i think it might be down to a reduction in advertising, which means there is more room to fill in newspapers.

i hope they survive - but i wonder whether writing a story with the following headline is really going to help ...

DUNG CATCHES FIRE

it wasn't even a trick headline - the story simply reported that a dung heap caught fire and the fire brigade put out 'the blaze' when they were called out by 'a neighbour'.

'er hello - i live next door to a dung heap and it's on fire.'

'we will be out straight away sir, but don't you think it's time you moved to a more desirable address?'

anyway, let's all do our bit to make sure that 2009 or MMIX is not the year we say goodbye to local newspapers.