I saw on a sunday morning news program about the declining sales of news magazines and newspapers. Citing media experts and rising paper costs, the primary reason for the drop in sales/readership is the instant gratification of the internet. I can’t help but feel personally responsible.

True, I don’t look to the newspaper for the latest news or classified ads but that doesn’t mean that I’d never pick up a newspaper. The problem is, the paper has gone flat in all senses of the word. I abandoned the Detroit newspapers after the long nineteen month long strike over ten years ago. Writers left, ads dropped out, and a new layout shrunk the paper down. After the smoke cleared, the paper lost its oomf and I turned onto the Gray Lady.

The New York Times was a wonderful newspaper. As an idealistic college student, I had time to read the paper daily. I loved fluff pieces and not necessarily news, but the interpretation of news. As I moved into adulthood, I found that I only had time and money (no more student discounts) for the Sunday paper. A weekly summary, color fashion pictures in the style section, and a magazine that delved deep into issues that I didn’t think I was interested about.

Now, I am paperless. I can no longer pay the non-teaser rates for the LA or NY Times, I can’t get behind the bipartisan Sunday Detroit newspaper, and all other papers just don’t tickle me. I feel no romance for the newspaper anymore, but I wish I had that spark. I’ll miss the rustle, the smell, the ink stained fingers and I doubt that e-paper will afford me that sensation. Lo, I will buy the paper from time to time and I will skim it. It is all that I can do to ease the guilt as it was never meant to be read, but to be used as kindling.