I recently read that the Beacon Herald, as of January 1, 2009, would no longer be accepting typewritten letters for printing.
In all these years, none of mine have ever been refused and rarely edited.
Did this decree come from Caesar Augustus? This does not appear to be a made-in-Stratford, the Festival City, edict!
I realize, to my consternation, that artificial intelligence made this decision. No thinking human who learned to write with a slate pencil, pencil, piece of chalk or pen would ever opt to refuse to read the printed word.
Why would any corporation whose life-blood depends on visual communication to fellow humans wantonly condemn the printed word? This looks like economic suicide!
Many of us mistakenly felt that publishing letters by readers was a democratic right. No so today!
When newspapers began and news was sold, the world had a breakthrough. No longer did one have to rely on local gossip, the word of a traveller or some government official reading a proclamation from on high. The few who could read could pass on information from people he/she had never seen.
But the printing expenses had to be met so a fee was charged for each paper. Some smart vendor realized that one could send a message to others citing the value of ones wares to be sold. Thus paid advertising began.
Readers wanted more. Publishers knew that bad news and controversy stimulated readership and circulation. Therefore, the letters to the editor were printed.
“All the news that’s fit to print” as the saying goes. Differing views on politics, religion, science and health cures were interesting subjects. Sex was for animals, not the press!
So for the last few hundred years, the literate were able to express themselves in the local print media. With private enterprise, more than one newspaper could be in a town, with the editor able to put his/her slant on the editorial page, or – accordingly how he/she viewed a subject – control what was written. Some sided with one political party, one with another. In Stratford, the Beacon supported the views of one party, the Herald the other.
Now we come to this hurdle of free expression, the new age.
Newspapers in the last century had to compete with others for the advertising dollar. In the ’20s, radio took some revenue. Then in the ’50s, the television – and now the Internet, email, telephone soliciting, iPods, Blackberrys and Google are here. Electronic communications competing for every waking moment.
A relative in the nation’s capital reads the Ottawa Citizen on his 40-inch screen now. No paper boy/girl. Is that what you wish to happen in Stratford area? Do you want a future for yourselves? No carrier paid. No monthly cheques coming through your mail slots.
There are two weekly papers serving the area. Not quite like the Beacon Herald but free of charge.
They have always printed my letters. These have saturation coverage in this area and some folks of my acquaintance do not take the daily paper.
Surely they will welcome with open arms letters from those of us who still use typewriters or computers with printers. Daily newspapers who ignore printed communication do so at their peril.
Harold Erb
Stratford
(Editor’s note: Shortly before press time, the Beacon Herald announced it would again be accepting type and handwritten submissions.)
