>Also available on The Q
Do you love the news? Do you love to read about all the stories going on around the world? Do you more often or not find that reading the Herald, the Sun and countless news websites just is not enough? Well you are in luck Calgary, because we just got not one but three free newspapers.
That’s right, I’m sure you’ve all noticed the new boxes scattered around town containing these supposed commuter friendly newspapers. They include 24 hours, Rush Hour and Metro. Seeing these new papers everywhere reminds of the old adage. Isn’t no news good news?
There are several things that strike me funny about Calgary’s newest publications. The first being: Do we really need three? Or even one for that matter? I mean how often do you feel like that you aren’t getting enough news in your life? Never mind Calgary’s two major publications, all we have to do is go home and we are inundated with 24hour news stations yelling the news at us. I don’t know about you, but Nancy Grace yelling at me is more than enough about the news than I need to hear. Then there is the internet with it’s countless news websites. How much more information can we take?
The other issue I have with these new publications is the matter of waste. Seeing as how Calgary is experiencing it’s current boom by basically being environmentally unfriendly, who thought it would be a great idea to contribute to our waste by adding three newspapers? I imagine it was the same people that thought it would be more than fair to punish us recyclers and charge us $21 just to charge us what we already do for free! Eventually people are going to have to realize that we have to start being more responsible and all three owners of these publications are taking a step in the wrong direction.
These papers are also advertised as a quick way to catch up on the news on your commute to work. Ha! The people behind this brilliant idea have obviously never even taken Calgary transportation. When taking the C-train you are lucky to be able to breath, let alone be able to extend your arms far enough to read a newspaper. How many times have you been on the train and your cell phone starts ringing and you can even move to answer it, but we are supposed to read the paper? Well that certainly doesn’t makes sense to me.
On the other hand I think it is good to see that even if someone who normally wouldn’t be interested in the news and picks up one of these publications and will learn just a little more about their community. But they need not pick up one of these free papers that are really just recycled news. That’s why people leave papers in Starbucks or on a seat at the bus. And really after reading The Q, can even be more informed? No, I don’t think you can!
