My public transit route includes a welcome routine each morning of navigating numerous vendors passing out more local newspapers for free than I could ever hope to read during my fifteen minutes on the Seabus.  Still, the hard working and friendly ‘sales’ people have become so familiar, I usually take at least three different newspapers – only to discreetly drop them in the first available recycling bin before so much as glancing at the cover stories.  After all, these days, by the time news goes to print, chances are we’ve already ‘read all about it’ on-line.

The digital age is certainly contributing to a topsy-turvy world in the news business.  Variations on reader accessibility abound.  The Financial Times allows you a peek at headlines free of charge, with an additional teasing line or two per item.  The New York Times has a new promotion for on-line subscriptions that allows full access to their news for the first four weeks for just 99 cents; they’ll of course allow free on-line access if you’re a hard copy subscriber as well.  Meanwhile the Irvings, owners of Brunswick News (Telegraph-Journal, The Daily Gleaner), have announced promotion of on-line subscriptions of $16.95 per month, provided you accept free of charge, physical delivery of the hard copy as well.  It’s noted that Brunswick News is essentially paying on-line customers $3.00 per month to take their printed paper six days a week.  The motive appears designed to shore up advertising business that still provides most newspaper revenues.

So far I’m pleased to offer daily, free access, for readers of Harderblog!