A year in review, a look ahead - INMA · 2009 is still fresh. There’s a lot of work to do. But if the companies in this edition and in INMA are any indication, there’s hope yet

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INMA (International Newsmedia Marketing Association) is the world’s largest and premier newsmedia marketing organisation. This practical network of progressive marketing professionals now totals more than 1,200 members in 82 countries worldwide. Members exchange ideas through a bi-monthly magazine, multiple web sites, e-mail executive summaries, discussion forums, message boards, conferences, workshops, travel study tours, awards competitions, benchmark surveys, and online directories and databases.

2008 has come to a close. It’s safe to say that it has been an interesting year. What with high travel costs, decreased travel budgets, whining management, and the most challenging business year that many can recall. Yet INMA continues to build on past success always with an eye on the future. World Congress in Beverly Hills was one of the most successful conventions we have ever recorded. Our Latin American and South Asian conferences exceeded expectations.

A year in review, a look aheadby ed efchak

INMa President

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President. Ed EFchAkBelden Associates, hackensack, USAViCe President. MIchAEL PhELPSBaltimore-Washington Examiner Group, USAPast President. RoSS McPhERSoN McPherson Media Group, Shepparton, Australia treasurer. ScoTT STINES mass2one, cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA asia diVision President.RAVI dhARIWALBennett, coleman & company, New delhi, IndiaeuroPe diVision President.oLIVIER BoNSARTouest France, Rennes, FranceLatin ameriCa diVision President. JoSE LUIS PARRA El Mercurio, chilenorth ameriCa diVision President. JAMES GoLdNew York Times Regional Media Group, USA

direCtors. dISSIcA cALdERARoA crítica, Manaus, BrazilMARk chALLINoRg8wave Europe Ltd., London, United kingdomRoGER dUNBARThe Globe and Mail, canadaSANdRA GoMEZEl diario de hoy, El SalvadorhARoLd GRoENkEVerlag dierichs, kassel, GermanyShAUN o’L. hIGGINS The Spokesman-Review, Spokane, USA JERRY hILL St. Petersburg Times, USA ALBERTo JARAMILLo cEPEdAEl Universal, MexicoYASMIN NAMINIThe New York Times, USAdENNIS SkULSkYcanWest, Toronto, canadakJERSTI LøkEN STAVRUMAftenposten, oslo, NorwayRoBERT WhITEhEAdFairfax Media, Sydney, AustraliaLUkAS WIdJAJAkompas daily, Indonesia

boardofdirectors

ideas: the magazine of newsmedia marketing (ISSN 0896-1441) is published 6 times annually, bi-monthly, by the International Newsmedia Marketing Association Inc., 10300 North Central Expressway, Suite 467, Dallas, Texas 75231, USA. Annual subscription rate is US$65, which is included

in membership dues. Periodical postage paid at Dallas, Texas, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: send address changes to ideas, 10300 North Central Expressway, Suite 467, Dallas, Texas 75231. Each edition is archived in the members section of INMA.org and can be accessed by topics or by keyword search. Only INMA members may access the ideas magazine archive.

headquarters 10300 North Central Expressway, Suite 467 Dallas, Texas 75231, USA Tel.: +1 214 373-9111 Fax: +1 214 373-9112europe Office Minderbroedersrui 9, Bus 9, Antwerp B-2000, BelgiumTel.: +32 47 760 53 67 Fax: +32 3 288 69 47South asia Office B-5 Kailash Colony, (First Floor), New Delhi 110048, IndiaTel.: +91 987 199-6878

Our European conference and numerous targeted programmes were well attended. The North American strategy/innovation summit was successful in what has been a terrifying business year. Why? I believe that the strength of INMA is in its worldwide brand, its nearly eight-decade reputation, its member network, and its industry-leading ability to act as a conduit for those future-directed and at the cutting edge. It has also re-positioned itself with the well received move to “International Newsmedia Marketing Association.” A special thanks to our members and sponsors for your continued support. My personal thanks to our regional and international boards and to the INMA staff in making for smooth sailing on sometimes choppy seas. 2009’s outlook is no less challenging. INMA’s goal is to continue to invite the best and brightest to join us and learn what the world has to offer. It’s easy to say that being part of INMA “is the best value in the newsmedia industry” — but the value proposition goes much further. INMA membership is a unique passport to finding business solutions through its network, its outreach, and its programming through conferences and seminars. Now more than ever. Call it “managing change,” “re-invention,” “future organisation,” “finding new business models,” or something else, the over-the-horizon industry radar is called INMA. Join. Renew. Engage. Do it now for the world keeps on moving. My best to you for in 2009. F

ed efchak is president of the international newsmedia marketing association (inma) and managing director and senior consultant with Belden associates. he is based in hackensack, new Jersey, usa. he may be reached at [email protected].

