Week 5 Topic 1: Newspapers

"I read/buy the newspaper because … "

- of the coupons, and comics that were in the Sunday paper. Eugene areas Register-Guard contained the best coupons with the best values.I didn't mind making a purchase of only a $1.00(nowadays the price has raised) because it out weighed the value of the paper. Ideally the paper was free from the savings that I had saved from using their coupons.The comic section of the Sunday paper was in color and much larger then prior days.I enjoyed reading the comics in color because it gave it a sense of reality.

 "I would read/buy a newspaper if ..."

- it had positive news.I do not enjoy reading papers that mostly consist of negative news. Constant negativity in papers such as: local/national crime, war related stories, politics,and corruption only breed more negativity.Our society only seems to feed off of despair which creates a ripple effect.Negativity begets negativity. More positivity imaginary in the media(such as in newspapers)could create an overall happy mind-state and better our society.Papers should embrace positive subjects such as encouraging people to volunteer,ways to improve our environment,family based stories,cute pictures of animals,and rainbows.       

 For the following I used the "Eugene Weekly" as a template for others papers to follow for survival with the ideas from Jeff Jarvis from the book "WWGD":  

1. FREE, FREE, FREE: When papers are free, consumers are most likely to pick-up the paper and look at its material. Having the paper at convenient locations such as schools, restaurants, convenience stores, libraries, and street corners (with bright red or attractive boxes) attract more viewers.     

2. LONG LIVE THE MASS OF NICHES: Make sure your paper is geared to one particular demographic. The "Eugene Weekly" for example, is a local paper who's main focus is "Eugenians." It contains editorials about local issues with cutting edge subject matter, that has a more diverse view point then others newspapers.

3.  ELEGANT ORGANIZATION: Have a graphic design that is appealing, the front-page should be eye-catching, such as this weeks issue of the "Eugene Weekly". It had a half-naked lady holding cannabis plants, which was voted its #1 cover of all time. Articles should be in full-color with interesting topics that are fair and balanced. The entertainment section should be more expansive featuring a magazines format.