I am godsmacked that News Ltd’s decision in South Australia to ignore newsagents for their Star Wars DVD giveaway this weekend. For over one hundred years newsagents have been the retailer of choice for publishers. While an occasionally fractious relationship, the support by newsagents for newspapers and vice versa has been extraordinary and a key reason, in my view, why newspaper sales have remained relatively strong in Australia while they have fallen elsewhere around the world.
The people at the Adelaide Advertiser have made a decision to ignore newsagents this weekend with their Star Wars DVD give away. The over the counter promotion is being run exclusively through BP retail outlets. The promotion will be supported in the press and on radio.
This promotion sends the wrong message to consumers if you want a strong newsagency channel. It undermines newsagents as the destination point for newspapers and boosts BP instead. It undermines independently owned small businesses and boosts a multi national brand. It dilutes the relevance of newsagents to other suppliers – magazine publishers and distributors and other newspaper publishers will note the News action and possibly follow.
Newsagents have helped Rupert Murdoch achieve an incredible worldwide footprint. It is disappointing to see News forget those who helped make the company great.