On my first local newspaper in the mid-1960s I earned extra money every Friday by delivering the paper to newsagents and street vendors.
I was joined on the round by my Barking Advertiser colleague, Neil Halls. He was in the advertising department. Sorry, I should have said he was the advertising department.
Getting 5shillings (25p in today's money) was a great boost to my £6.15s wage packet. But one of the genuine pleasures was in seeing the queues outside shops waiting for the papers to arrive.
Neil liked to claim they were eager to see the classified ads rather than my editorial contributions. I foolishly believed otherwise.
Anyway, I see that California's troubled Orange County Register is now asking its staff, including reporters, to help deliver its Sunday issues. They are evidently being offered up to $150 in gift cards to deliver 500 papers.
It follows distribution problems since the Register (you're going to love the US grammar) "transitioned to new independent carriers to deliver the newspaper, impacting delivery to several neighbourhoods."
I also like this statement from the Register's interim publisher, Richard Mirman: "Our goal is to ensure that all our customers receive their paper consistently and on time." Doh!
According to Reuters, editor Rob Curley emailed staff: "The entire company — all departments, including our newsroom — has been asked to help during what has clearly been a difficult situation", adding: It's strictly voluntary."
As Anorak remarks, it "looks like another job for the interns…"
Sources: LA Times/Reuters/OC Register/Anorak
