Another Nail in the Coffin of 19th-Century Media

It's no secret that print is not as nimble as broadcast or cable, and neither has the turn-on-a-dime qualities of the Internet. But Parade magazine's cover this morning is ridiculous. If you don't click on the link, it features Benazir Bhutto with the blurb, "'I Am What The Terrorists Most Fear.'" Another blurb asks if she's "America's best hope against al-Queda." We're now ten days on from Bhutto's assassination, so I guess we have our answer.

Parade is carried by more than 400 newspapers, so this was widely seen throughout the country. The Chicago Tribune ran a note from the editor--one I'm sure was echoed nationwide--stating:

Parade Publisher and President Randy Siegel said any attempt to update the issue after the assassination would have cost "millions and millions of dollars."

Also, Siegel said, tight production and distribution schedules might have jeopardized delivery to many newspapers and their readers. Parade prints 32 million copies weekly and contracts distribution with more than 400 U.S. newspapers.

The AP adds the detail that the issue went to press more than two weeks ago on December 21. I don't know whether that lead time is longer than usual because of the holidays or whether every issue of Parade is put to bed half a month before its release, but that doesn't seem sustainable in today's media climate. It's the supplement for the Sunday paper, so by definition Parade tends to be fluffy, so this may result in nothing more than their shying away from anything that approaches hard news. I suppose it's not as embarrassing as the time The Weekly World News featured morgue photos of Timothy McVeigh after he had a stay of execution, but we're venturing into the same territory. I guess this won't alter anyone's news-reading habits too drastically, but don't turn to Parade magazine for breaking news.