Newspapers 5 questions...

In this mornings Bonner County Daily Bee,
the publisher, Dave Keyes column was interesting.
It gave me an idea...that might just help the
papers. If they listen that is.

It seems a lady won a lunch with Dave for a mere
$7, after she was outbid on a hair cut with one of
the local hair places.

So he meet her at Connie's for lunch and she showed
up with her list of questions and comments compiled
by her and her friends.

Dave took it in stride and seem to enjoy the lunch.
Which he picked up the tab. Which made me wonder
how much the tab was, as it surely was more than the
bid to have lunch with him.

But this got me thinking so early in the morning, after
my cup of coffee... what if twice a year Publishers in
small towns that have a paper, were to go to lunch with
4 chosen people. The bigger newspapers like Spokane
could send Dave Oliveria in Coeur d' Alene and Paul Turner in
Spokane. Both men have a sense of humor.

The rules will be. There will only be 4 people. They will
be chosen from letters of why I would like to have lunch
with the publisher. Sent in with $5 to be paid to the
Newspapers in Education fund. (free paper for the students.)
Also you have to pay for your own lunch and so does the
Newspaper person. The $5 is also to keep it to the serious
concerns dept.

Each person is to bring the top 5 concerns they have
about the paper. These can not be just griping, but honest
ideas to better the newspaper for all. And they can also have
one story they thought the paper went overboard on. If they
chose to complain about a story that was too much.

They can have the next 4 runner ups be able to send in a list of
4 ideas or complains that will be read by the publisher at the
lunch to be discussed by the group.

This lunch, the publisher has to understand can be up to
2 hours.

Who knows maybe this would become a monthly group,
if they find 4 or 5 people who will honestly bring to the
table concerns, with out griping about things. That can
meet with a newspaper personal of the Publishers choice.

With this plan the NIE could make more than the $7 they
earned from his last lunch. Wow, had I known the bids
were so low, I would have bid $10. lol