The Sydney Morning Herald is missing in action today in too many regional centres in New South Wales. On a day when newsagents are experiencing a traffic surge because of the OzLotto $100M jackpot, the opportunity for an impulse purchase of the SMH is lost. One newsagent commented that Fairfax does not seem to care as much as they would have years ago. They said: it’s as if they want the print product to die.
I have just been told that this was due to industrial action this morning relating to expected loss of jobs next year.
Whatever the reason it needs to stop, it’s not only hurting Fairfax it’s hurting all our businesses.
We have many Fairfax subscribers who do not know what is going on and think that their paper has been stolen or we have missed delivering it.
If it is industrial action put in on the news so more customers know what is happening.
Interesting comment from some of the not so elderly subscribers that have been calling this morning “that’s ok I can still read it on my ipad”
Maybe this is what the Fairfax exective wish to achieve, a paperless paper. Clearly the ‘workers” are peeved, but if the workers did a great job, they may have less to fear, as customers still seem to want a paper. This death by a thousand cuts needs to be brought to an end SOON, just stop printing the thing.
Rupert will be rubbing his hands with glee!
The SMH will not last as a web only product
I dialed the customer service number for a subscriber this morning. The subscriber said to the farfax rep that if they want everyone to go digital, then just tell us and dont print tomorrows, stop jerking us all around.
at least News Ltd are trying new things (T2020) and send an SMS when there is a production issue. fairfax will just wait to see what News does and follow i guess.
If fairfax excutives really gave a toss about the impact on newsagents and readers, they would have a standby system in place when delays occur.
do advertisers get credited when only half of the papers are printed and distributed?
I just had my fairfax rep visit along with the usual survey of “how are sales of the…” she then examined the store and asked where I put my herald posters daily I told her that due to a council complaint we were not allowed to put the posters in the front display outside the store anymore so we had to put them she then advised me we would be getting a default notice for this.
This after my herald deliveries were over 2 hours late yesterday and from the looks of it I was lucky I even got papers.