Oh, those classifieds
Do you remember years ago when newspapers were thick, and everyone in the family looked forward to reading the newspaper? The daily paper came to our house via a newspaper carrier, better known as a “paper boy” (even if it was actually a female who threw the paper to the doorstep).
The kids went for the “funnies,” now known as the comics. The Sunday paper had the best funnies, because they were in color, and the rest of the paper was in black and white. Daddy liked the financial pages, and of course, the front page. There was a society page that showed engagements and weddings. Most of the girls and women liked that page because it usually had a picture of a bride in a beautiful wedding gown. It was truly icing on the cake if you knew the bride and groom and their families. The articles written for this page were detailed right down to the satin buttons on the gown, and the wedding party and guests were also written into the article. It was a special treat to read these accounts of the special occasions.
Engagements were announced on the society page, too, and nearly every bride-to-be put her picture in the paper to announce her upcoming nuptials.
Most of the sections of the old newspapers have diminished down to one page or disappeared altogether, and the entire newspaper looks more like a brochure compared to the newspapers of the past.
So, why do we not have bigger newspapers today? Having worked for this local newspaper, I do indeed know the answer to this question. It has to do with how we support local businesses. I myself cannot imagine our little town of Madera without a local newspaper, a local hardware store, a local barber shop, flower shop, or local repair shops. Whatever happened to the local drug store? The local department store? The local card shop or stationary store?
Our community depends on the small businesses to continue so that we may keep that community charm that is characteristic of towns such as Madera. The Madera Tribune strives to be that community newspaper that cares about what happens in this town, and wants the local businesses not only to survive, but thrive. When businesses advertise in the newspaper, people continue to be aware of their existence and they remember to shop or otherwise support the businesses. And, of course, when businesses advertise in The Madera Tribune, it helps this newspaper stay in business.
Do you remember how big the classified ad section used to be? It was one of the most interesting pages in the paper. In the classifieds, you could find a job, a car, a house to rent or to buy, a housekeeper, used furniture, a pet, or just about anything you could imagine. The great thing about the classifieds is that they were CLASSIFIED. They were arranged by the type of thing you were looking for. The sections were named by what type of ad it was.
Recently, our staff and friends of The Madera Tribune decided that we’d like to draw more attention to the classified ads and try to revive them. So, each of us are advertising in the classified ad sections. Be sure to read these. Next week we will load them up with ads. Be on the lookout for interesting ads in the Classified Ad section of The Madera Tribune. There may be a hidden treasure, just waiting for you to see.
Thank you for advertising and supporting your local newspaper!
— My love to all,
Nancy
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“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”
— Thessalonians 5:11
