newspaper Week along with the other 51 weeks of
the year, we will continue to do our best to keep you informed.