Opinion

Editor’s Column: A world without newspapers

Last week was National Newspaper Week. In past years newspapers have printed blank front pages as a

Niki Turner
statement of what the world would be like without newspapers. We didn’t have room for that last week. (That’s a good thing.)
Newspapers today compete for attention with magazines, radio, television and (probably most of all) the internet. For almost a century (since the invention of the radio) people have been insisting “print is dead.” And yet print remains.
Perhaps one of the best explanations for the tenacity of print journalism came from British comedian John Oliver in a very not-safe-for-work video in which he pointed out a simple fact: almost every article you read online, every news story you see on television or hear on the radio, references back to a newspaper article (and the ones that don’t are very likely fake news). Newspapers, old-school as they may be, are the living roots of the free press, or, as Oliver put it, the bottom of the food chain: “The media is a food chain which would fall apart without local newspapers.”

I took my life in my hands and crossed Market Street on foot this week. Without crosswalks—and maybe some kind of pedestrian awareness signage—crossing Market Street (aka Hwy. 13) is as good as bungee-jumping for an adrenaline rush.
I would love to see actual crosswalks installed on Market Street. A stoplight would be great, but that seems a bit farfetched considering current traffic patterns (my fiction editors would call it “contrived”), so maybe just some traffic tranquilizers, or whatever CDOT is calling them these days.

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  • Join the Meeker High School Drama department for their production of Emma TONIGHT for opening day! Performances through Saturday at 7pm. Tickets are $5 and is a family friendly production.
  • MHS senior Ryan Sullivan pitching for the Cowboys against Steamboat. Coming off a series of wins against Monte Vista, Steamboat and Cedaredge, the Cowboys play Grand Valley on Saturday, April 20. RHS junior Marcos Quintana pitching for the Panthers. The Panthers play the Aspen Skiers today at home following wins against Dove Creek on April 13.
  • The Rangely Preschool Registration Health Fair is tomorrow, April 19th from 8:30 am to 2pm!
  • It's that time again, another Thursday full of news! Make sure you grab your copy and stay up to date! 
Prefer the digital edition? Subscribe today on our website and choose between print and online only, whatever is better for you! Check us out at ht1885.com/subscribe! 
As always, we are so grateful for all the continued support from our amazing community!
  • This year’s batch of Mormon crickets are beginning to hatch. Above is a picture of an immature cricket compared to a dime. JANE TURNBURKE PHOTO Read more online at ht1885.com.
  • Join Home.Made for their Spring Cleanout Sale for discounts, new spring styles, and  preordering your Mother's Day flowers!
  • On April 4, the Meeker Lions Club installed new shelving units for the New Eden Pregnancy Care Center. New Eden asked the Lion’s Club to help them come up with more storage for items within the building, and the Lion’s Club raised money to purchase shelves. OPAL MUNGER PHOTO
  • Why are we all so mad? Hear from our Editor in her column this week online at ht1885.com.
Join the Meeker High School Drama department for their production of Emma TONIGHT for opening day! Performances through Saturday at 7pm. Tickets are $5 and is a family friendly production.
Join the Meeker High School Drama department for their production of Emma TONIGHT for opening day! Performances through Saturday at 7pm. Tickets are $5 and is a family friendly production.
3 hours ago
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1/9
MHS senior Ryan Sullivan pitching for the Cowboys against Steamboat. Coming off a series of wins against Monte Vista, Steamboat and Cedaredge, the Cowboys play Grand Valley on Saturday, April 20. RHS junior Marcos Quintana pitching for the Panthers. The Panthers play the Aspen Skiers today at home following wins against Dove Creek on April 13.
MHS senior Ryan Sullivan pitching for the Cowboys against Steamboat. Coming off a series of wins against Monte Vista, Steamboat and Cedaredge, the Cowboys play Grand Valley on Saturday, April 20. RHS junior Marcos Quintana pitching for the Panthers. The Panthers play the Aspen Skiers today at home following wins against Dove Creek on April 13.
4 hours ago
View on Instagram |
2/9
The Rangely Preschool Registration Health Fair is tomorrow, April 19th from 8:30 am to 2pm!
The Rangely Preschool Registration Health Fair is tomorrow, April 19th from 8:30 am to 2pm!
5 hours ago
View on Instagram |
3/9
It's that time again, another Thursday full of news! Make sure you grab your copy and stay up to date! 
Prefer the digital edition? Subscribe today on our website and choose between print and online only, whatever is better for you! Check us out at ht1885.com/subscribe! 
As always, we are so grateful for all the continued support from our amazing community!
It's that time again, another Thursday full of news! Make sure you grab your copy and stay up to date! Prefer the digital edition? Subscribe today on our website and choose between print and online only, whatever is better for you! Check us out at ht1885.com/subscribe! As always, we are so grateful for all the continued support from our amazing community!
8 hours ago
View on Instagram |
4/9
This year’s batch of Mormon crickets are beginning to hatch. Above is a picture of an immature cricket compared to a dime. JANE TURNBURKE PHOTO Read more online at ht1885.com.
This year’s batch of Mormon crickets are beginning to hatch. Above is a picture of an immature cricket compared to a dime. JANE TURNBURKE PHOTO Read more online at ht1885.com.
2 days ago
View on Instagram |
5/9
Join Home.Made for their Spring Cleanout Sale for discounts, new spring styles, and  preordering your Mother's Day flowers!
Join Home.Made for their Spring Cleanout Sale for discounts, new spring styles, and preordering your Mother's Day flowers!
2 days ago
View on Instagram |
6/9
On April 4, the Meeker Lions Club installed new shelving units for the New Eden Pregnancy Care Center. New Eden asked the Lion’s Club to help them come up with more storage for items within the building, and the Lion’s Club raised money to purchase shelves. OPAL MUNGER PHOTO
On April 4, the Meeker Lions Club installed new shelving units for the New Eden Pregnancy Care Center. New Eden asked the Lion’s Club to help them come up with more storage for items within the building, and the Lion’s Club raised money to purchase shelves. OPAL MUNGER PHOTO
3 days ago
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3 days ago
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Why are we all so mad? Hear from our Editor in her column this week online at ht1885.com.
Why are we all so mad? Hear from our Editor in her column this week online at ht1885.com.
4 days ago
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9/9

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