Ottumwa Daily Courier Obituaries (2024)

FAQs

Why do newspapers charge so much for obituaries? ›

Why does it cost so much to post an obituary? Publishing an obituary in the newspaper is expensive because of the limited space papers have. Newspapers value every inch of each page, so they must charge to use that limited space for an obituary.

D., Boston-based clinical psychologist, occasional obit reader, and author of the book How to Be Yourself. “They cause us to reflect on the narrative of our own life and what we want that life to mean. Young people especially might look to them for guidance, a way of tapping the wisdom of their elders.”

The Web site hosts obituaries and memorials for more than 70 percent of all U.S. deaths. Legacy.com hosts obituaries for more than three-quarters of the 100 largest newspapers in the U.S., by circulation.

Newspapers charge by the line and can average $450 for a complete obituary. The average obituary cost begins at $200.00 and increases due to the amount of content, including a photograph and the length of the obituary.

The estimated total pay for a Obituary Writer is $129,646 per year in the United States area, with an average salary of $99,333 per year. These numbers represent the median, which is the midpoint of the ranges from our proprietary Total Pay Estimate model and based on salaries collected from our users.

You are under no legal obligation to take out a death notice or obituary. Think of the latter as a final gift to your loved one—a celebration of who they were and the legacy they created. The former is more of a courtesy to give people information so they too can honor and memorialize the dearly departed.

Reasons a Family Might Not Want to Write an Obituary

While there are many benefits to writing an obituary, there are also reasons why a family might not want to. Some may feel that it is too personal or private to share with the public, while others may not have the financial means to pay for its publication.

For one, obituaries are stories with a closure unlike the daily news items that are generally interim reports. They are often good stories. One reads about remarkable accomplishments, odd achievements, quirky lives, wild adventures, strange vicissitudes, and forgotten personalities.

North Dakota newspaper The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead ran what is certainly one of the shortest obituaries ever published. Accompanying a photograph and name of local resident Douglas Legler, the obit, which ran Wednesday, had just two simple words: “Doug died.”

Jot down the key facts first

First, you'll want to include the person's name, birth place, age, date of death, location and cause of death (optional). From there, Shain says you should go on to include other biographical staples such as “whether they got married, had kids, [details of] their careers and retirement.”

What is a good length for an obituary? ›

Keep in mind the length: the average size of an obituary is approximately 200 words, but some publications may accept obituaries as long as 450 words or as short as 50 words.

Most newspapers charge by line, so the higher the word count, the higher the price. However, families and loved ones can save money by looking into online options. Publishing an online obituary costs between $50 and $100 and allows for more opportunities to share it through email and social media.

Sharing Your Loss with The Community

An obituary is an explicit way of telling the local community that your loved one has died. It maximizes the audience of people who know or had a connection with the deceased. An obituary is still the preferred way of finding out the local residents who have died.

How much does an obituary in The New York Times cost? Placing an obituary in The New York Times starts at $263.00. Package prices can vary depending on the edition of the paper (weekday, weekend, or Sunday editions) and other factors such as the length of the obituary. Where do obituaries placed with Legacy.com appear?

Bill Mitchell states that for a paywall to bring new revenue and not deter current readers, newspapers must: "invest in flexible systems, exploit their journalists' expertise in niche areas, and, crucially, offer readers their money's worth in terms of new value." The State of the News Media's 2011 annual report on ...