Founded in 1863, The Seattle Post-Intelligencer was, for 146 years the oldest daily newspaper in Seattle. Besting its rival, The Seattle Times by 28 years the newspaper was one of the longest running in the country. However, on March 17, 2009 The P.I. released its final print edition ending its status as the godfather of Seattle daily news. A reduction of employees and the cancellation of a daily print edition was the result confirming months of rumours that the paper would be changed to an Internet only publication. Like numerous large cities across The United States, Seattle is now a one daily newspaper town.

The P.I.’s closure as a hard copy daily news source has caused many to come out trumpeting a variety of wacky agendas all under the umbrella of “this is a travesty.” Reading numerous P.I. message boards I spotted many who gasped at the idea that a 146 year-old publication could ever call it quits. Others showed their dismay by quoting Thomas Jefferson, “…Were if left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.” Still others lamented the fact that anything old should be preserved just out of principle. What principle that is I have no idea.

I am flabbergasted. Are we so myopic and grandstanding that we don’t see the forest amongst the trees? Time moves on and with it moves technology, language, and our own species’ evolution. To hold fast to a dying idea, that news sources must be paper and ink, is ignorant. To confuse Thomas Jefferson’s intention of a free press (something that continues with The P.I.’s online edition as well as many other blogs, websites, and alternative weeklies) with the deterioration of paper and ink news sources misappropriates his vision. And worst of all, to merely elevate an institution that has immeasurably changed through the decades to godlike status incapable of demise is to fail to acknowledge the many alternative news sources that have come and gone and continue to thrive today.

If people want a symbol of historical significance and artistic merit to fret about I suggest they focus not on a flailing dinosaur that is print news, but rather on the giant lighted globe sitting atop The P.I.’s headquarters. The Seattle Post-Intelligencer should be remembered as an important part of Seattle history but keeping alive an antiquated form of communication in order to do so is foolish. Preserving a cool visual symbol, on the other hand, in this case a long-standing landmark is just the thing Seattle needs to prove to itself it isn’t overburdened by preserving the past at the expense of the future, especially when evolution has already called in The Reaper.

I say, “Shed your tears if you must, Seattleites, but don’t confuse preserving historical symbols with propping up functions that have evolved to the point where their purpose is no longer necessary.” The free press is alive and well. Paper and ink daily newspapers don’t necessarily have to be.