Mary Hartigan imagined the following news story.
“In a stunning move to further demoralize the American public, terrorists broke into the Times-Union and shrank the comics to subatomic-size print.
“Longtime readers opened their Friday paper to find that their beloved comic strips, which had slowly been shrinking in size over the years, had shriveled to the size of Grinch bin Laden’s cold, cold heart.”
“… We are respectfully requesting that magnifying glasses be supplied with every copy of the Times-Union until the terrorists are brought to justice.”
Though Hartigan’s complaint was the most creative, there were 100 other readers who had problems reading the comics in the new Friday Weekend section.
The Weekend section debuted Sept. 28. There was much to like. Some readers find the smaller tabloid size more convenient and better suited to saving. The new 10-day events calendar is designed to pull out. There are new columns and features.
Of course, some readers don’t like change, some don’t prefer the tabloid size and some don’t like comics and TV listings spread over several pages. But reducing comics and the Crossword made them unreadable for some readers, many of them senior citizens.
“I’m only 80,” one woman said, “so please cater to me.”
A man said the newspaper was ruining comics, “an American tradition.”
The biggest reduction was in the single-panel comics like Marmaduke. In response to reader calls, the size of those comics was increased significantly in Friday’s Weekend section.
More comics comments
One reader objected to the B.C. comic strip recently that showed the outline of a person that splattered on the pavement after jumping off a cliff. Tasteless, given the events of Sept. 11, the reader said. Creators Syndicate offered a replacement, which it uses on its Web site (www.creators.com), but Times-Union editors did not receive the notice.
Other readers objected to advertising in the Sunday comics, since comics must be dropped for the ads. While some readers object to the flap sometimes attached to the comics, at last comics don’t have to be cut for it.
Another reader objected to the constant references to domestic violence in Andy Capp.
Media and law
I was privileged to take part in a statewide video conference on media and the law last week. The conference, organized by the Federal Bar Association, included about 30 participants from Jacksonville, Tampa, Fort Myers and Orlando. Included were lawyers, judges and journalists.
There seemed to be a consensus on two key points:
* There ought to be cameras allowed in federal courtrooms. They have been allowed in state courtrooms. Not a single participant in the video conference objected to them so long as there are reasonable rules.
* There isn’t enough routine coverage of the federal courts. Some judges said they rarely see reporters unless there is a sensational trial. The result is the public gets a skewed impression of the court system.
Budget air fares
A story in last Tuesday’s Business section relied almost entirely on Internet sources while examining low air fares. Steve Crandall of Discount Travel Brokerage Services said that local travel agencies are another valid option. Many of the rates quoted from Internet sites in the story are regularly published rates, he said.
Phone: 359-4217. Mail: P.O. Box 1949, Jacksonville, FL 32231. Fax: 359-4478. E-mail: (mclark@jacksonville.com). For information about photo reprints, please call Diane Dixon in Reader Services at 359-4219. For complaints about delivery of the paper, please call Customer Service at 359-4255. Mike Clark is available to speak to groups.
