TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Letters to the editor

ADVERTISEMENT

The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 8, 2008

Like The Old Days

Holy cannoli! I read all the crybabies Monday whining about the new format of the paper. Except for the placement of the obits, I love it. It is just like the newspaper was when I was a kid. Those numerous sections on any day but Sunday suck. Finally, you have found a format that works. Kudos!

CAROL BUCKINGHAM

Tampa

Three-Section Paper

For the last two days at breakfast I've been bombarded with questions about your format change and it is not being well received.

It would seem that you've missed the mark with the weekday paper. Readers are finding that it's cumbersome, poorly organized and filled with too much fluff. They are looking for detailed national news, especially now, with the economy and elections. And all of the feedback is about how much they dislike the single section.

I recall that a straight press run is less expensive, but with the low page count now, couldn't you again separate the sections and realize the straight run savings? National and Metro could be in one section, but distinct from each other, and business, comics and classified could be combined in another.

Sports should always be standalone. Sports is the first section pulled and left in the bathroom for others to read.

I think a three-section paper would be better received.

WIL DALTON

Riverview

Helping His Carrier

The only reason that I am going to continue my subscription to your newly revamped Tampa Tribune, at least for now, is the person who delivers my paper. With the economy in turmoil, I sure don't want my superb carrier on the soup line. Do you really think that this new format will increase circulation? Your efforts to improve the paper and modernize missed the target.

One-paragraph news stories simply don't cut it. No doubt your research showed that Tampa readers don't care about the world with such a poor look at international news.

The final days of a fine metro newspaper are on the horizon. Thanks Tribune; it was nice while it lasted.

KIRK FARYNIASZ

Riverview

Counterpoint Needed

Joe Brown and Bill Cosby have a lot in common. He was courageous, the voice of reason and common sense, and he will be missed.

Who will the Trib now offer as a counterpoint to Leonard Pitts?

JERRY GARCIA

Tampa

Diluted Influence

The new format exchanges journalism for drivel. As a former community columnist, I understand the changes that are causing the demise of many newspapers and I value attention on local issues. But reducing international and national news to a print version of the "30-second sound bite" tucked away after 16 pages of largely trivial local stories panders to the narrow self-interest of the reader and abandons the paper's responsibility to report with any depth on larger issues.

It's even more baffling to see a newspaper dilute its influence on public opinion by reducing its editorial page to little more than a footnote, while pouring colored ink onto six pages of sports coverage in the news section.

The new day will be complete when the Trib simply calls itself the local edition of "The National Enquirer."

JAMES A. HARNISH

Tampa

Direct, Bold, Visual

I'm sure by now you are being dragged behind the car for your new format, but times call for change.

I like your new look - it's direct, bold and very visual. Most people are afraid of change, but come to it gradually when they see others around them have adapted to it. So, stick to your guns. You're heading in the right direction.

ART MAYNOR

Tampa

It's On Time!

I made an honest attempt to like your new format. Ugh! It is hard to handle, hard to quickly find the things that interest you first, and I wish you would go back to the old format.

PHILLIP SANCHEZ

Brooksville

New Coke Editors

Apparently the folks who came up with the idea for New Coke have finally found employment designing newspapers.

PATRICK SPRAGUE

Tampa

Write In Eileen Hart

Regarding "Courageous Return Of Courage Award" Oct 4:

Kudos for giving errant Hillsborough County commissioners comeuppance for their clumsy response to Eileen Hart's well-intended return of her recently devalued Moral Courage Award.

Preparing to vote my absentee ballot, I hit upon one way to signal my disapproval of the disrespect for her shown by Ken Hagan, my District 2 commissioner. If enough other voters were to cast write-in votes for Hart, as I'm doing, it might give the commissioners whose manners need improving a lesson they'd not forget.

JEFF CORYDON

Tampa

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT