newspapers on Christmas

I'm not being rhetorical here, I'm truly wondering why do papers print for Christmas day?
I understand advertisers want people to read the paper to see their ads, but realistically, how many people open the newspaper on Christmas?
Even if people do read the paper, who in their right mind goes shopping on Christmas? Nevermind the fact that 90 percent of stores are closed.

I might be guilty of not seeing the big picture here, I'll be working again on Christmas eve and Christmas day -- but I just don't see the point of putting out some bullshit local and AP stories for Christmas day that hardly anyone reads.

 

Our paper has never published a Christmas Day paper. Of course, it is a family owned paper.

 

Just to piss us off a little bit more.

 

Because the ads are in there. People check the ads out and go to the stores at 4 a.m. the next day, before the next edition would be published.
Plus, the world doesn't stop on Dec. 24. Not to mention the fact that not everybody celebrates Christmas.

 

The paper I worked at while in college didn't print on major holidays (Christmas, New Years, Easter, July 4th, Labor Day and Thanksgiving - I think that's all of them). I thought that was the norm until I got my first job out of college and asked them what holidays they didn't print. They all looked at me like I had three heads and then laughed.
But I enjoyed it at that paper. You would get a day off before the holiday b/c they didn't print, and then time-and-a-half to work on the holiday and put out the next day's paper. Pretty sweet deal.

 

it's just tuesday to me.

 

It's all about the ads and the inserts.......I would think most major newspapers print 365 days a year. The Christmas day issue (and T-giving) weighs about 25 lbs. because of all the inserts in it.

 

For the most part, the papers that come out in and around the holidays are pretty useless from a content standpoint. However, as someone mentioned previously, news can happen anytime, anywhere. If you decide not to print for Christmas Day and a big story happens Christmas Eve, you're gonna look pretty stupid. Especially so if you're in a competitive market.

 

Small, family owned paper where I work has no Christmas Day issue. We're also a p.m., so we'll do our normal edition on Monday -- as a double issue -- and then come back on Wednesday morning. Not a bad deal.
Most holidays we'll do the regular edition the day before, then come back that afternoon and do the holiday edition. Just switch to an AM cycle for the holiday, then back to a PM when we return, with the holiday off for everyone.
Oh, and eight hours of holiday pay on the day off. God, I love this place.

As for content, that's when you save your nice big tearjerker features for. Fills up half a section AND fits in with the holiday theme.

 

Also a vehicle for ponderous "YEAR IN REVIEW" pieces.

"(Insert year here) was a year of triumph and tragedy, a year of hellos and goodbyes, of good times and bad, of high achievement and dismal failure, of victory and defeat, tears and laughter...

"It was the year . . . THAT WAS!"

 

You are correct

Hope this helps

 

Good points my friend....of a friend.
One plus has been that since I'm not celebrating Christmas anywhere I've gotten to open all my gifts a few days early.
But ya, I'd still rather have the day off.