The importance of the front page
How important is the front page of a newspaper? It’s the entry point for most readers, so it’s very important. It’s also the hook on a shop shelf to attract an impulse buyer.
Publishing a newspaper isn’t rocket science; it’s common sense really. The influence of an editor is most noticeable in story selection and the emphasis given to particular stories.
While changes to the style and direction of a newspaper might affect sales in the longer term, casual buyers are won by word of mouth and a strong front page.
In my experience about 90 percent of newspaper buyers are regular, probably a bit more than that. A good front page or a special feature might swing five percent in extra sales. Read more
Different states of the nation
I read somewhere that Fairfax had been surprised at the viewing preferences of visitors to WA Today.
Readers of the start-up online news service in Perth have bucked the national trend and shown their serious side.
There has been a greater interest in business news and less in celebrity gossip.
The glimpse of today’s most-read stories backs that up (September 19). While Brisbane readers are obsessed by sex and the Broncos, Perth readers want to know what’s happening with Bank West and the Barnett Cabinet.
It’s not surprising really. The WA News and News Corp websites in Perth were long established before Fairfax came along. And Perth people are arguably more interested in making money than having sex.
Circulation gain: A case study
I just heard from an industry colleague the Kalgoorlie Miner achieved circulation growth of more than three percent last financial year. I knew it was on track for that result when I left in May, but it was good to hear confirmation.
I haven’t seen all the other regional daily figures to benchmark the result, but I expect the Miner’s performance is a good one. Read more
What sells papers
Circulation figures for The Border Watch are compiled monthly. Yesterday we laid all the July papers on a table and noted their individual net sales.
I was pleased with how consistent the sales were. Circulation was up on the same month last year as well, which is always the aim.
We could only identify one edition where the front page content obviously influenced sales. Read more
Newspaper masthead ‘desecration’
The Australian Newsagency Blog has a section devoted to “newspaper masthead desecration” with 37 posts.
The author is referring to a new habit among publishers to place advertising stickers on their front pages.
Numerous examples are given, many from Fairfax broadsheets the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.
News Limited publications employ the same advertising method, but in recent examples the Adelaide Advertiser has placed the stickers below the masthead.
Apparently the equipment required to stick the ads is rather expensive and I’m not aware of any country papers using it.
The advertisers presumably pay a premium, and the ads are certainly effective because they command attention.
They are just as effective though below the masthead, and to that extent I agree with the newsagents.
Newspapers should protect and promote their brands. They should not allow their mastheads to be cheapened or compromised.
Corrections
I‘ve noticed a new trend towards openness in the printing of corrections. Major newspapers are now publishing their policies and inviting readers to point out mistakes.
In the old days it was an editor’s judgment call. My personal approach was to look at the gravity of the error.
A spelling mistake is unfortunate, but unless it misleads by changing the meaning of the text it’s something that can be let go. Read more
Hyperlocal not likely in Australia
Thanks to Kristine Lowe I became aware that “hyperlocal” is a new publishing fad in Europe and North America. I’m yet to hear the phrase in Australia.
She writes that in Scandanavia, newspapers are running community web sites to build new revenue lost from falling circulation.
Here is an example of a site in Finland which has 60,000 unique visitors a week, building towards a target of 100,000. Read more
Online copyright dispute
An American copyright dispute has ramifications for online news providers around the world.
Associated Press (AP) has accused online news aggregator Drudge Retort of violating copyright in its publication of story excerpts.
Website publisher Rogers Cadenhead explains his position here and AP responds to criticism of its legal action here.
It’s an interesting topic because blogs around the world quote newspaper articles to create discussion. Aggregators fall into a slightly different category, so I have some empathy with AP in that respect.
A blog quoting an article and linking back to the source is okay, in my book. An aggregator gives a snapshot of the news, which is all many people want, and thereby potentially pulls traffic from the content originator.
Absorbing, dynamic, reputable
I have now obtained a copy of the report Newspapers Today. It’s very much a marketing document and not an objective analysis of media types.
The messages are powerful though: “Australians are most likely to actively engage with newspapers and their websites because of three key things … they are absorbing, dynamic and reputable.”
Reputation is the key. It’s the hard-won ingredient which has smoothed the transition of newspapers to the web. The report states:
Newspapers generate trusted, original content that’s respected more than in any other medium. Consumers find newspaper content enriching as well as entertaining and informative.
Web war in the West
Fairfax Media has launched its online news service in Perth called WA Today.
“This is a significant expansion for Fairfax Media and we are very proud to bring our brand of quality and independent journalism to Western Australia,” Fairfax chairman Ron Walker said.
Chief executive David Kirk said more than 1.3 million people in Western Australia access the internet each month and 188,000 of these already use Fairfax Digital websites. Read more