News-Record.com

I read your paper this morning Mr. Robinson and not one word did I find about this story:
“In what has to qualify as probably one of the worst decisions of the decade, a committee chaired by Treasury Secretary John Snow has approved a deal that would allow a firm based in the United Arab Emirates to run some of our most significant ports. These ports would include Baltimore, New Orleans, Philadelphia, New York, New Jersey and Miami.”

I caught it last night on CNN but as far as I am concerned this should be splashed all over the headlines all over the country. Why isn't it? This is a dictatorship and a government that sponsors terrorists and terrorist activities all over the world and our government is turning over the largest entry points to our country to them. Forget about your format and concentrate on reporting the NEWS, the REAL NEWS.

Oh, and yes, a special and separate sheet for the sports would save the paper money because so few people read it. Maybe when people subscribe to the paper they could request the sports section be delivered separately and pay extra for it if they want it. There are really so many outlets for sports news that I wonder why serious news papers even feel they should cover it. It belonged in newspapers of the past when the newspapers were the only source of news. Now that need no longer exists and newspapers should retink their mission which is NEWS Mr. Robinson, REAL NEWS!

This has been in newspaper headlines since Friday, 2/17, and was one of the main topics on all the Sunday morning "talking heads" television shows.

I'm guessing the N&R didn't put it on the front page because of the new emphasis on local coverage, but I don't see how anyone could have missed it from other sources.

Regards,
Tony

Yes, the news came out last week, but we should have had some kind of follow-up today from the discussion on the Sunday talk shows.

As for the sports section, Ms. Bowers, I'm afraid we're not ready to drop the sports section entirely. If we went on the number of other sources for information, we'd have to drop the news sections first. I'd like to avoid that. :)

I like the small size. It's easier to handle and read. I suspect if you make a dramatic change, you'll get hammered. I suspect you know that too.

The Tryon paper is 8 1/2 X 11 and contains as much news or more than the N&R. They are truely a local paper and feel little need to pretend to present the world news since there are more outlets for that than one can shake a stick at. Why be known as the day behind the Times news source or just present the news that a few decide is worthy of printing.

Mr. P and Mr. Robinson, There are more sources of news than one can shake a stick at but the average working person has time to glance at the local paper and maybe catch the 6 pm tv news. I, and obviously the rest of the people who respond on these blogs, spend several hours a day now on the computer with news and blogs but certainly didn’t have that luxury when I was a working wife and mother. This is the reason for my above suggestions.
Tony, I missed the big story somehow. Didn't even turn the tv on yesterday. And took time to paint my flowers as a rest from the world. I am spending much time keeping up with happenings in the Middle East right now.

In response to Ms. Bowers comment, dropping the sports section from the newspaper would lead to its demise, why? Because believe it or not, more people actually do read the sports section than the news on any given day.

Sports coverage in a local newspaper is so much more unique than what is offered in any other medium. For instance, you aren't going to find out how Triad high school teams are doing on ESPN. You'll get a 30-second spot on the evening news, but not much else.

As far as professional and collegiate sports, you can find that information from other sources. However in the case of TV, the amount of coverage is very limited due to time constraints. More coverage is available on the Internet, but most major sites aren’t going to go as in-depth on specific teams that Triad readers care about as in what the News & Record can provide.

Also, the sports section generates a lot of interest from younger readers. In my case, I was interested in the sports section of my hometown paper at a far younger age than when I started caring for news. Also, if you can hook readers at that young age, you have a chance of hooking them for a lifetime. Those same children are also going to become the target 18 to 25 age group for advertising revenue.

It boils down to in-depth coverage, advertising revenue and appealing to young readers.

If you don't like to read the sports section, simply don’t read it, as I suspect you’ve been doing.

But you have to understand, if it weren’t for sports and the money it brings in, there wouldn’t be as much space available for hard news, or possibly the money or readership to keep a paper printing at all.

In regard to creating a broadsheet section for sports, it’s an interesting idea. I think it could work, but I’d research what impact it has had elsewhere before committing. The Triad has a strong sports fan base for such a concept to thrive upon.

Just like "newsguyutk" I started reading the paper at the age of 10 when I was memorizing the box scores. My buddies and I would compete to see who knew more stats as we walked to school or to the pool in the summer. Combine that with delivering the now-deceased Washington Star for a while and I was hooked on the paper.

Personally I don't care if you publish on toilet paper; I just hope newspapers continue to publish in a format that doesn't make the "paper" part of the name inaccurate.

Gentlemen, I don't mind the sports section and agree that it deserves a place in the newspaper. And, you are correct, I have never bothered to read it. And I also agree with you that the tv coverage of sports is limited to sound bites. But, so is the tv coverage of hard news limited to sound bites! This is why the news papers exist, to give in-depth coverage to state, national and international news. Some have told me in this blog that there are "more sources of (hard) news out there than one can shake a stick at". Well the very same thing can be said about sports. If my cable tv is any measure since it is littered with sports stations where you can SEE the action which I would think is what sports is all about.