Pathetic Providence Pamphlet

Yes; the Providence Journal (Pro Jo) has become a pathetic newspaper which can't stay in business much longer without major improvements to its news pages. I still subscribe because I don't make all of the decisions in my household. I'm not buying the argument that it is the cost of publication. Hell; the Pro Jo feels as thick as usual on a Sunday morning, there just isn't any news in it. The paper has plenty of pictures, a lot of advertising and little substance.

I actually had trouble finding the front news pages when I picked up my Sunday paper. For a considerable time, I thought the newspaper delivery person had left out the most important part. I was so excited when I found it! Ten pages of nothing. That's right; the entire section was only 10 pages but that's not all, there was a grand total of 3 pages in news items to read. Remove the pictures, advertisements and the special feature and my Sunday paper brought me approximately 3 pages of news from around the world. This is unacceptable and totally disgusting.

Let's move to the paper's local section on Sunday which is 8 pages long. Not counting the obituary page, there was a total of approximately 2.75 pages of local news. A great deal of this newsprint was taken up in community notices which is not really news. Absolutely unbelievable, is my only reaction! I have extreme difficulty talking about the sports page. The Pro Jo thinks that nothing exists outside of the Providence College Basketball team. All year long I had to be subjected to stories of the "glory years"; day after day after day after day after day.... Somebody stop me; please!

I finished reading my Sunday Pro Jo in record time; 4 minutes and that included the editorial pages (2). Sorry Pro Jo; I want more entertainment than that. You just raised the price by 25% and laid of workers; and, I get 4 minutes of reading news on Sunday morning?

I just read that the Huffington Post has started an investigative journalism venture and will be hiring 10 investigative journalists. It was reported that the web site hoped to draw on displaced investigative journalists who have been laid off by the failing newspapers from across the country. This is great news for those of us that go to a computer every day, but not so great news for elderly people that want to stay in touch. The largest and most consistent voting block in this country is no longer getting all of the news that's needed to make informed decisions.

Providence has just hired a consulting firm to come up with a new logo to rebrand the city. The new motto for the city; "Creative Providence", was chosen. The logo is a rather large orange "P". That's right; the city that distinguishes itself because it has the finest design school in the country, the Rhode Island School of Design, has settled on an orange "P". I'm not kidding. Only Sarah Palin could write this comedy. I don't know what Providence paid for this ground breaking venture in self promotion; but next time, save some money and go to one of the local grammar schools.

I think the choice is fitting though; the orange "P" really stands for "Pathetic Providence Pamphlet".

Why orange? I only think of caution signs and road work when I see orange!! Think of Providence every time you think of "P"! I suppose it could have been yellow!

tomtoak