Curiously, the only revenue stream that newspapers across the Country can still count on is for those “In Memorium” obituary pieces that they publish every day. For some people that’s the only nice thing anyone has had to say about them for decades, and families still insist on seeing that nice written memorial for Old Auntie Bulah.
Out here a basic memorial ad will run you several hundred dollars (up front and in case, of course) and the really big 1/2 pagers can run into thousands, depending on how many pictures you want...
The undertakers’ societies (unions by a nicer name) have a dead hand (ha) in the high rates paid by much of the hoi polloi. In many places, it’s not permitted to bring your own coffin. By contrast, in some more enlightened environs, a funeral director can have visitation and funeral done in a church instead of a funeral parlor, which makes things a lot cheaper.
/johnny