A few weeks ago, I walked into the waiting lounge of a local car dealership’s service center and saw a welcome sight.
A man about my age who owned a local newspaper was fascinated by one of the articles in the paper.
Since it was early, the aroma of free freshly brewed coffee filled the air.
For me it was a win-win. Free Java and newspaper included.
It looked like the guy was going to be controlling the only copy available for a while, so I did what I’ve done in a pinch over the past few years:
I pulled out my trusty cell phone and logged into the same edition that the gentleman on my left was reading. Same headline, same article…just delivered in a different way.
A few minutes passed, and the man folded the paper and placed it on a nearby table, and another customer picked it up.
I put my phone away and headed for my second cup. After a few sips, the reader and I struck up a conversation.
After the usual pleasantries, my focus shifted to my life’s work, the local newspaper.
I asked him if he was a regular reader.
I let him do most of the talking, and I heard him declare that he had had his nose in newspapers for as long as he could remember.
We talked about how print editions have made it easier for readers to get what they want in what is essentially a one-stop shopping experience.
It had international and national news, opinion, some sports, local events, and obituaries all in one neat package.
What the man pointed out was coverage of local government meetings. He said newspapers are the “go-to” source for finding out what’s going on in city politics.
Having been through more of the most mundane and boring ways to spend time than I have ever invested, I realized that it wasn’t all in vain.
All of those bid openings, contract awards, and common complaints about potholes and weeds meant something to someone, somewhere.
Newspapers tell readers what the government is doing. Information about business approvals, liquor license transfers, road paving, tax increases, and more is available in most papers in general circulation in any area.
He wondered how reporters could stand by and watch all that happen, and he wondered what they did because their work sometimes brought new light to issues that affected him. I admitted that I was glad.
I responded by saying that in this high-tech era of instant news coverage, he himself could not participate in one such meeting, whether in person or via social media or internet pages. I said I could have done it.
“Who has time?” he replied. “That’s what newspapers do.”
He went on to say that his wife keeps news clippings of their children and grandchildren in a scrapbook. He said his mother did the same for him and his siblings.
“Where can I get something like that today?” he thought.
He told me stories about his relatives and their accomplishments. He talked about weddings, anniversaries, births and deaths of his friends and family.
“Where would I find something like that without newspapers?” he asked. “So how do you put that in your scrapbook?”
The service manager interrupted us and the man thanked me for helping kill time. His car was ready. The time has come for his departure.
The coffee – already on my second or third pot – caught my attention and I downed yet another cup.
For a few minutes I thought about the conversation I had just finished.
The man had a great discussion about the value of daily newspapers.
It is truly a community in dialogue with itself. At the same time, it is also a history book for the community it serves. With each publication, a new chapter is written.
People can read about their community on any platform, whether it’s print or digital. They can learn how to become active and productive people who serve where they live.
And it’s all in one place. You do not visit one site for one purpose and another site for another purpose.
I wasn’t sure how long I’d be waiting, so I looked for a newspaper at a nearby table.
No luck. A woman who just arrived already received it.
I just reached for my phone.
ED SOCHA is a former newspaper editor with more than 40 years of experience in community journalism. He shared this column about newspapers and their connections to the region as part of National Newspaper Week. Please contact us at tneditor@tnonline.com.
The opinions expressed above do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial board or Times News LLC.