David Yepsen leaving the Register

GeronimusClone

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Oct 23, 2008
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not just the Register..


Will all be on-line in the next 10 years most likely
They've been saying that since I started in journalism 10 years ago. People like a newspaper, they will continue to transition more content online, etc., but there will always be a paper copy, atleast for the next 20+ years.
 

iowa_wildcat

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Jan 25, 2008
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The Ames paper is somewhat to the left of Barrack Obama politically. And God forbid that it should accidentally hurt anyone's feelings that wield power or money.
 

Ms3r4ISU

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The Ames paper is somewhat to the left of Barrack Obama politically. And God forbid that it should accidentally hurt anyone's feelings that wield power or money.

Or that an entire article on anything would be free of spelling and grammatical errors.
 

trigger1

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May 21, 2008
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They've been saying that since I started in journalism 10 years ago. People like a newspaper, they will continue to transition more content online, etc., but there will always be a paper copy, atleast for the next 20+ years.

Don't know about you, but I find it rather difficult to work the daily Sudoku or crossword in the john with a laptop! The paper version is much more convenient. :smile: On the other hand, if they could build a touch screen with Internet into the door to make it easy to read, then we'd have something. Maybe one of you electrical or computer engineers on here could get that done. We thank you in advance!
 

BryceC

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They've been saying that since I started in journalism 10 years ago. People like a newspaper, they will continue to transition more content online, etc., but there will always be a paper copy, atleast for the next 20+ years.

I agree with this, there are a lot of people in my parent's generation that still get the paper. However I'm almost 28 and I don't know a single person my age that gets a daily paper. The problem that faces the industry is how to continue to put out a product that makes money with dwindling circulation as the older generation dies off.
 

alarson

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Heck, i get the west des moines register for free in my mail, and i cannot get them to stop delivering it.
 

khess83

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They've been saying that since I started in journalism 10 years ago. People like a newspaper, they will continue to transition more content online, etc., but there will always be a paper copy, atleast for the next 20+ years.


Agreed nothing like picking up the paper from the front step with a hot cup of coffee. Great way to start the weekend off!
 

Clone83

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Mar 25, 2006
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Yepsen was pretty worthless as a political analist. Everything I read from him I heard the night before on CNN by national talking heads. This has been a long time coming in my book.

Yepsen's old Monday column, long (about half a page), and a lot or even mostly about goings-on at the statehouse, was state-of-the-art, must-read, the best.

It was enjoyable to read, and you felt like you knew what was going on, like an insider, even if that was your only contact with the state government. When they got away from this, I can't blame Yepsen for wanting to insert his own ideas into policy debates, and perhaps just wanting change himself, but it wasn't the same. The old column was better.

He will be missed in part because they just don't have people like that around anymore. Someone else I liked a lot was James Flansburg, "The Old Reporter," who similarly knew what was going on, and who always or often had original ideas. Similar to Yepsen's old column, you wouldn't want to miss it. If you didn't subscribe, it made it worth buying the paper that day. I read somewhere he was forced into retirement I think, his salary too big, compared to those younger they might bring in from out of state (e.g. Basu).

If they really want to replace Yepsen, from what I have seen, I agree with blog comments I saw elsewhere that they should bring in Kay Henderson:

Radio Iowa

Perhaps the Register has someone else just as talented waiting in the wings, but I seriously doubt it.
 
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dmclone

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Oct 20, 2006
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I agree with this, there are a lot of people in my parent's generation that still get the paper. However I'm almost 28 and I don't know a single person my age that gets a daily paper. The problem that faces the industry is how to continue to put out a product that makes money with dwindling circulation as the older generation dies off.

Maybe it will grow with you over time. In 10 years you may be drinking straight coffee instead of Grande Mocha Frapacino.

In 10 years you may decide that a $40 pair of levi's is just as good as some fake worn $150 jeans that are 5 sizes too big.

I also know that a lot of young people like rap. Do you think they'll still like rap when there 40? I guess that's a bad example since I'm 38 and I like some old-school.

Tastes change over time. I only get the Sunday paper but there is something nice about sitting down Sunday morning and reading a paper instead of looking at the news on a laptop.
 

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