The "LNP" Story

Lancaster, PA's old daily paper.

It was an ordinary day.  Just got back from a walk to the end of my drive with my cat Creamsicle to pick up the daily newspaper.  Same thing I have been doing for years, but now the paper looks slightly different.  Back in 1910 Lancaster, Pennsylvania had five newspapers: the Lancaster New Era, the Examiner, the Inquirer, the Morning News and the Intelligencer.  Over the years that number was reduced to two with the Intelligencer Journal being the left-leaning morning paper and the New Era being the right-leaning evening paper.  Then, a few years back they joined into one paper and staff and only produced the morning paper, but put both names on the top of the paper and two editorial pages, one for the right (Republicans) and one for the left (Democrats).  Well, that all changed while I was on vacation during the middle two weeks of October.  When we got home there was a publication sitting with my pile of mail that my son gathered daily for me.  

Lancaster, PA's new daily paper known as LNP.

I thought it was no more than a large advertise- ment section and didn't bother to look at it.  The day after I returned from vacation I walked to the end of my drive for my paper and there was another of the same as the one I thought was an advertisement.  "Look what happened to the newspaper," I said to Carol when I walked back in the house.  "Looks like a small town weekly publication.  They even changed the name of it.  I don't think I'm going to like it."  I wasn't the only one who felt that way as I checked the "Letters to the Editor" page and saw all the negative comments about the new newspaper that is now known as LNP - Always Lancaster.  The reporters and photographers are still the same, but the format is very different.  

I noticed a few of these signs in neighbor's yards.  Not sure
why they were in the yards, but is the new logo for the paper.

 Geared toward a digital newspaper.  And, in Lancaster County, PA you just don't do that!!  Many were threatening to drop their subscription while others already claimed to have dropped their subscription and were venting their views as to how stupid the title was.  I don't care much for change either, but I must say I like the new newspaper format.  Easier to follow and the type font seems to be easier on the eyes.  Only thing I miss is the back page.  The local newspaper always had three sections: Front page section that had important news on page one with national news on the next few pages and then the editor's page at the end of the section, middle section that was more local news with obits and the last section that was sports and advertisement with a back page that was the second most important page next to the front page.  Now the back page ends with sports, but does feature the weather.  Would love to know if sales have dropped, but that isn't going to cause me to drop my subscription.  As I said, I enjoy the new format, but I can sympathize with those who hate change.  As of now I haven't been able to find out what caused the change, but I'm sure there must have been a reason.  I'm sure I'll find out soon enough.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.