I have gradually been reading Cort Conley’s 1982 historical book, Idaho for the Curious - A Guide. On page 312 he quotes from a 1908 request published in a small town weekly newspaper, the Nezperce Herald:
“This paper is always glad to get the news.
If you are dead or about to commit suicide, or if you have been arrested lately and want to bring the matter to the attention of the people; if you have eloped with another man’s wife, if you are going away or coming back; if you or your wife or children or any of your relations have a party, delirium tremens, bone erisipelas, scarlet fever, money left you, a call to preach, smallpox, an idea, or anything of the sort, tell us about it.
We must have news.”
Back then new things were communicated mostly via speeches or in the newspaper. Now we have many other tools, but a hunger for news remains.
The image of an audience for a talk by Richard Stallman in 2009 is from Wikimedia Commons.
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