faCed with disruPtions and eroding ProCesses, newspapers should move beyond classical strategies and

coverstory

contents >>january+february 2009

A new year brings new solutions to old problems The economic downturn and the continued shift in media consumption habits usher newspapers into a 2009 fraught with uncertainty. The industry faces monumental systemic and cyclical challenges, but that hasn’t stopped the smartest people at companies around the world from developing new and innovative strategies to meet what lies ahead. The first step to conquering a problem is recognising what it is. In an insightful cover story by Horst Pirker, chairman of Styria Medien in Austria, lays out some of the hardships confronting newspapers today. But he goes farther and shares his thoughts on how publishers can steer their companies and their strategies toward a brighter future. This edition takes a clear-headed look at where the industry finds itself today. But it also details the fun, insightful, and clever initiatives of newspapers the world over. This might be a difficult time, but it isn’t stopping ambitious companies from finding new opportunities and exploiting them in innovative, eye-opening ways. 2009 is still fresh. There’s a lot of work to do. But if the companies in this edition and in INMA are any indication, there’s hope yet left for the dead tree business.

James Khattakeditor, ideas [email protected]

COLUMNS

PublISher. EARl J. WIlKINSON edItOr. JAMES KhATTAK art dIrectOr. DANNA EMDE

cONtrIbutINg wrIterS.LAkShMI AGRAWAL, PIET BAkkER, MIkE BLINdER, BoB dAVIS, kYLIE dAVIS, JEAN-chRISToPhE FRANcET,STEPhEN T. GRAY, ALAN JAcoBSoN, STAcY JENNINGS, NIkLAS JoNASoN, STAcY LYNch, MART oTS, hoRST PIRkER,LUc RAdEMAkERS, MARIA RAVERA, ShAWN RIEGSEckER, kAREN RYdER, doRoThY RoSAdo, MARY SALMoN, kEN SANdS, JoE TALcoTT, SIMoN WALdMAN, JULIA WALLAcE, JüRG WEBER, JAN WIFSTRANd, PATRIcIA WU

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Austin American-Statesman 47The Boston Globe 44The cairns Post 51cape Argus 47The charlotte observer 50The chronicle 51The columbian 50The columbus dispatch 43dainik Bhaskar 43de Standaard 46die Burger 48Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung 44Fort Worth Star-Telegram 43The Gazette 41Guelph Mercury 42helsingborgs dagblad 44het Nieuwsblad 49Irish Examiner 42knoxville News-Sentinel 42Malayala Manorama 49Mittelbayerische Zeitung 41orlando Sentinel 45The Palm Beach Post 50Quick 49The Record 48Richmond Times-dispatch 45The Roanoke Times 48The Sacramento Bee 45The Seattle Times 46The Tampa Tribune 41Toronto Star 51The Washington Times 46The West Australian 47

2 PossiBLe strategies for newsPaPers{8}

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New reveNue IS all abOut MeetINg New NeedSby Stephen T. Gray

NewSPaPerS Need tO thINk lIke Start-uPS by Jean-Christophe Francet

NewSPaPer MaNagerSNeed MOre baNdwIdthby Kylie Davis

graNt uS wISdOM, cOurage, aNd SereNIty by Simon Waldman

all the NewS that fItS (INtO NIce, Neat rectaNgleS)by Peter Ong

INtegrIty truMPS INcIdeNce, eSPecIally SaleSby Mike Blinder

the falSe PrOMISeS Of PrOMOtION-drIveN SaleSby Joe Talcott

cuStOMer relatIONSStrategIeS buIlt ON reSPectby Jan Wifstrand

the NewS SIte aS the lOcal catalOgue ServIceby Niklas Jonasoncover image: Angel herrero de Frutos / Emde

12 redeSIgN aN OPPOrtuNIty by Maria Ravera15 what It takeS tO be web favOurIte by Stacy Lynch17 frOM exPeNSe tO PrOfIt by Bob Davis19 IN defeNSe Of the MONday edItION by Alan Jacobson21 aNSwerINg the NeedS Of the POPulatION by Luc Rademakers22 dOeS braNd equIty Matter tO advertISerS? by Mart Ots25 SuNday edItION OPeNS New OPPOrtuNItIeS by Jürg Weber26 MIxed PaId aNd free MOdelS by Piet Bakker28 MaxIMISe reveNue, NOt rate by Shawn Riegsecker29 cONNectINg NewSPaPer tO cOMMuNIty by Stacy Jennings31 redeSIgN fOr deStINatION audIeNce by Karen Ryder33 taPPINg tOurISt Market by Mary Salmon35 SurveyS Pave way fOr lauNch by Lakshmi Agrawal37 MaScOt PrOvIdeS ceNtre by Dorothy Rosado38 trackINg NewS aNd SOcIal

NetwOrkS by Ken Sands39 revaMPed NewSPaPer OfferS OPPOrtuNIty by Patricia Wu40 reOrgaNISINg fOr MOderN age by Julia Wallace

PROFILES

embrace two possible models: “Four Lives” and MMM. by Horst Pirker

Enter the 74th Annual INMA Awards 2009, and unlock the door to a new world of creativity, ideas, and innovation. The INMA Awards competition rewards global best practices in the marketing of newspapers: growing brand, growing audience, and growing revenue across platforms.

Transform your newspaper’s fortunes by stepping through the door of breakthrough concepts, extraordinary creative, and results-oriented marketing. Reward your newspaper’s top marketing campaigns from the past year by competing for the most coveted marketing award in the newspaper industry worldwide.

