Extra, Extra

Ah, the newspaper. Breathe it, hold it. Get that smudgy newsprint all over your fingers.

I have to admit, I’m not the biggest newspaper fan. I mean I look at the headlines..but…I’d prefer hearing my news via radio, TV, reading it online or listening to people talk about and debate it.

Growing up in New York we had THE NEW YORK TIMES, which to my father was the bible of all newspapers. He read it religiously front page to back page every single day. On Sundays we kids got to share in the glory with the funny pages. Daddy also got the local paper, Newsday, which was a small, easy to digest edition (and had better funny pages). Even when we traveled my father read the local papers and searched (and usually found) a NY Times. I never understood the attraction of the NY Times. OK, the book review is great, the travel section is great and the arts section is great. Of course, all that is included in Sunday’s edition. Oh, and the crossword puzzle. Books, travel, arts, crosswords…you can see where this is going. News? What news?

I see the NY Times every day. I see it. I don’t read it. We carry it in my bookstore in Boston’s Logan International Airport. Along with The Boston Globe, The Boston Herald, USA Today and the Wall Street Journal. The Globe and Herald are big sellers. NY Times somewhat, WSJ is a big one with the weekday business travelers. I have one colleague (who shall remain anonymous) who insists we stock 20+ copies of the Times every day. A bit much. After all, we ARE a bookstore and there are 6 newsstands in the terminal. Of course, at the end of the day we have 15 NY Times left over to schlep out of the store. On Sundays it’s a nightmare. To this anonymous colleague, the Times is like the Bible. To this anonymous colleague I’d like to…well, you get the idea. 

I remember several years ago, hearing a rumor that newspapers would be obsolete by the year 2000. Obviously, that’s not the case. Most newspapers are available in hard copy and online. Even the small local papers. I like that. I can pick and choose the stories I want to peruse without getting my fingers smudgy. In the old days there were little white cotton gloves to wear while you read the papers. Cool concept. I’d like those gloves now when I have to schlep 15 NY Times out of my store.

 I think that writing a column for a local newspaper would be an awesome job. I’d do it in a nano second. Anyone hiring??

Be informed. Read the news. Even when there’s nothing worth reading there’s always the funny pages.