Paul’s column has run, somewhat remarkably, without pause in the Sunday magazine since he began it in 1982. This Sunday’s paper, however, gave itself over entirely to a worthy celebration of Earth Day. But no worries. We will return to The Times, hopefully, next week.
Last Thursday, Paul and I headed to Tacoma to give a talk in the Washington State History Museum, which is currently hosting our ‘Washington Then and Now’ exhibit through June. Paul saw the show for the first time and called it good.
As the date approached when the PI would print their last edition, I thought long and hard about a continued subscription to Seattle’s remaining daily. While I look forward to reading certain contributors published in the Times, I have always considered it very much the inferior. Is a poor substitute better than none at all? Bright and early Wednesday, March 18, an unsolicited copy of the Seattle Times appeared on my front porch. Tacit acceptance of this presto-chango has been tentative at best. Pacific Northwest Magazine’s failure to publish Paul’s column for the first time in over a quarter-century may be the last straw.
I sent the following message to several people on the Seattle Times staff. In the message I said I was demoralized when I could not find Paul’s feature, but it is difficult to put into words the emotion one feels when it seems that the good things in the world are being diminished or are vanishing entirely.
I was saddened today when I opened your paper and found no Prince Valliant, but I was so demoralized when I discovered you had dropped Paul Dorpat’s, feature that I was unable to continue reading.
I have faithfully picked up the paper at the local grocery for many years. I dropped home delivery because it became unreliable. Over the last twenty years I have observed the gradual loss of content. In my opinion it is the loss of content rather than quality that is most disturbing.
I think it is interesting that in announcing the removal of some of the content for example the comics you suggest that it can be found through links from your online site. This seems to suggests that the reader should not even bother with the printed edition, but go straight to the internet.
In the matter of the printed verses the electronic version I agree with President Obama; I like the feel of the paper in my hands.
I worry about your future. It seems that the changes you are making will only hasten your demise. I believe that the loss of local newspapers is damaging to our democracy.