France to give free newspaper subscriptions to teens

For this to be meaningful one should actually have the subscriptions be available to any student 14+

Remember though many don't think so these days editors of news papers do provide a meaningful service.

There is no way any one person can examine all the news articles decide what may have historic or social importance. Is it really NEWS or is it just conjecture and gossip? Community newspapers with local reporters help those communities reflect upon themselves and also the wider world relative to that community.

Television News used to be like that but now its mostly there to be INFOTAINMENT rather than NEWS. Lets hear what the government is doing to abridge our liberty and how they are spending our money rather than whether Michael Phelps has a bong hit.

Newspapers in tactical print form have room in the margins to write notes and annotations, remind you to check into what is happening and catch your eye.
Best of all you can read them on public transit and leave it for the next person.

Electronic media doesn't really take the place of the print media yet. This is evident even here on Current look at how many articles are duplicates of each other. How many of you have all day to simply try to find what is happening in the world and locally by looking at news feeding into current. An example ... there are a great number of people posting items about Michael Phelps taking a bong hit at least 5 or 6 of them some even linking to the same source articles and secondary articles that site the same primary source -- Its just way too much to wade through so you get information overload or worse yet miss things that you might have otherwise found out about that the government is doing to effect your life.

Lets pay some newspaper editors to wade through all the noise and help us get a handle on what is going on out there. No the editors are not completely unbiased it is on the reader to consult more than one source but if the left leaning guy is talking about it and the right leaning guy is too then is probably important enough to investigate.

Hopefully they will remind the young readers everyday, that the only reason the paper isn't in German and is free is because of the blood of American's split on their soil because the French were cowards.

All those thinking this is a good idea is evidence how mindless and clueless most Current users are. That is why they just voted for Socialism.

Seriously?

Everyone thinks this is a GOOD IDEA!?

There are some basic economic questions here concerning...

Unintended Consequences:

If the French Government becomes the Number 1 consumer of French Newspapers (funded by French tax dollars) would it ever be in the newspaper's interests to print anything criticizing the French Government?

If the French Government is going to Tax me extra to use that money to give me a free newspaper (one of my choice but probably of an array of materials they deem suitable) would I be inclined to use additional money to buy or find alternative news sources or would I merely swallow whatever garbage the Government sends my way.

How does this make anyone freer, richer, more ethical, or well-informed?

How is this any different than being robbed of your wages and forced handed propaganda?

This is not "Enlightened Socialism" it is a step towards Fascism.

I am astonished to get know such stuff but I think it won't solve be solved in this way. I guess not only for me it seems to be a ridiculous solution.

The French have it easy. Mandatory paid vacation of a month minimum, at least four months maternity leave, entrance to any French university, and now, free news every single day. Methinks we should learn French and go to Europe.

isnt news easier to get on the internet.

And we're talking about this online

I'm crazy for Sarky, great Diplomat.
He's slowly proving his worth. An intelligent man with big goals, but nobodys perfect-Of course.

Wow! Thats how you get readers and inform people at the same time!

Someone needs to get an iGoogle page with some rss news feed widgets.

I suppose it depends on which newspaper...if the kids are subscribing to 'Le Daily Sport' then it's not going to be a fantastic result is it?!

I think this is a fantastic idea. Print journalism is a dying art, and this is a great way to generate interest.

I will accept anything that is free.

I think this is great, this will hopefully turn at least some of these kids into lifelong newspaper readers that will continue their subscriptions as they get older

hmm, not a totally bad idea.

but don't kids want access to the internet? and the net is a superior medium because of one crucial factor: how about free access to internet cafes? it lets the user talk back, so you increase your reading, AND your writing.

hmm.... interesting idea, though and props for trying it

Wow what a great idea, except for the fact that Current is a much more well-rounded source of news from across the internet. Also, there's much less waste paper.

I like the idea of government supporting free press in this way but I also think it's time for the press to evolve and this may be hindering the progress of the new age of media.

Print media is undergoing a crisis like this for a reason, it's the free market pushing for a change. While print journalism does have important ethical standards and practices that have a longstanding history in our culture, the medium is becoming inefficient and obsolete.

I say let the market run it's course and if basic economic principals are still applicable, journalism will find a why to carry it's principals and values over to a better, more modern conduit.

I'm with you AwesomeJosh this seems a little wasteful.

Superb idea!
And one that, hopefully, will affect those teenagers who read the newspapers.
It's about time that teens start reading a classic, tactile version of the news, and information about the the world around them.
Wish America would do the same, but for anyone, not just those under 20!

Genius idea. I love it!

What a fantastic initiative. I'm glad that they have student discounts and offers on newspapers here, though having a choice of papers and free subscription would be pretty cool.