I Don't See Dead People - The Loss of Obits At the Times Picayune Problem

When I read the print edition of the Shreveport Times the first I go to is the obits. I have always found obits interesting. A whole person's life laid out in a few paragraphs. They also serve the purpose of course letting you know if someone's death should be important to you.

Which brings us to the Times Picayune and their sad 3 days only print edition.

Funeral directors anticipate losing reach of daily obits



8:15 am Fri, June 22, 2012 POSTED: 08:15 AM Friday, June 22, 2012


BY: Jennifer Larino, Staff Writer New Orleans City Business


TAGS: Advance Publications, Al Blinke, Boyd Mothe Jr., Constance Selico, Facebook, Joe Cook, John Cruse, Kelly Rose, Louisiana Funeral Directors Association, media, Mothe Funeral Homes, Murray Henderson Funeral Home, obituaries, Phil Sprick, Rodney Wakeman, Stewart Enterprises Inc., Technology, television, The Times-Picayune, Wakeman Funeral Home


Area funeral directors wonder what will happen to their business when The Times-Picayune cuts its print schedule to Wednesday, Friday and Sunday this fall. The answer may be in Michigan.
 
I sadly don't have a paid subscription to the  CityBusiness to read the rest of the article to tell me what's up in Michigan.
 
However I have a few observations. For whatever reason I don't access obits online  when I am out of town. Printed obits have the following advantages
 
-First you can do a quick scan of pictures to help key you in if you know the person.
 
-Second a quick visual scan can alert you to friends and family of the deceased that would alert you to the fact that you might need to attend, send flowers, or at least give a call.
 
The above factors don't come into play when the ususal custon is you have to CLICK on each name to get the obit.
 
-Last but not least in a city like New Orleans where many don't have computer internet access well it is a problem,
 
A sad and perplexing problem for the New Orleans area where death is not be shunned , but is often celebrated and noted.