There was once a time, some several years ago, when you could walk into any given coffee shop, diner, or any other breakfast serving sort of establishment and see at least half of the patrons holding up a newspaper and turning the pages between sips of coffee and bites of their food. It would be a common act of pretty much any individual to pick up a copy of the local newspaper on a Sunday morning at the grocery store, that is if they did not already have one delivered to their door. Holding a newspaper in your hands is like holding a mecca of information that is ready to be absorbed; and that type of romantic quality can only be fully achieved in its original, most organic form. Now, with the abundance of computers in the age of the Internet, the handheld, print versions of newspapers are becoming increasingly scarce and less likely to be found in the likes of coffee shops and diners. Instead, people are getting their news on laptops, tablets, and smartphones and instead of turning a big floppy paper page, they are scrolling a screen between coffee sips and bites of food.

Though computers and digital versions of things do seem to reign supreme in the modern world, this is not to say that there is no life left in something such as a newspaper. Rochester, New York is one such city that is proving that just because something like a newspaper is technically obsolete, it does not necessarily mean it must be forced into obscurity. Obviously not quite in the same way as they once were but still to a noteworthy extent, Rochester newspapers continue to be seen in the hands of citizens. Various restaurants and other establishments have multiple free Rochester NY newspapers available by their entrances. The various newspapers in Rochester, NY appeal to all sorts of citizens ranging in subjects from arts, entertainment, culture, sports, politics, and general local and world news. What seem to be the most popular Rochester newspapers are the ones that are all encompassing of the various topics often read about by the locals. The convenience of picking up a single Rochester newspaper and being able to be updated on happenings in politics, seeing the scores of sporting events, reading movie reviews, and seeing listings of concerts in the area appeals to many citizens of the Flower City. Plus, absorbing all of that different information in a consecutive fashion can create a more well rounded individual, which is something people in Rochester, New York as well as any other place tend to strive for.

There might be an apparent irony to an online article touting the importance of printed press such as newspapers. But what is important to realize is that both exist simultaneously now because both have their advantages, even if one is preferred over the other. New and old are both necessary at times in order to achieve a balance.