I think I’d miss a number of things about the actual, tangible, printed edition of the newspaper if it ever disappeared. I’d miss the struggle to fold the paper on a crowded subway car. I’d miss working through a crossword puzzle, eraser always in hand. I might even miss that daily test of the sidewalk on a wintry morning, as I gauge whether or not I can make the run from my door to the newspaper without needing shoes.
But beyond that, I’d certainly miss newspaper slogans. The New York Times‘ “All the news that’s fit to print” wouldn’t make much sense in anything other than ink; besides, NYTimes.com has unlimited storage space. (And “All the news that’s fit to click” just doesn’t have the same ring.)
I’d forgotten about other slogans, though, until I clicked over to the website of The Nantucket Independent, a newspaper I worked at five years ago (!). And right at the top of their site, I saw their new slogan. I’ve spot-shadowed it here, but go ahead and click on the image to get the full thing.
“The newspaper that gives a damn about Nantucket,” it reads. Simple, direct, and compelling. If that’s not a good enough reason to keep subscribing to a paper like The Indy, I’m not sure what is.