I spent 42 years in daily journalism and I’ve argued in this space many times that we should support our local papers. It becomes more difficult to make that argument as the price of the product goes up and the quality goes down. Also, when your local paper moves out of town.

I don’t endorse this opinion, but believe it should spark an interesting discussion.

-Kerry

Cancel Your Print Subscription, Save a Bundle, and Support Intellectual Diversity in Journalism

Written for Bacon’s Rebellion by, James A. Bacon

I cut the cord today — I stopped subscribing to the print edition of the Richmond Times-Dispatch. I’d been delaying the inevitable for a long time, but a 50-year habit of reading the newspaper over breakfast and coffee was hard to break.

Here’s what did it for me: The print-digital subscription is $70 per month. The digital-only subscription is $12 monthly. What am I getting for the extra $58 a month? Almost nothing. (My wife will miss the puzzles, but she’ll get over it.) When it came time to re-subscribe, I realized I could save almost $700 a year. To me, that’s not chump change.

That got me to thinking…. Bacon’s Rebellion readers, you can do it, too!

If you’re tired of subsidizing a publication whose news articles reflect a steadily constricting view of the world — the liberal/progressive worldview of newsroom editors and writers — stop being a doormat. Speak out in the only way that will make an impression. Cancel your print subscription. Then take half the money you save, donate it to Bacon’s Rebellion, and support intellectual diversity in Virginia media.