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Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Shame on You: Chicago Tribune Making Books Coverage Cost More

I am not happy about this both as a librarian in the Chicago area and as a personal subscriber to the paper.  

Please excuse me for a moment while I talk to the people who run the Chicago Tribune.

Tribune people, I am under 40 and get home delivery of your paper. We do exist. Well, maybe not for much longer now.  What are you thinking here.  For the record, my New York Times home delivery comes at a lower rate (education rate) and has FREE books coverage.  Oh and also better coverage of Chicago news in their twice weekly Chicago News Cooperative coverage than you have every day.  So, I really don't think you are in much of a position to ask me for $99 more a year.  And to add insult to injury, you are going to take $99 out of my library budget now because we need to have this new section for our patrons.  Thanks.

Okay, I am back.  Here is the link to this news as I found it first on The Millions (whose last sentence commentary is spot on; I vote for marginalized):
The Chicago Tribune is rolling out a new premium books section for $99 a year. The Printers Rowoffering (named for a Chicago neighborhood) “will feature 24 pages of book reviews, author interviews and Chicago-focused literary news, along with a weekly bonus book of short fiction.” You can either feel validated (special HBO-style “premium” section for readers!) or marginalized (so few people care about this that you have to pay extra if you want it.)

3 comments:

Christine said...

This infuriated me!!! I just cancelled a few weeks ago (and have been victim of incessant marketing calls/deal offers to subscribe again) and was thinking about returning because I really miss my morning paper.

Now? No.

John BPL RA said...

That publication has a long history of idiotic moves going all the way back to "Dewey Defeats Truman". They are supposedly a non-biased news source but openly endorse political candidates, take money from corporate interests and endorse and use censorship. Their publication is written at a sixth grade reading level - a fact that they do not try to change or hide. The editorials are "dumbed down" in an obvious attempt to target a mass audience which they exploit mercilessly. Much of this behavior has gone on for so long that it has negatively influenced other major news outlets with whom the Tribune competes and, in some instances, has driven out of business. At one time, there were nearly half a dozen major newspapers serving Chicago. Now there are two - BAD AND WORSE!

Becky said...

John, way to invoke Dewey Defeats Truman. I don't know why I was even surprised at how wrong a decision this is. I should have expected it.

 
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