The Daily Newspaper

 

We are one of the few families in our neighborhood that still has a daily newspaper delivered in the morning.  Five days a week I retrieve it from the driveway.  The other mornings it is delivered online.  I will be honest.  I do not like reading online versions.  I am old school and prefer to hold it in my hand while I sip my coffee.  Somehow, that feels more personal, and I feel a connection to the writer.  I do not mind shopping online or even reading the baseball scores that way, but my connection to the news must be more intimate.

My relationship to the daily paper goes back to my childhood.  In those days our family had two papers delivered daily.  The Detroit Free Press came in the morning and The Detroit News in the afternoon.  I will admit, The Free Press was my favorite.  I could always count on reading about the previous night’s games. It was a great way to start the day. 

For a time, I even delivered The Detroit Free Press.  That meant getting up at 5 am.  The papers would be on our front porch, bound with wire. The papers had to be hand-folded and placed in a cloth bag that would hang from the handlebars of my bike.  I delivered over a hundred and fifty papers each morning, completing my route before 7:00 am.   I had a real connection with my customers too, because I had to stop by once a week to collect my fee, so I could pay my bill.  All the money leftover was my profit for the week, usually around twenty dollars.

Much has changed.  We pay an annual subscription fee, so I have no connection with the carrier who delivers the paper.  Also, the paper has gotten smaller.  They have eliminated the baseball box scores because people read those online.  There are also few classified ads, people do not list things for sale in the newspaper anymore.  Now we have Zip Recruiter and similar websites so there is not need for a “help wanted” section.

There is more than just nostalgia that keeps me committed to my daily paper.  Reading the daily paper provides me with a personal connection to the news.  There is also more depth than when I just watch the news on tv.  In addition, I can pause and reflect. 

Probably the biggest reason for continuing to subscribe to the Dallas Morning News is that I can hear opposing perspective.  My daily paper does a good job of making sure multiple voices are heard.  While I do not always agree, it is important that I hear and understand viewpoints that are different from my own.  I will never understand or value others unless I hear their story.

I truly believe that is what Jesus calls us to do.  During his earthly ministry he connected with all kinds of people, representing lot of religious and social perspectives.  Nothing is accomplished if we only hear from those who share our perspective or opinions.

Daily newspapers are disappearing.  Unfortunately, many communities are left with no local paper at all. We need to support and encourage the local papers that remain.  We need them to not only keep us informed but to help us understand each other.