INMA Awards 2009 will honour global best practices in 10 categories that cut across:

>> Platforms: Print, online, mobile, and more.

>> Media: All categories are multi-media in nature: in-newspaper, printed materials, television, radio, outdoor, mobile, online, direct marketing, and more.

>> Objectives: Circulation and readership, usage and engagement, advertising sales, public relations, new product development, and more.

>> Global Boundaries: You will be compared with peers worldwide.

>> Circulation Groups: Your entries will be judged against entries from similarly sized newspapers.

Awards will be presented in

conjunction with the INMA World

Congress scheduled for 13-15 May

2009, in Miami, USA.

Visit our web page at

www.inma.org and

enter today!

CAll fOr ENtrIES

2009

CONtESt dEAdlINES:

Friday, 16 January 2009Europe, Latin America,

and Asia Divisions

Friday, 30 January 2009South Pacific, North America,

and Africa Divisions

}page 6 January+February 2009 ideas

eyes&ears >>

Throughout the INMA network, executives charged with maneuvering through today’s global economic storm are drawing starkly different conclusions that are affecting their strategies in the years ahead: >> In North America, the downturn has become a tipping point to a digital migration of advertising that won’t return. >> In Europe, the downturn represents the collapse of the firewall between comfortable ways of doing business and the digital barrage that always seemed like a problem for others. >> Latin American newspaper executives, influenced by activities in the United States and Spain, have grown worried about long-term implications and are trying to figure out whether the “firewall” still exists for them. >> In the South Pacific, the downturn is ushering out certain advertising categories but not others. >> In much of Asia, the downturn is a temporary inconvenience after which “business as usual” will return. That’s a lot to process. Yet truth is emerging across a global landscape. We are not witnessing the death of newspapers. We are witnessing the helpful nudge of classified advertising categories to the internet and an acceleration of mindsets in the advertising community toward more direct forms of marketing. National newspaper industries that have a

disproportionate reliance on classifieds are in full-fledged panic. Why “helpful”? Because this is a storm that we’ve seen coming for at least 10 years. We didn’t prepare. We didn’t stock up on foodstuffs. We didn’t board up the windows. Worse yet, we didn’t have insurance! We needed a push to transform. So, we’re trying to squeeze 10 years of change into a few panicked quarters. And we’re finding that no industry has enough transformational “bandwidth” to turn their ship of state that quickly. It’s just too complex of a beast. Unfortunately, we need to hit bottom before we find our footing. That should happen in the next year. Yet very quietly, beneath the noisy headlines of layoffs and delayed projects, something interesting is happening. As painful as it is, newspapers are lowering their cost structures and transforming themselves into technology companies with print offshoots. We are shedding ego journalism and replacing it with USP journalism. We are becoming ferocious believers in relevance for advertisers, in print and across the digital spectrum. We are growing accustomed to operating like real businesses — without rivers of gold being our bridge financing. Yes, in our outsourcing, insourcing, and offshoring, we are making mistakes. On occasion, we’re cutting too deeply into the bone for readers. But we learn, adapt, and move on. As API’s Newspaper Next project taught us, if you’re going to fail … fail fast. In other words, our emerging “newsmedia” companies are well positioned for economic recovery. What we have to resist is our urge to add back unproductive journalism and printing processes best outsourced. When the urge to add returns in 2010-2011, what are our priorities? I hope they are CRM systems, platform specialists, marketers, salespeople, and researchers. In a decade, we will have long forgotten today’s freefall. Yet we won’t forget the decisions we made during the freefall. The decision to transform. The decision to set priorities for the recovery once we tear down the old model. Are you preparing for recovery? F

the author: earl J. wilkinson is executive director of inma, a frequent speaker at industry conferences and newspaper companies, and the author of many reports and books. he can be reached at [email protected].

Thanks to a nudge, newspapers are changing The “helpful” economic downturn may

have us all in a panic, but we are quietly

repositioning the newsmedia industry

for recovery.

by earl j. wIlkINSON

ideas January+February 2009 page 7

Pieter Bruwer. GENERAL MANAGER. dIE BURGER. Cape town. “Newspapers give advertisements a form of legitimacy, it validates the advertisers brand. our readers value our editorial content and therefore advertisers find that there is an inherent value placed on their ads by readers.”

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{What value do you believe your readers placeon your newspaper’s advertising?}

Laurie finLey. VIcE PRESIdENT oF SALES ANd MARkETING. WINNIPEG FREE PRESS. winnipeg. “The most recent results from our readership studies found that 54 percent of respondents read the newspaper as much for the advertising content as the editorial content 70 percent indicated they purposely look for advertisements for sales and information on specific products. Anecdotic ally we certainly hear from readers when there is an error in an advertisement or they have an issue with the offer strongly indicating that the ad content is seen and read.”

amer yaquB. dIREcToR oF INTERNATIoNAL AdVERTISING. WAShINGToN PoST. washington. “In study after study, readers continue to rate advertising as one of the most important reasons they buy newspapers. A vivid example of this was when a colleague shared a story about a woman racing to buy a newspaper at the airport and grew frustrated when she didn’t have the correct change. curious to see what story she was so desperate to read, the Post employee was (happily) surprised to see that the customer was getting it for the coupon for a car wash that runs every week in our Metro section!”

