Reflecting on the Decline of The Daily Paper

I have always been a newspaper guy.  Growing up in Detroit our family subscribed to two daily papers; the morning Detroit Free Press and the afternoon Detroit News.  My primary focus was usually the sports section, reading the baseball box scores and tracking the leaders in the various categories.  I also read the front page and metro section.  Fall was always an exciting time in the Motor City and the papers featured the first images of the new models from the various manufacturers. 

While in high school I delivered the Detroit Free Press.  I arose at 5:00 AM and retrieved the papers that had been delivered to our front porch.  I folded all 150 papers and then placed them in a canvas sack that could be hung from the handlebars of my Schwin Bike.  I took my responsibility seriously.  The people on my route depended on me to provide them with the latest news.  There was an added benefit; I also perused the paper as I folded them.  I had a technique; my work area was the rear stairway where I would sit on the steps folding the papers, with the sport section tacked to the wall across from me. 

Barb and I still subscribe to the Dallas Morning News.  I sense we are a dying breed. We might be the only people on our block to still get a daily paper.  I am holdout and recently renewed our subscription for another year.  I know I could get much of the same information via television or radio (KRLD- News 1080) but there is something about reading the news and processing the information.  I also read the editorial section and while I do not always agree with the opinions expressed, I have learned the value of listening to alternative voices. 

Today, people have a choice when it comes to how they get their news.  For young folks, social media has become the top choice.  In my opinion, the problem with using social media as the primary source for information is two-fold; the individuals and sources within our social network often share our opinions or perspectives, and there is no filter on social media so it becomes difficult to distinguish “factual” from “fake” news. 

I would like to propose a solution to this problem.  We need to first acknowledge the power of social media and with it the reality of “fake” news.  At the same time we must 1) stay informed and 2) become engaged with those who might disagree with us.  That is not easy to do because our network of friends and associates usually is made up of people who are like us and often share our opinions.  It begins when we engage in discussions with those who represent other generations and opinions.  It requires stepping outside comfort zone on where we hangout and who we talk to.  Our church family is a great place to start.  If you have young folks in your congregation, get to know them and learn to listen to them.