Call me a contrarian, but I recently resumed my subscription to home delivery of the Financial Times. It must have brought a smile to the face of my local newsman, whose morning route has been lightened the past few years as my neighbors and I opted for getting our news on various electronic gadgets.
I often feel there is something missing when I read the news online. Sure, the gadgets are great for following immediate news, but for reading more considered or analytic features, I prefer the printed page. And when I’m online I sometimes wonder if I’m only skimming the content instead of reading.
But more than that, I find I’m more likely to come across an interesting article when I’ve got the newspaper in my hand. Such happy accidents seldom happen when reading news on an iPad or laptop. And those devices simply cannot replicate the experience of reading the FT’s glorious weekend edition, which is the only paper I happily read over several days, savoring everything from trends in fashion and home design to sport, travel and, of course, food.
There’s also something oddly comforting about seeing that salmon-colored bundle at the end of my driveway. And I like seeing the front page, as a reflection of an editor’s judgment about the most important news of the day, even if it changes quickly.
Now, if I could only get the dog to fetch the newspaper life would be perfect.