Banner advertisements have been a staple of online advertising for years, and while search and other web advertising formats have eaten into their share of the market, banners have held on. That might not be the case for much longer. With the economic downturn coming on strong, advertisers are taking a closer look at their marketing budgets. Web publishers and advertising agencies need to make a strong case for an advertisement’s returns. Banners — brand advertising, mostly — have always been a bit nebulous when it comes to ROI, especially compared to more performance-based advertisements. And that means they’re often the first to go when cuts are made. With so many businesses getting into digital advertising over the last few years, the shortcomings of banner ads have been mostly ignored. However, now, with so much scrutiny on spending, these shortcomings are coming back to haunt them. Furthermore, advertisers are increasingly clued-in on the measurability and optimisation of other online advertising models, which deliver return-on-investment banners can’t match.

economic concerns pushing advertisers increasingly away from online banner ads

CLaus nyVoLd. AdVERTISING dIREcToR. EkSTRA BLAdET. Copenhagen. “our readers appreciate advertising in our newspaper. Ads are seen as a naturally part of the newspaper. Without ads the paper wouldn’t be the paper they know and have grown to prefer and love. The ads give valuable information and also serves as small pauses and breaks in the flow of information the papers otherwise delivers. And finally the readers know that ads contribute to the economy of the newspaper.”

audIeNceS are flOckINg, but advertISerS are StayINg awayNews media with a business focus is in high demand. The economic crisis and the attention it is generating are creating a huge audience for business news. Yet despite this growing audience, business and financial news outlets aren’t seeing parallel growth in advertising revenues. Business media advertisers are seeing red. With many banks and other financial institutions on the skids, they’re pulling back on advertising. Luxury goods manufacturers, whose clientele frequent business media, are facing an uncertain holiday season and a slowdown in sales.

brOadcaSt NIghtly NewS SlIPS deSPIte u.S. PreSIdeNtIal electIONThe U.S. presidential campaign produced tremendous interest in political news. The cable news networks saw audiences swell. Yet the broadcast networks nightly news programmes, despite audiences’ enthusiasm, registered declines in viewership. This shortcoming points to how competitive the media environment has become. They are hobbled by the 24/7 news cycle, as outlets such as cable news and the internet can deliver information throughout the day. Also, the early time in the evening at which they air is a problem, as with many modern lifestyles, it is just not a time people can sit down in front of the television.

cover >>page 8 January+February 2009 ideas

{When people talk about newspapers, most have a certain picture in their minds. If you then ask them how they visualise

a newspaper they usually mention different characteristics: a printed product, a periodical publication, one that contains current information, something to be paid for. Over the decades, scientists have dealt with the term “newspaper” and have devoted themselves to the question of how to define it. A well-known definition comes from Otto Groth who said the term “newspaper” possesses four characteristics: “relevance,” “periodicity,” “publicity,” and “universality.”

faCed with disruPtions and eroding ProCesses, newspapers should move beyond classical strategies to embrace two possible models: “Four Lives” and MMM. by horst pirker

2 possible strategies for newspapers

Astonishingly, these four characteristics are less interesting than the two missing by which most of us would automatically apply to newspapers: “payment” and the fact that a newspaper is always printed on paper. The absence of these two characteristics has far-reaching implications if one is dealing with the future of the newspaper.

THe eROSiON PROCeSSeS OF ReACH AND CiRCuLATiON. When examining newspaper circulation and reach in different countries over time, it becomes clear that the numbers are eroding, with certain exceptions. Paid circulation and reach have shown clear erosion at least since the early 1990s. These processes can be observed worldwide — not only in the field of daily newspapers but increasingly

<< coverideas January+February 2009 page 9

{theauthor}horst Pirker is chairman of the board of Styria Medien AG in Graz, Austria, a position he has held since 1999. he has extensive experience not only with newspaper publishers but also organisations serving the industry. currently, he serves as president of Ifra and the Austrian newspaper association VÖZ. he can be reached at [email protected].

agencies, international concentration processes can be seen. The same holds true for advertising. For example, decisions regarding advertising budgets are no longer made in Graz or in Vienna. Once-local firms have become outposts for companies headquartered in London, Hamburg, Paris, or New York. Through these changes, qualitative and relevant aspects of regional newspapers are lost as decisions are mainly based on impersonal economic figures. The adoption of new business models will have profound effects on how newspapers are financed. Some newspapers will no longer be financed by both advertising and circulation sales, but rather exclusively by advertising. Another strategy gaining traction is the hybrid newspaper, which pursues both free and paid-for distribution. The term “hybrid” reflects that one newspaper follows at least two different business models for different target groups. Also having an impact on the industry are social developments. Those concerning the media industry are mainly changes to the direct contact between consumers and publications, and the shift in control within the business. An example of this would be the loss of the gatekeeper role of journalists and the multi-tasking of an “always-on” society. Convergence trends are also disruptive. A typical example is technical convergence — the combination of functions. Blackberry has a market share of 17.4 percent worldwide and serves simultaneously as a telephone, as a device for e-mailing, as well as a calendar, alarm clock, calculator, and other functions. Meanwhile, looking at the information business today there are not only the former television institutions and general media companies, but also completely new competitors such as telecommunication companies, banks, and insurance firms which act as information suppliers. The merging of public and private cultures, of people and computers, and of producers and consumers, as each recipient can be a media creator as well as a consumer — these are only a few of the characteristics of convergence. All aforementioned new developments show — combined with visible erosion processes — the necessity for newspaper businesses to set the course straight. Fortunately, there is no shortage of possible strategies.

