Comments on: Give me an inch and a half and… http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/07/18/give-me-an-inch-and-a-half-and/ by Jeff Jarvis Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:40:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Gracie D. http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/07/18/give-me-an-inch-and-a-half-and/#comment-93457 Gracie D. Wed, 19 Jul 2006 13:07:41 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/07/18/give-me-an-inch-and-a-half-and/#comment-93457 Ooops! That was supposed to be placed in the Updike Redux comments area, obviously. Ooops! That was supposed to be placed in the Updike Redux comments area, obviously.

]]> By: Gracie D. http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/07/18/give-me-an-inch-and-a-half-and/#comment-93453 Gracie D. Wed, 19 Jul 2006 13:05:01 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/07/18/give-me-an-inch-and-a-half-and/#comment-93453 Reading Updike's amusing, musty handwringer of an essay, The End of Authorship, I was reminded of my days growing up in the rural south with quasi-hippy, isolationist-minded parents. In the early 70s, the units imagined themselves at the vanguard of good intentions, so naturally enough we had no TV down on the (organic) farm. We had books, radio and music instead. Books, radio and music only, for info, pleasure or entertainment, were all just perfect -- for my parents. Still are. They continue to flourish and thrive with no computers or Internet access on the farm. Books, music, radio were all fine by me too -- up to a certain point. I eventually came to a place in my life, though, where I, unlike the units, had to survive in the real world of a just-segregated, Deep South, rural, public school system. And believe me, "dirty hippies" was a freakish concept able to unify blacks and whites with little or no fuss. Oddly enough, one way to keep savages at bay is to have a conversation with them. Of course "the savages" weren't at home reading Ulysses while lovingly stroking the inches of the edges of a dusty treasure from Cambridge Square. Rather, they were hootin' it up in the hallways over Marcus Welby, M.D. Since I didn't have a prayer of sparking a conversation about Susan Stanberg's cranberry relish, I'd often make-up anecdotal tid-bits about last night's Rockford Files. Kinda the way I do now when I've missed most of the last season of Entourage. The point being here that good old-fashioned book reading, fiction in particular, is ultimately a solitary pursuit we choose as an intellectual indulgence with little or no interactivity involved, unless you're an academic or in one of those icky, menopausal book clubs. And that's ok. However, not only does society demand interactivity, the befudling "performances, access to the creator, and personalization" that Updike stodgily dismisses out of hand are often a deep source of enjoyment and fulfillment - especially when they become something we can create, control and distrubute so easily in this digital age. And who knows, maybe they become a survival source too. Guess that's why my parents do not blog. But I do. Reading Updike’s amusing, musty handwringer of an essay, The End of Authorship, I was reminded of my days growing up in the rural south with quasi-hippy, isolationist-minded parents.

In the early 70s, the units imagined themselves at the vanguard of good intentions, so naturally enough we had no TV down on the (organic) farm. We had books, radio and music instead.

Books, radio and music only, for info, pleasure or entertainment, were all just perfect — for my parents. Still are. They continue to flourish and thrive with no computers or Internet access on the farm.

Books, music, radio were all fine by me too — up to a certain point. I eventually came to a place in my life, though, where I, unlike the units, had to survive in the real world of a just-segregated, Deep South, rural, public school system. And believe me, “dirty hippies” was a freakish concept able to unify blacks and whites with little or no fuss.

Oddly enough, one way to keep savages at bay is to have a conversation with them. Of course “the savages” weren’t at home reading Ulysses while lovingly stroking the inches of the edges of a dusty treasure from Cambridge Square.

Rather, they were hootin’ it up in the hallways over Marcus Welby, M.D.

Since I didn’t have a prayer of sparking a conversation about Susan Stanberg’s cranberry relish, I’d often make-up anecdotal tid-bits about last night’s Rockford Files. Kinda the way I do now when I’ve missed most of the last season of Entourage.

The point being here that good old-fashioned book reading, fiction in particular, is ultimately a solitary pursuit we choose as an intellectual indulgence with little or no interactivity involved, unless you’re an academic or in one of those icky, menopausal book clubs. And that’s ok.

However, not only does society demand interactivity, the befudling “performances, access to the creator, and personalization” that Updike stodgily dismisses out of hand are often a deep source of enjoyment and fulfillment – especially when they become something we can create, control and distrubute so easily in this digital age. And who knows, maybe they become a survival source too.

Guess that’s why my parents do not blog. But I do.

]]> By: Juan Giner http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/07/18/give-me-an-inch-and-a-half-and/#comment-93368 Juan Giner Wed, 19 Jul 2006 11:09:23 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/07/18/give-me-an-inch-and-a-half-and/#comment-93368 This has been done before and readers hate that format. The last thing to do today is to keep the broadsheet model and make it more difficult to read. What readers want is compact and compelling newspapers. The New York Times is a first class paper with a third world format. One day, I am sure, they will fix it. Like the "jumps." This has been done before and readers hate that format.

The last thing to do today is to keep the broadsheet model and make it more difficult to read.

What readers want is compact and compelling newspapers.

The New York Times is a first class paper with a third world format.

One day, I am sure, they will fix it.

Like the “jumps.”

]]> By: Jeff Jarvis http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/07/18/give-me-an-inch-and-a-half-and/#comment-93308 Jeff Jarvis Wed, 19 Jul 2006 09:34:43 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/07/18/give-me-an-inch-and-a-half-and/#comment-93308 I do not buy the tabloids-have-cooties argument. Newsday. The Sun Times. Metro now. The British tabloids are much tabloidier than ours. And the British broadsheets are much broadsheetier than ours. And they made the transition just fine. It wasn't a cutback there. It was an improvement. It increased circulation because people like it better. The argument I'm hearing here is just more of the American newspaper attitude that change is bad. What newspapers need most here is change. I do not buy the tabloids-have-cooties argument.
Newsday.
The Sun Times.
Metro now.
The British tabloids are much tabloidier than ours.
And the British broadsheets are much broadsheetier than ours.
And they made the transition just fine. It wasn’t a cutback there. It was an improvement. It increased circulation because people like it better.
The argument I’m hearing here is just more of the American newspaper attitude that change is bad.
What newspapers need most here is change.

