The economy has definitely taken it’s toll on our daily lives. It’s killed off big SUVs, excessive Starbucks, over-priced condos and apparently printed news. But for the life of me I can’t understand why it hasn’t killed off the radio station billboard? I saw new Eric & Kathy billboards all over Chicago. I like them better than the one where they dress up like rock stars. I think it’s great to see the billboards, but I can’t imagine how much money that costs. Especially with the radio business axing high-priced morning personalities. So I guess it’s official: Eric & Kathy billboards are recession proof. BURRIS SPOKESPERSON RESIGNS Yesterday I ripped on Sneed for the Obama dog story. But she showed up big today with the announcement that Burris’ spokesperson Jason Erkes has resigned. Oh no! Without a spokesperson, who is going to keep the finely-tuned Burris communication machine rolling? Erkes heads up the Chicago Sport and Social. They are the group that does the flag football, the indoor soccer, volleyball, dodgeball, etc.‚  Did I miss something here? Erkes said to Sneed “It was only a temporary job. I was just helping out an old friend.” Here’s how I imagine that invitation played out: Old friend: Hey Erkes, I don’t have enough people to field this Senator’s commications team. Erkes: Dude, you should have called me last night. I’m hanging out with my lady. Old friend: Bring her too! We need people man or the other team is going to forfeit. Erkes: All right. I’ll be there. Just as long as I can QB. Old friend: Well, spokesperson is like QB. Erkes: Yeah. Wait, what are we talking about again? And scene. AND TODAY’s HEADLINE AWARD GOES TO… RedEye — “Mess Transit“. Nice. WHAT IS A NEWSPAPER? So the conversation about on-line journalism is now…on-line. The burning question is “will consumers buy newspapers in print anymore?” When thinking about how to address this issue, I thought about my own situation. I will say that I don’t read newspapers in print. I thought it might have been because I didn’t have access to them and I didn’t have a commute that lends to reading the paper. But I have a new desk at the station that sits about 1 foot from the daily newspapers in the City Room. Seriously, I am looking at them right now. Trib, Sun-Times, Daily Herald, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Defender, Crains and Financial Times. Yet, I still read all of those sites, none of the newspapers. Don’t believe me?Look at me and look at all that paper!