Chicago Tribune - You've Broken My Heart.

When we moved to Illinois in 1974 I became an avid reader of the Chicago Tribune.  It was the information source I used to turn myself  from a Jersey Girl into a Chicagoan .  I loved the Metro section that featured our west suburban village, but I also loved the sections that guided me through the arts, sports and business that I needed  to figure out the landscape of my new home. 

Over the years I also became an advertiser in the Trib - to rent my vacation home in Arizona and on behalf of the company I worked for.  I always got good results.  It was a really good name and people respected it.  Think -Arthur Andersen, FWWoolworth , TWA, Madigans, Schwinn, Continental Bank and Wieboldts.

During my exciting career I didn't spend much time analyzing the Trib - I just read what I could during my commute to work - especially the business pages and commentary and checked the ads we had placed.  I loved the Sunday Section with Rick Kogan and the wonderful writing of Leah Eskin.  I grabbed it first from the pile of papers on the counter.

A few years before I retired in 2008 I noticed that I was not enjoying the Trib as much as I used to and attributed it to my own cynicism and advanced  level of Chicago knowledge.   My  husband had told me of his waning interest  - but I attributed it to male stupidity and adverse spousal opinion.   Turned out he was way ahead of me.

I've expressed my opinion many times now on the subject of the demise of the Tribune, including a letter I wrote  to Sam Zell a few years back suggesting he sell the Trib and keep the Cubs - because at least with the Cubs you get beer.   Nothing, however, broke my heart like this article from today's New York Times which makes me ashamed to be a subscriber and removes forever any awe I had for Tribune Tower itself.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/06/business/media/06tribune.html?_r=1

Is this what journalism has come to?  Stop the world, I want to get off.