In Praise of the Daily Paper.

• Author: KREYCHE, GERALD F.
• Position: Brief Article

THE DEAD have their eulogies; the living receive medals. Endangered species and lost kids have their pictures posted. Art wins acclaim, and new cars invite "oohs" and "aahs." A diploma merits a handshake; a chef, the compliments of the satisfied gourmet. In this age of rising consciousness, nearly everyone demands and is awarded recognition, often with exaggerated warrant, each seeking a brief moment of Warholian fame. Yet, amidst this effusion of commendation, there is one victim of gross neglect--the daily newspaper.

Consider for a moment what the newspaper puts up with in transit from pressrun to living room. It has been jostled around in delivery tracks and unceremoniously tossed into puddles and thorn bushes. It has been rained and snowed upon, and had even worse fate inflicted by early-morning dog walkers. It has survived being run over by tires backing out of the driveway and suffered the indignity of being crushed between the dripping jowls of some canine seeking to please its master.

Still, I do not ask sympathy for this late-nighter and early riser. It has its own merits which lay legitimate claim to our gratitude. Of course, there is no need to dwell upon the obvious. I mean the information updating it gives on items so diverse as sports and investments, the laughs its comics bring, the cutout graphics it furnishes term paper projects, and the coupon savings it affords the budget-minded housewife.

Nor should we neglect its crossword puzzles, bridge columns, and chess challenges for those who want to rack their brains while ignoring their tasteless cold cereal in the morning. Its want ads provide the opportunity for a new life, or at least an appreciation of the job one already has. "Dear Abby" or Ann Landers letter columns make many a woman happy she is married to her husband, rather than the beast she reads about from a complaining hausfrau. Where else could one find marriage therapy so inexpensively?

In our sight and sound-bite age, busy people are turning more and more to the "boob tube" for the latest news, but it's usually not news they're getting. It's merely infotainment. In most cases, only the newspaper provides the straight facts and in-depth analysis through its reporting and commentary. Four hours of TV "news" would barely get one past the first section of a major newspaper.

In its own way, the newspaper serves as a symbol of domestic tranquility. What could please a husband more than to see his wife shoo the kids off...