]]> By: Mark H. http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/07/18/give-me-an-inch-and-a-half-and/#comment-93188 Mark H. Wed, 19 Jul 2006 05:30:49 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/07/18/give-me-an-inch-and-a-half-and/#comment-93188 "In the Times story today, executive editor Bill Keller positioned it this way: 'It’s painful to watch an industry retrench. But this is a much less painful way to go about assuring our economic survival than cutting staff or closing foreign bureaus or retrenching our investigative reporting or diluting the Washington bureau.'" Does Bill Keller not consider the 700+ workers at the soon-to-be-closed printing plant "staff"? The question answers itself...and speaks to the heart of the elitist attitudes evident in so much of the Times' editorial and news content. “In the Times story today, executive editor Bill Keller positioned it this way: ‘It’s painful to watch an industry retrench. But this is a much less painful way to go about assuring our economic survival than cutting staff or closing foreign bureaus or retrenching our investigative reporting or diluting the Washington bureau.’”

Does Bill Keller not consider the 700+ workers at the soon-to-be-closed printing plant “staff”?

The question answers itself…and speaks to the heart of the elitist attitudes evident in so much of the Times’ editorial and news content.

]]> By: Alan http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/07/18/give-me-an-inch-and-a-half-and/#comment-92968 Alan Wed, 19 Jul 2006 00:14:58 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/07/18/give-me-an-inch-and-a-half-and/#comment-92968 I agree. "Tabloid" has a negative connotation now, thanks to multiple BAD tabloids. But I agree completely on the change needed in size, change the format of the paper, we aren't sitting in our club or (as in my granddad's case) a comfy rocking chair reading the Sunday paper. Give me a compact format that I don't have to fold and refold to read. I agree. “Tabloid” has a negative connotation now, thanks to multiple BAD tabloids.
But I agree completely on the change needed in size, change the format of the paper, we aren’t sitting in our club or (as in my granddad’s case) a comfy rocking chair reading the Sunday paper. Give me a compact format that I don’t have to fold and refold to read.

]]> By: Chuck Olsen http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/07/18/give-me-an-inch-and-a-half-and/#comment-92908 Chuck Olsen Tue, 18 Jul 2006 22:23:27 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/07/18/give-me-an-inch-and-a-half-and/#comment-92908 This would be even better news had it happened when I still delivered papers. :-) I can still recall my terrible hand cramps trying to stuff countless Sunday Times into plastic bags on cold rainy days... while walking uphill, of course. This would be even better news had it happened when I still delivered papers. :-)

I can still recall my terrible hand cramps trying to stuff countless Sunday Times into plastic bags on cold rainy days… while walking uphill, of course.

]]> By: Dean Wermer http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/07/18/give-me-an-inch-and-a-half-and/#comment-92774 Dean Wermer Tue, 18 Jul 2006 17:55:46 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/07/18/give-me-an-inch-and-a-half-and/#comment-92774 It's hard to share sections when the paper is in tabloid style. Sharing sections is a big part of reading/using the paper in many households and workplaces. It’s hard to share sections when the paper is in tabloid style. Sharing sections is a big part of reading/using the paper in many households and workplaces.

]]> By: Brian O'Connell http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/07/18/give-me-an-inch-and-a-half-and/#comment-92742 Brian O'Connell Tue, 18 Jul 2006 17:11:39 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/07/18/give-me-an-inch-and-a-half-and/#comment-92742 I think Geoff answered your question, Jeff. The paper size/format "tabloid" has become so associated with the journalism style "tabloid" that people think one must accompany the other. Back when I read the thing on dead tree, I always found the broadsheet NYT to be quite frustrating. I'm surprised the NYT is spinning this so negatively. Quite unlike the Guardian. I think Geoff answered your question, Jeff. The paper size/format “tabloid” has become so associated with the journalism style “tabloid” that people think one must accompany the other.

Back when I read the thing on dead tree, I always found the broadsheet NYT to be quite frustrating. I’m surprised the NYT is spinning this so negatively. Quite unlike the Guardian.

]]> By: Geoff http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/07/18/give-me-an-inch-and-a-half-and/#comment-92727 Geoff Tue, 18 Jul 2006 16:30:16 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/07/18/give-me-an-inch-and-a-half-and/#comment-92727 "I keep wishing they’d turn tabloid, as most of the papers in London have done to good effect in circulation." ...because people can't get enough tabloid in the checkout line or the web as we speak. Because the NY Times tabloid news will be soooooooo much better than the shit that's already out there. Maybe William Safire can come out of retirement to work the newly formed EastHampton beat? Where does the world thank you for Entertainment Weekly Jeff? Perhaps you can set up a PayPal account for all of us to contribute to journalism at it's finest. “I keep wishing they’d turn tabloid, as most of the papers in London have done to good effect in circulation.”

…because people can’t get enough tabloid in the checkout line or the web as we speak. Because the NY Times tabloid news will be soooooooo much better than the shit that’s already out there. Maybe William Safire can come out of retirement to work the newly formed EastHampton beat?

Where does the world thank you for Entertainment Weekly Jeff? Perhaps you can set up a PayPal account for all of us to contribute to journalism at it’s finest.

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