Crikey published a cracking story yesterday about Fairfax circulation numbers based on a leaked email from 2007.
I have always been surprised at the gap between newspaper sales in newsagencies compared to audit numbers. The sales must be happening outside our channel to produce better audit numbers. While newspapers are in a bunch of other retail outlets, I would not expect them to account for the gap.
From my own shop we used to deliver 30 DT per day to each of the 5 schools on our run for no cost to the schools, these would be counted in the circulation numbers surely. I know that more then 1/2 the papers ended up in the bin before they were even looked at. Multiply this by every newsagent being asked to do the same thing and it inflates the figures a fair bit.
Sorry swap DT with SMH, my bad I was reading the tele at the time and it got stuck in my head.
WE supply our gym sydney morn herald free 300 copies everyday.
Sunday at the melbourne Zoo in Parkville, 8 bundles of the Herald-sun at each entrance for free to zoo attendees / visitors. Think i have a photo!
This is not new or against any rule set out by the marketing / circulation gods. Newspaper publishers have been involved in these actions for years. Common practice now (popular again) for one alledged publisher is to have a newspaper given away on entry or exit to events or high traffic areas, commonly known as paper with ticket.
These copies are then counted as event sales and a percentage of these are allowed to be added to total circulation figure.
I’m aware that two recent RAS shows were involved in this practice. I’m sure that adds up to a few extra copies. You only see this activity when forcast sales are down and a top up can be achieved at a cost. It really accounts to the publisher ‘buying’ copies.
The advertising world know about this and usually benefit from contra arrangements with publishers.
Can’t believe half of anything crikey writes They always have it in for the newspapers. recon they must have got the sack for constantly writing stories without facts. Just like this one ( received an email from someone da ad da ) Whats their readership numbers…Canberra to win no bull.