Of course we know that prices go up, just as the cost of producing products goes up. In the case of the newspaper, however, the jump in a home delivery subscription was more than anticipated.
Some of us cancelled, unable to bear another expense on an item that is becoming increasingly a luxury.
I admit I swallowed hard and wrote the check, not yet ready to confine my news gathering to the Internet and the Tribune's free website. I'd miss the crossword puzzle too much.
The price boost isn't enough for the Tribune Company, however. While I'm paying more for my daily paper, the suits in the corner offices are going to extract the book section and expect me to pay even more if I want to continue reading it.
How's that for a sound business model? Raise prices, reduce content, and expect the readers to keep right on dipping into wallets that are depressingly thin.
There are loads of other places to get free book reviews if I'm interested in new releases.
I already know what's coming out before it's released, thanks to Publishers Marketplace and their weekly round-up of publishing news. The New York Times has some free content yet, and their site holds plenty of book-related info that I don't have to pay extra for.
So, as much as I love books and reading, I'm not going to sign on. There's a limit to how much I can spend and still keep a roof over my head.
Besides, there's always the public library if I absolutely have to find out what Julia Keller thinks about all things literary.
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