Prince not front-page news

Re Prince charmed by actress? Nov. 1 In 1985 Neil Postman published Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business. His prescient and potent thesis was that all communication was being turned into entertainment. Indeed, he worried that “short and simple messages (have become) preferable to long and complex ones; that drama is to be preferred over exposition; that being sold solutions is better than being confronted with questions about problems.”

These days news as entertainment is perhaps most glaringly and disturbingly obvious south of the border, but we shouldn’t be smug. Indeed, the Star’s Nov. 1 front page Prince Harry bracelet-sharing romance speculation has Postman nodding knowingly in his grave. Dr. Jennifer Good, Toronto

Oh, for crying out loud. Last week you thought Bruce Springsteen’s visit to Toronto was so important you gave it half of the front page. Now the fact that an American actress may be in a relationship with Prince Harry is important enough for front page coverage.

Surely there is more noteworthy news? R.G.M. Hopper, Scarborough