among weeklies and other genres. This is critical as one of the two main revenue streams decreases dramatically — namely, revenues achieved through circulation sales. Even more, the second main revenue stream, advertising revenues, is also affected by eroding circulation and reach. And the story doesn’t end here. Since less revenue is achieved, newspaper managements are forced to cut costs. This often results in a reduction in the quality of the newspaper. The problem is not solved, but rather perpetuated or worsened. This can be argued by applying Advertising-Circulation-Spiral: due to the decrease in the newspaper’s quality after cost reductions, fewer people will be encouraged to read it. This again lowers circulation and reach. In short, a negative spiral begins that is very destructive for newspapers. Even if newspapers appear to be in the middle of a hurricane, this is generally only an impression. The sails have to be set correctly against a rough and stormy wind, yet there are also new and interesting shores in sight to steer towards. Yet before entering a new course, it is important to take a good look at current developments to derive target-oriented strategies.

NeW DeveLOPMeNTS AND CHANGiNG PROCeSSeS. Today, newspapers face a number of new developments, some of which are of a disruptive character. These developments and changing processes in media are impacting the business. Fundamental technological change is a process that will probably never come to an end. “Digitalisation” made possible many of the developments we seen in media today, such as the so-called “disintegration.” By this, I mean content that has been inseparably connected with a particular medium or platform for decades and now with today’s technology can now be detached and mobilised. The internet is only one facet of digitalisation and disintegration, even though it is an important one. Other facets include digital paper and ink, and even artificial intelligence. For example, consider the quality of intelligent processing that search engines achieve today. It is not unrealistic to predict a direct connection between this form of artificial intelligence and human intelligence — users — in the relatively near future. Looking at business developments, we can roughly differentiate between concentration of existing industry players and new business models. Newspapers are only at the beginning of future concentration trends. The A.T. Kearney Concentration Curve maps how industries concentrate — moving from a scattered landscape populated with players of varying size through different stages to an end point in which there remain only a few large companies controlling most of the market. Today, newspaper publishers are at the bottom of the curve and its course points upwards in the next 25 years. Looking at both customers and

>> >

cover >>page 10 January+February 2009 ideas

the end comes. This strategy can be seen today in the newspaper and media industry. Given current developments and the erosion we see, there are better, more sustainable and more target-oriented strategies for newspaper companies than the aforementioned classical strategies. One opportunity for newspaper companies is adapting the newspaper’s business and/or revenue models to meet changes in the market. In contrast to Porter’s harvesting strategy this promises sustainable success. THe FOuR LiveS OF THe NeWSPAPeR. In a model called the “Four Lives of a Newspaper,” newspapers have four chances to reinvent their business models for the challenges of the market. >> Classical: Most of our industry is living through the first life of a newspaper: a classical revenue model involving a paid newspaper, a mass market, and advertisers attracted to that mass market. >> hybrid: For newspapers confronted by eroding market fundamentals, a potentially sustainable option is to adopt the partly free “hybrid” model. This will result in drastically reducing revenues. Yet if circulation and reach can be significantly increased, pushing up advertising revenue, then such a strategy is a promising one for the future. The hybrid model is the second life of the newspaper. >> free: If newspapers are also confronted in their second life with erosion of circulation and reach, then they will have another opportunity to adapt. The newspaper can move to exclusively free distribution. Remember, payment is not a characteristic of a newspaper, according to Groth’s definition. This represents the transition from the second to the third life of a newspaper. >> digital: The strategy goes even further. At the end of each of these three lives one can directly go to a possible fourth life of a newspaper: the digital life, which is not the end of a long journey but the beginning of a new one. Unlike Porter’s harvesting strategy, which more or less damages an established brand, the “Four Lives of a Newspaper” strategy leads to another approach. Newspapers that see the end of a business model’s lifecycle are best served by adopting a new one that may be better suited to the realities of its market. THe MMM STRATeGy. In the centre of the “Four Lives of a Newspaper,” one can see the MMM strategy. Looking at the abbreviation of the World Wide Web, WWW, and holding a mirror to the bottom of the letters, the reflection reads “MMM.” The analogy is appropriate as the MMM strategy for newspapers is a reflection of and a response to the challenges of the digital age: >> multi-media: The first “M” of the MMM strategy stands for “multi-media.” Different media types are now no longer viewed on an isolated basis but on an integrated one. It is now possible to offer multi-media content to customers.

