In this day and age when you can get world and national news from multiple sources, local newspapers have to focus on local news to survive. Things change with time.

World, national, state, regional and local news shouldn’t be relegated to certain sections. The stories should be placed in the paper based on their significance or importance, uniqueness, how well the story is told by the writer, etc. Local stories, in that they have more relevance to the readers, should always get more weight. Space limitations undoubtedly also come into play.

Separate sections for sports, business, lifestyle are always needed. Excepting business, the chaff still has to be separated.

The biggest problem I have with our local paper is that they only hire LEFT leaning journalists, only reprint LEFT articles from other papers, and any printed article on anything political becomes an op-ed. We no longer get the news straight and to the point. Joseph Pulitzer if he were alive today would probably go postal on the Post-Dispatch for abandoning his fine principals. I for one would like to here about all the good, humanitarian, and rebuilding efforts taking place right now in Iraq. No matter how we got there we are there and good things are now happening but the press is silent! They filled our papers daily when things were rough over there, but now…nothing! They truly are part of the hate propaganda campaign that has been going on for years, trying to brainwash fence sitters or the undecided by ONLY publishing garbage and one sided political news.
Back to the letter…the paper is the only affordable source for alot of folks as the cost of an internet connection is out of reach for alot of people. (it is another monthly bill) It still is the best way to reach the masses with the classifieds, but since the Post has tilted left it has lost “mucho” subscribers and had to raise the price of an add beyond what most people are willing to pay just so they can make payroll. The bargain box untill recently was FREE! and alot of underprivileged people used it to sell small items just to keep their head above water. Now it has a fee and is a pathetic shadow of it’s former self (as is the Post) The paper used to be thick and full of good info. but sadly it is now a rag that I won’t pay for anylonger.