The l0th reason for reading your daily newspaper is simply practical; your newspaper is highly mobile. It doesn't need to be charged; it's impossible to lose in your pocket or purse; dead zones don't affect it at all.
I originally wrote the following "Top 10 reasons" for younger public relations professionals, who in this age of the internet seem to miss too many bits of pertinent OR (seemingly) extraneous information I found that related to or benefited our clients. I haven't yet yielded to counter arguments about the (so-called) merits of obtaining information solely via the Web. Not yet.
I trust that my "Top 10" can resonate with all concerned citizens and/or businesspersons.
Top 10 reasons for reading your daily newspaper:
l. You are an involved member of your community, and the newspaper ensures you are an informed member as well.
2. Through your work, you are dedicated to improving our broader society, which you will know little about unless you are reading your newspaper.
3. You will know -- and learn -- opportunities relevant to your profession, relevant to your work.
4. Via scanning across a page, or catching a headline, you will discover information seemingly irrelevant to your subject, but may sometime, in some way, prove opportunistic to your clients, profession or business.
5. You will inadvertently be continuing your civic, social, political -- and occasional cultural -- education. There can never be enough. You'll even up your chances of becoming a better conversationalist and invited to more parties.
6. (This reason most specifically pertains to publicists. However, now you will know how we get our best work done!) You will become familiar with who writes what -- for instance, which journalists cover specific beats. In the event of any crises, or less urgently, for any feature or news you wish to place, your knowledge of prelationship to any media person is extremely helpful and provides you entree.
7. You will see opportunities to correct, inform and educate journalists (talk about a civic duty), your clients or constituents.
8. You will be knowledgeable about issues that affect your client, to which you can respond, or exploit, benefiting your client, your business and/or society.
9. You are provided daily bits of information and entertainment that challenge, surprise and delight you -- adding to the good humor of your day.
Rupert Murdoch in Time, Oct. 16, 2006 (I'm quoting Rupert Murdoch! Just this once):
Q: What do you get out of newspapers that you can't get from other media?
A: "If you pick up a good newspaper, you read many things you don't expect to read, much of which are important and make life more interesting."
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