CLASSiCAL STRATeGieS. The newspaper business is influenced by many changing processes and new developments. In this stormy time, it is necessary to head towards new shores and follow target-oriented strategies. Newspaper and media structures show an increasing complexity influenced by the different interests of multiple stakeholders. Classically, a strategy for responding to this sort of pressure has been cooperation. An example of this is the cooperation between numerous newspaper and media businesses in different countries to publish a common magazine, Arena ’08, for the EURO 2008 championship. The main aim of these diverse players was to produce quality reporting that would not have been imaginable had they worked alone. These stand-alone, single-event collaborations are one approach. Another is for media companies to move beyond isolated instances of partnership to long-term alliances. Companies following this strategy can be seen around the world. A third “classical” strategy is Michael Porter’s “harvesting market position.” A professor at Harvard Business School, Porter’s theory states that in mature industries undermined by technology and other developments, managers boost prices and cut quality to produce final, large pay-offs to shareholders before

>> >

{erosion process by circulation and reach

<< coverideas January+February 2009 page 11

>> multi-Channel: The second “M” stands for “multi-channel.” Multi-channel means the use of all available distribution forms, both physically and digitally. >> multi-Platform: The third “M” stands for “multi-platform.” This means the use of all available platforms to reach customers wherever and whenever during their day. Together, these three “M’s form the basis of the MMM strategy. The idea behind it is to offer multi-media content through different distribution forms on various platforms. Again looking at Groth’s definition of newspapers, the term “newspaper” is not affected, since paper does not go along with the definition or characteristics of the newspaper. The MMM strategy requires shaping newspapers’ organisational structures to bring the three “M’s into a consistent structure. Multi-media content should be distributed via as many channels as possible — digital and analogue — and on as many platforms as possible. Many combinations are possible, although these have to be structured in an effective way.

iNTeGRATiON AND SePARATiON. An obvious step in building out the MMM strategy is the establishment of a joint newsroom where print and digital journalists work together closely, swapping content and ideas. This integrated editorial department can already be seen at newspaper companies. To be able to take advantage of the synergies that come from working together, the editors use a common “content engine.” From a technical point of view, it is a database with multi-media content. From an organisational point, it is a multi-media agency obtaining content directly from users, the company, or external entities. There is danger that due to overlapping content, the focus is concentrated too much on meeting the needs of those who use both the digital and print media. These “double users” represent just a small part of the audience compared to the “print users only” and the “digital users only.” Concentrating only on serving the double users and neglecting the other two groups can drive away audience and diminish the newspaper’s reach. In developing strategies to target the multi-media newsroom’s work to the largest possible audience, it’s worth considering a quote from Saint Ignatius: “Pray as though everything depended on you. Act as though everything depended on God.” Similarly, treat print as if your business was only depending on print, and treat digital as if your business was solely depending on digital. The workflows of the print and the digital editorial staffs should not be fully integrated or merged together, but each office should serve its own target group. This does not mean that the MMM strategy should not be applied. To the contrary, synergies regarding the creation and use of content should be used. But the temptation to only serve one mutual target group should be resisted. Each platform

should be managed by platform experts so that their individual users can be served in the best possible way. From the organisational point of view this means that each platform needs a platform manager, and the content could be derived directly from the content engine or generated from the users themselves. Even though the MMM strategy is a powerful strategy, the aforementioned danger of a possible decline in coverage has to be considered, and the suggested countermeasures taken.

CONCLuSiON. It is not difficult to see that the media industry — and in particular newspapers — finds itself in stormy times. This is based on recent developments, which can partly be attributed to disruptive developments and the systemic erosion of circulation and reach. It is a time that allows the course to be set straight and to steer towards new shores — shores which can already be seen. It is also time to leave traditional courses or strategies and to face new developments. A few newspaper companies see the appeal of concentration, cooperation, and Porter’s harvesting strategy. Yet in my opinion, other strategies — particularly the two introduced in this article, the MMM strategy and the “Four Lives of a Newspaper” — provide better answers for the current situation. F

{separation model versus integration model

page 12 January+February 2009 ideas profile >>

The Sacramento Bee converted from a 50- inch to a 46-inch web. In doing so, it also underwent a complete overhaul and redesign. Knowing this was a great opportunity for audience development, The Sacramento Bee put together a full-fledged marketing campaign to promote the new Bee. The redesign was developed with considerable public feedback. Early on, the newsroom developed a piece with multiple fonts and agates that the audience development team took to readers. They were invited to choose which text styles they liked best. The font they favoured was ultimately used in the redesign. Ahead of the launch, the editor began writing articles about the changes coming and inviting feedback, although the new sections and highlights of the redesign were not made public until the weekend prior to the launch. The Sacramento Bee sought to market the new product, promote the new sections and features, and drive circulation with a strategy best utilising its budget. Rather than invest in costly radio, TV, and billboards, it looked to do a more grassroots approach, involving all employees at the newspaper. Signage was placed on the sides of bus shelters at major intersections throughout downtown and the suburbs. The thought was that these might be seen by traffic going at a slower pace than billboards on a freeway. Lawn signs were expected to have a life of about one to two weeks. The single-copy retailers love

