Reader Feedback: New RMN Format

The new Rocky Mountain News format is hard to read. Apparently, the smaller the paper, the smaller the print. I suggest that they bring back the larger type and just print shorter stories. Actually, it would improve their reporting as well, since they don’t usually get to the truth until after the first five paragraphs anyway. More often than not, the headline and lead column are filled with editorial judgments and selective reporting that sensationalize and distort the actual story. Take for example the cover of today’s (1/30/07) sports section – Five reasons Todd Helton wasn’t traded to the Red Sox. Reason #5 – “Helton preferred to remain with the organization and be part of helping the Rockies eventually win.” Never mind the other four reasons, number 5 is the only one that really matters.
Page 15 - Business Section wastes the first four paragraphs of an obituary by building up and praising a former military guy whose claim to fame was formally objecting to the Vietnam War. Once again, paragraph number five says it all “His request was denied, and he ultimately was sentenced to a year in prison and given a dishonorable discharge.”
U.S. Military 1 - war protester 0, Greatest military in the history of the world - dead guy who accomplished nothing.
How about page 34 - Iraq forces avert major attack, a confusing headline at best. The fifth paragraph begins, “The fierce 24-hour battle was eventually won by Iraqi troops supported by U.S. and British jets and ground forces.” The good guys won and the terrorists got kilt, that’s all we need to know.
Newspaper readership is falling off everywhere. Those that do subscribe are generally old and getting older, which means we don’t see so well and we don’t suffer fools or foolish reporting, so bring back the BIG type and just cut to the chase and we’ll all get along a lot better.