FYI, many small town papers are doing this. Ours does, so does the neighboring town's. It did create a lot of stir at first in both places. But fewer things are free in any sphere than in the past. The fact is that processing obits does cost the paper money (staff time), and the product they have to sell (space). Especially in the current economy, many papers need to augment revenue. Many charge. The rate, $3 plus per inch, probably is a fraction of that charged advertisers and much less than big city papers charge for the same size notice. One compromise that might be suggested to the Daily Sun is to offer a brief free notice giving only name, age, home town, service time and place and funeral home information for those who can't or won't afford the cost of a full obit. Also to get the word out quickly if a full obit is coming but not ready by press time. That would take only an inch or two of space and much less time to prepare and it would help get the word out. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Glenda Bowling" <tbowling@airmail.net> To: <TXNAVARR-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, April 08, 2003 6:14 PM Subject: Re: [TXNAVARR] FYI/Did you know? > Maybe the Daily Sun needs a lesson.....Obits have always been free. I > can not believe that our Small Town Paper is trying to act like A Large > City....We won't be able to afford this either. > > The Stubbs wrote: > > We found this out the same way as you did Janice. Last week my aunt died and > > I called the daily sun and was told the same thing. Aunt Bobbie (Barham) > > Fuller's passing will not be announced in Corsicana daily sun even though > > she was born, raised, and has three sisters living in Navarro Co. My mom was > > very hurt because we can't pay the funds for the service of an obituary. > > Dana > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Shirley Johnston" <SRJ652@pdq.net> > > To: <TXNAVARR-L@rootsweb.com> > > Sent: Tuesday, April 08, 2003 1:58 AM > > Subject: Re: [TXNAVARR] FYI/Did you know? > > > > > > > >>I had not heard this, Janice. Thanks for bringing it to our attention. > > > > This > > > >>is a disgrace & you are right - it is all about the dollar!! This is a > >>double-do, a dollar off the dead & another dollar off the living. How > > > > very > > > >>sad. > >> > >>Shirley in Houston > >> > >>----- Original Message ----- > >>From: "Janice Hancock" <janiceh@airmail.net> > >>To: <TXNAVARR-L@rootsweb.com> > >>Sent: Monday, April 07, 2003 11:05 PM > >>Subject: [TXNAVARR] FYI/Did you know? > >> > >> > >> > >>>Members-did you know that the CORSICANA DAILY SUN is charging to have > >> > >>obituaries placed in their paper? I didn't until I asked for my brother > > > > in > > > >>law's to be published...needless to say it won't be published as I don't > >>have that kind of loose change laying around...I think it is sad that they > >>have reverted to doing this. So another expense for our deceased loved one > >>added to the ever growing cost of funerals...what a shame. $$$$$$$ is the > >>name of the game. > >> > >>>Janice > >>> > >>> > >>>the Corsicana Daily Sun followed the path of many other newspapers in > >> > > the > > > >>country and began charging for obituaries. Our fee is, we believe, quite > >>reasonable at $50 up to 15 inches of space. > >> > >>>Second, we have developed a policy regarding the origin of obituary > >> > >>information. We ask that the funeral home submit or verify the obituary > >>information to us. The reason for our having this policy in place is > > > > simply > > > >>that on more than one occassion, false obituaries were submitted to us as > > > > a > > > >>joke. No one thought they were funny, especially those of us at the > >>newspaper. Consequently, we have to ask all families to have the funeral > >>home contact us or, if it is more convenient for the family, we will > > > > contact > > > >>the funeral home and verify the information. I apologize for the red tape, > >>but the policy protects us all. > >> > >>> Best regards, > >>>Gary Connor > >>>publisher > >>>Corsicana Daily Sun > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>>==== TXNAVARR Mailing List ==== > >>>For more Navarro County genealogy and history, visit the GenWeb site: > >>>http://www.rootsweb.com/~txnavarr/ > >>> > >> > >> > >> > >>==== TXNAVARR Mailing List ==== > >>About 290 folks subscribe to TXNAVARR-L or TXNAVARR-D > >> > > > > > > > > ==== TXNAVARR Mailing List ==== > > Visit the on-line Navarro County genealogy archives: > > http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/tx/navarro/navtoc.htm > > > > > > > > ==== TXNAVARR Mailing List ==== > About 290 folks subscribe to TXNAVARR-L or TXNAVARR-D > >