Extra!

Twenty years ago, radio was supposed to go dead. Now, having reinvented itself, it's stronger than ever.

Fiorella has some ideas about doing the same thing with newspapers. Her first suggestion is that they look back at their roots and augment the news with poetry, short stories, and serial fiction, all from local contributors. Think Charles Dickens, O. Henry, Edgar Allen Poe . . . Fiorella Plum.

And how about a children's page in each Sunday edition, like the Akron Beacon Journal ran when Fiorella was a child? The highlight of her week was the age-categorized weekly drawing contest--she still treasures the tattered clips of her savings bond-winning artwork. The section could also include short fiction by or for children, plus reports about topics like dinosaurs.

And how about child-oriented comic strips? As an adult, Fio loves Rat and Pig, Candorville, Doonesbury, LuAnn, Zits, and the dear departed For Better or For Worse, but as a child, she was loyal to the adventure strips: Ally Oop, Orphan Annie, Brenda Starr, Terry and the Pirates, Mark Trail, Steve Canyon, Dick Tracy, The Cisco Kid, etc. Let's work up some new action for today's kids.

Another idea--revive the neighborhood reporters of the 1980's. People felt the newspaper really related to them then, not just to foreign places like China, Iraq, and New York.

Actually, the best idea might be downsizing, leaving the national and international news to TV and the internet, and working more on local news. The West Austin News has succeeded by catering to the high end market. Maybe everyone needs a niche.

Just turn it all over to Fio. She'll figure it out.