with a shift to a new Page width and a redesign, the Sacramento Bee created a marketing campaign to re-introduce the newspaper to its community, including readers and advertisers. by maria ravera

that they help drive traffic into their stores. To communicate the changes to advertisers, a special four-page wrap was developed highlighting a new front page and some of the sections, along with the new advertisement sizes. This was sent, along with a letter, to all advertisers. After the launch, marketing pieces were developed to highlight changes that were timely and would draw the curious to the newspaper. For example, with the start of the Olympics on August 8, 2008, the mini-rack card and store stacker promoted Olympics coverage. The new “Living Here” section has a different daily theme, lending itself to a “reason to read the newspaper everyday” type promotion, to get subscribers and single-copy buyers to increase their readership. Other material promoted the new “news digests” on both the front and sports pages. It highlights the stories within and gives readers a quick overview of the days headlines, catering to the typical “no time to read” response. With development of a new product, it was the perfect time for the audience development team to showcase it. It visited every news rack in the market to clean, refresh, and reposition. Hundreds of plastics were changed, decals put out, and racks were moved to ensure the Bee would have the best position on the street. Single-copy daily sales averaged 500 copies higher on the first week of the redesign. Sales on the home delivery side are very strong around all of the direct response pieces. This campaign utilised all of the company’s marketing assets to promote the wonderful new product the news team created. F

>>maria ravera is director of audience development at the sacramento Bee in sacramento, usa. she can be reached at [email protected].

Given today’s economic challenges, the newspaper developed a strategy best utilising its marketing dollars. Marketing pieces were developed to highlight changes that were timely and would draw the curious to the newspaper.

{redesign}

Redesign of the newspaper an opportunity to reach out

13-15 May 2009

79th Annual INMA World Congress

http://worldcongress.inma.org

Transforming the newspaper business model and culture amid an economic tsunami requires more mental “bandwidth” than at any moment in the four centuries dailies have been published.

Yet to do so requires people with an entirely different skill set plugged into the pulse of change across geographical and industry borders. How are technology and the economy changing reader needs? What is the recovery plan for advertising?

Join us for the 79th Annual INMA World Congress in Miami for a unique experience that can’t be found at other industry conferences in 2009.

Urgent times call for urgent measures. We are far beyond “selling harder,” “marketing smarter,” and “producing more.” How do newsmedia companies derive value from media assets while simultaneously transforming the business model?

Key themes>>Innovation and transformation >>The new value of audiences>>Alternative business models >>Newspapers that are growing>>What will happen to advertising

Target audienceSenior executives charged with horizontal management across vertical silos (chief executives, chief operating officers, chief marketing officers, chief editors, innovation/change managers, strategy managers)

Converting Bandwith to Innovation

}page 14 January+February 2009 ideas on >>newspapernext

An urgent question grips the U.S. newspaper industry: “How can we generate more revenue?” With revenues plunging, cost cuts and layoffs are a daily nightmare. Publishers say it’s a fight to find a new equilibrium point, balancing lower costs with — they hope — stabilised traditional revenues and rising new revenues. As core revenues shrink, finding new sources is mission-critical. Most U.S. newspapers are focused mainly on two product-centred strategies: >> Sell more of the existing products — display ads, preprints, special sections, total market coverage products, banner ads on web sites — to existing customers. >> Sell those products to additional similar customers. It’s tough going. These are mature products, near sales saturation levels for years. Raising rates is all but impossible. Even online offerings — banner ads and classified upsells — are flattening. It’s clear that these strategies aren’t enough. We need bigger new-revenue opportunities. Here are two huge opportunities. First, unmet needs among the many businesses that don’t buy newspaper advertising. Second, unmet needs among our existing customers. When you start exploring unmet needs, you discover some simple truths: >> Nearly every business has frustrating challenges. >> Most will pay for good solutions. >> Creating these solutions can

generate new revenue. Talk to businesses, and you find there’s no shortage of unmet needs. The challenge is understanding them and creating the solutions. Newspapers meet one big need: mass reach. This suits larger local businesses that want to reach everybody and can afford the expense. But as our reach shrinks, these revenues are declining, worsened by customer consolidations and new competition. What other needs could we meet? The 2008 Newspaper Next report, “Making the Leap Beyond ‘Newspaper Companies,’” describes many. Here are several, spanning all types and sizes of business: >> Help me reach exactly my type of customer. >> Help me get considered when someone is buying. >> Help me show the quality of what I do. >> Help me build 1-to-1 customer relationships. >> Make advertising simple and cheap enough for my small business. >> Help me use the internet to grow my business. Print ads and typical banner ads don’t do these jobs very well. But digital solutions — especially e-mail, paid search, video, and online promotions — can be highly effective. No wonder Borrell Associates surveys show these formats exploding in the next five years, while banner ads decline. But it’s not the format that sells. It’s how it meets a business need, which requires astutely shaping the technology to get the job done. And it’s selling the solution to the right customers at the right price, including legions of small businesses we don’t serve today. That requires new sales people specialising in the new products. It requires lower-cost sales channels, like e-mail, telemarketing, and customer self-serve solutions. It requires lower price points than ever before, to tap the very “long tail” of local small businesses. This is no small challenge. We need to wake up to needs we don’t meet, create solutions we don’t have, and present them to customers we’ve never sold. But it’s also a huge opportunity. A vast frontier of local digital advertising is opening now in our markets, and nobody owns it yet. Success can be ours — if we realise it’s about meeting new needs. F

the author: stephen t. gray is managing director of newspaper next. he has led the american Press institute’s newspaper next project since its inception in 2005. he is a former managing publisher of the Christian science monitor and former publisher and editor of the monroe evening news in the united states. he can be reached at [email protected].

