Saturday, May 9, 2009

Pass the Butter please

Arianna Huffington, co-founder of the Huffington Post, tells a Senate Subcommittee:

“There is something in our collective DNA that makes us want to sip our coffee, turn a page, look up from a story, say, ‘Can you believe this?’, and pass the paper across the table.”

“Sure, you could hand them your BlackBerry or laptop…but the instinct is different. And who wants to get butter or marmalade on your new MacBook Pro?”


Reminds me when I told an interviewer ten years ago that you couldn't bring your computer with you into the bathroom to read.

Maybe that's true for folks in our generation, but not for our kids.

They'll be sharing their new large-size Kindle across the breakfast table.

3 comments:

  1. Jeff, I just spent a few days at a college graduation in Bozeman, MT and had the opportunity to read the local paper. I was struck by how much more local news I received in their little paper than I do in our big L. A. Times.

    There were a few key national and international stories, but the majority of the stories were local. We found out how the local state senator voted on the budget and why he was against it. I would know how I wanted to vote for the individual if I was voting in their next election. I found out how many people were arrested and how they were charged. I knew which high school teams were winning and how the local teenage stars fared in the game. I even got the recap of the commencement address that I heard the previous day.

    In short, it was real news and news that the local population cared to hear. It wasn't on the Internet and it wasn't available on your Kindle.

    Unfortunately, I still don't know if the local paper is sustainable at $.75 a day and $1.50 for Sunday. Some of the news was also carried on the local TV station.

    Bob Ingrum (couldn't figure out how to post except a Anonymous)

    ReplyDelete
  2. When I pass the paper and it falls on the pancakes, I can recycle it. Try this with your Kindle! Syrup on your Kindle spells disaster. Unless there is a game to play on your Kindle, kids will be a tough sell no matter what.

    I think local, customized, personalized news will make a comeback in print.

    ReplyDelete
  3. The Kindle application is available for the iPhone also (free) and you can easily take it to the restroom to read while "resting". The screen is not as large as a kindle, but usable.

    ReplyDelete