D uring my life with the Internet, I've read and heard many debates about the future of journalism on the WWW and the endless clash over whether newspapers and magazines can make a profit on line. RD is on the WWW in a truly worldwide fashion, and one can bet one's Pegasus its executives intend to make money at it. Earlier this year, the Digest changed its format, and the characteristic cover with its table of contents was largely moved inside, replaced by a headshot of one of the featured personalities from an inside story. A second story is typical of the Digest's modern consciousness - or lack of it. Their advice ranges from breathing deeply to saying a prayer.
Academia already has too many comedian wannabes.
RD simply provides too little, too easily. Don't look to the Digest for Christmas bells and Santa's smile. On line, Reader's Digest provides more of a place to shop and a teasing sample of its articles. On a special Christmas page , there are several offerings for crafts, recipes and an archive of Christmas stories from past issues. Ironically, nothing like what appears in the archive graces the pages of the December print issue.