Two sources have suggested to me that a capital city newspaper in Australia will announce the end of newspaper home deliveries before the end of this year.
I am not sure it is as simple as the rumor put to me however.
Both Fairfax and News know that such a move would damage newspaper home delivery across the country. I suspect that if there is to be an announcement, and remember this is only a rumor, it will be that the current arrangements, maybe of in house publisher managed direct to subscriber home delivery, are replaced with a completely different model.
What gives this rumor credence if moves I have heard being made by the publisher involved, moves which suggest they are about to cut back.
Why publish a rumor? Sometimes airing a possibility heightens debate which can help turn around a decision.
I hope the rumour is true.
Home delivery of newspapers is an anachronism in 2011. All newsagents know that it is a loss making (& risky) proposition.
Surely the publishers are aware that the model is on its last legs and that the first to fall will be the bigger agents who rely on staff to complete the deliveries each day.
People leave their homes every day now to purchase milk, bread, fruit & vege etc.. all of which were home delivered 20 years ago.
A good newsagent would still be a valuable asset to publishers in ensuring that a local network of subbies were supplied & managed.
Bring it on.
It is a loss maker for the publisher and the newsagent – it has to go. Perhaps a subagent only model might work for a while
Surely the publishers are aware that the model is on its last legs and that the first to fall will be the bigger agents who rely on staff to complete the deliveries each day.
People leave their homes every day now to purchase milk, bread, fruit & vege etc.. all of which were home delivered 20 years ago.
OMG spam?
Im guessing this is Fairfax. We all know they are cutting costs. Very interesting times.
Only interesting Steven, if we don’t have a distribution round (thank goodness I have sold mine) but spare a thought for the poor b…….s who have purchased a round (or 3 or maybe more) and paid a swag for them thinking it was their retirement super only to find that they will have nix at
the end of it.
It is quite disgraceful the way newsagents
have been treated but once again, I blame
the associations who are supposed to work “in the interests of all newsagents” and they have dropped the ball with distribution – big time.
I find no joy in knowing that they will lose
a pile of money which they paid in good faith to come into an industry and now find that it is worthless.
Retail is holding up but distribution is on its knees.