Death Notice Rip Off - the cost of putting them in the local paper.

[DUFFEMS]

I don't see why reading it on a screen is any worse than reading it on paper.

 

I don't know of any of my mother or mother-in-law's friends who are on-line, they're all in their 80's and yes, unbelievably, still buy the Star as it's their only means of getting to know "who's come and gone".

[whiteley]

I think it may well be a good idea for WHITLEY to point out this discussion to his superiors. For you never know, if the Sheffield Star knew they were getting blasted on SF, they may well give a courtesy call back to the OP.

 

My name is WHITELEY and I have pointed these discussions out to the managers on numerous occasions. As I said before, perhaps if the customers complained they might listen to them cause they certainly don't listen to us.

[metalman]

I work on the BMD section of the Star, it's no use shouting at us. We don't make the policy. We don't agree with it at all but like I say, we can't do anything about it. I can't believe that whoever you spoke to on the section was blunt or off hand with you. We have all lost family and friends and try our hardest to be sympathetic to the peole we speak too. Perhaps if enough people compained to the managers, they might do something about having to have a rose, cross or whatever at the top of the death notices.

 

You appear to be able to spell and punctuate. Couldn't you write the rest of the paper as well?

[MonkeyLover]

I must say that I do buy The Star, (it has improved lately) but don't very often read the classified advertisements. I sometimes read the births column to see what weird and wonderful names the new babies are being saddled with.

[woodmally]

My name is WHITELEY and I have pointed these discussions out to the managers on numerous occasions. As I said before, perhaps if the customers complained they might listen to them cause they certainly don't listen to us.

 

Use the Sheffield forum to announce it instead is probably a better idea. If everyone just stopped using the star for this purpose they would have to do something about the price.

[gadget_man]

well thats not what the OP stated, they were told its an EXTRA £20

 

The fact is =it is an extra £20 because it is compulsory to have the rose or whatever and you have no choice but to pay if you want to place the notice.

If you was not compelled to have the rose or other motif then you would not have the [EXTRA] £20 to pay.

[maggie007]

is that rip off or R.I.P off

[sheffgrow]

who on earth reads the star nowadays anyway?

what an absolute load of crap that rag is

[samshe]

Unbelievable!!! ... don't think I'd want to receive news of a bereavement by email or text!

 

 

 

I am guessing then that you are of an older generation.

 

I never read local newspapers and only read national newspapers when on public transport. The two most recent deaths that have effected me (both of them friends) I have learnt about via facebook. This may seem alien to older people, but is it really any less personal than a message in a shabby newspaper like the star??

 

Both funeral arrangements were spread on facebook, allowing everyone who cared for the people to be involved in a way that wasn't possible before social networking. As said above it is only the current older generation who will post notices like this really, if I die at an old age (im 25 now) I VERY much doubt that the death of myself or my peers will be communicated by the printed word.

 

Condolences for your loss OP. My mother died some years back and we were charged from every direction, it can come as a real surprise.

[1978]

Many older people read The Star and the older they get the more they read the obituaries. My father used to work out the average ages of death until he got over that figure! They want to know who they know is no longer with us. SF and Facebook don't do that in the same way.

 

I'd not looked at them recently. I'm amazed to see how many column inches they take up. Some poor souls must have been talked into lengthy eulogies as well as roses. No wonder we don't get much real news - this is it!

 

I do find the internet service useful. I've just tracked down why I didn't get a Christmas card from an old friend in Newcastle - the Newcastle Journal records his death on 30th December 2010. I note their records are much less verbose and flowery than the Sheffield Star's!