First Draft by Tim Porter

10 Reasons for Reading a News Site

While I'm trying to make "periodistic" sense in Spanish here in Buenos Aires, I'm cribbing in English from the online news list.

Travis Smith, of Hop Studios, responds to yesterday's 10 reasons to read a newspaper with "Top 10 Reasons for Reading a News Site." He writes (my emphasis):

1. My news site has never stained my clean shirt or my car seat.

2. Anywhere I travel, my news site goes with me. It doesn't pile up
while I'm away.

3. I can listen to my news site's podcast while standing, while
eating, while riding a bus, OR while I drive my car.

4. If I read a story I like, I can send it to a friend without a stamp.

5. My news site doesn't just have sections -- it's customizable, and
it shows my wife and I exactly what we're interested, separately.

6. I'll give you the battery advantage. But my news site has each
apartment listing with detailed descriptions, photos and a precise
map. My newspaper says "Downtown, 2 bd/2 bt, 5 appl., ht & ht wtr,
balc, d/i pool, n/p, n/s. $1200"

7. My news site never gets stolen off my doorstep or delivered late. Or wet.

8. My news site doesn't need to be recycled.

9. If my news site is makes a mistake, they correct the original
story, and when I read that story later, I will see the corrected
version. My newspaper may not be broken, but it could be wrong.

10. I can read my news site in a light breeze.

He then adds one more:

But I think the most important reason for reading a news site is this:

11. In the past ten years, my news site has gone from a tiny
experiment to being the place I turn to for news and community. In
the past ten years, my newspaper... well, how many people can say
their newspaper has become more relevant, trustworthy and useful?