New revenue is all about meeting new needsRevenue opportunities for newspapers

are out there. central to exploiting them,

newspaper managers must identify the

unmet needs of their advertisers and

establish effective strategies to meet them.

by StePheN t. gray

<< profileideas January+February 2009 page 15

If news organisations want to really wow people online, what should they focus on? Media Management Center (MMC), in partnership with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, sought to find out with recent in-depth interviews with 27 heavy online users in Atlanta and Chicago. It asked interviewees to identify and describe their “favourite” web sites and explain why they chose them over alternatives. What separated the favourites from the rest of the pack was not “being the best” or “having the most” or “being unique.” It was being “easy to use” and making it “easy to find what I’m looking for.” But being “easy to use” meant much more to those interviewed than just being attractive. It meant, at base, presenting a manageable volume of information with a minimum of reading and sifting. This was significantly more important than having unique content. Why? Over and over, people talked about how overwhelmed they sometimes feel online. When they care a lot about a subject, the internet’s seemingly infinite volume may be wonderful, but when they don’t, it’s a nightmare. Web sites with an overload of information literally repulsed them. Thus, being “easy to use” is the antithesis of the feeling that there’s just “too much.” Particularly when it came to news, users said they urgently seek to get what they want (and only what they want) with the least effort. For light news users particularly, this means that when they want to know something in the news, they go to national sites. At the core of this behaviour is a limited interest in news. National sites cover the major stories with a lower volume of news overall. For light news users, local sites appeared overwhelming and monotonous. The research also found: >> Interviewees tolerated web sites with information gaps much more readily than those that overwhelmed them. >> Shopping for new, better web sites isn’t something people enjoy or do regularly. Most people have three to five sites they’ve used for years. If you’re part of this habit, it’s a major advantage. >> Users trying to sift through almost infinite choices online give familiar brands a lot of weight — and rely on brand identities. Television web sites were seen as more up-to-date than newspaper counterparts

What it takes to be a web favouritea rePort from the media management Center finds being unique isn’t the key to standing out for news web sites. don’t overwhelm consumers, become part of their habit, focus on reliability, and segment news consumption. by stacy lynch

because “television broadcasts several times a day while the newspaper publishes only once.” Conversely, newspaper sites were seen as more reliable. >> News consumption isn’t one monolithic activity. An ideal “news scanning” visit is usually efficient and brief, while “getting informed” sometimes calls for exhaustive detail and lengthy involvement. Understanding the difference (and who wants each) has major implications for site content. Many light users expressed unhappiness with the current online news experience, particularly at local sites. This is both an opportunity and a challenge. The key to coming out on top is understanding who your users are (and aren’t) and crafting an experience that connects with them. F

>>stacy Lynch is a consultant with the media management Center at northwestern university in evanston, illinois, usa. she can be reached at [email protected].

Newspaper's web sites, more than offering more content than competitors or unique content, must be easy to use and present information in digestable, manageable formats.

{favourite}


on >>advertising

The economic downturn, described by Netscape founder Marc Andreesen as a “coming nuclear winter,” is not only accelerating the transformation of our industry but confirming a long-term trend. The portion of advertising in the marketing mix has decreased from 34.9 percent in 1998 to 30.6 percent in 2008, while the portion of direct marketing has increased from 10.1 percent up to 22.8 percent. Remaining resources, and the biggest share of the marketing mix, have been dedicated to sales promotion, although decreasing from 55 percent in 1998 to 46.6 percent in 2008. This reflects a slow shift from one-way to two-way communication to transaction with the customers. As marketers need more direct response, media planning and buying has become a commodity. The mechanism of finding the correct price tends to be fully automated and exclusively based on ROI. But more than just how often an advertisement has the opportunity to be seen by consumers, what reflects the quality of the contact between consumer and advertiser? The explosion of available online advertising inventory pushed the cost per thousand (CPM) of U.S. online banners down 50 percent over the last three years, declining from US$3 to US$1.50. Out-of-home advertising’s best CPM starts at US$3, magazine’s CPM at US$7, while newspapers’ CPM starts at around US$11. This makes the entry barrier for most traditional media very high. Most online search advertising, as well as

display advertising, is priced on auction-based systems. Print is disadvantaged as a key driver of any auction because of the scarcity of the product sold. As newspapers never have any difficulty printing four more pages in order to absorb four additional ads, publishers can only offer special sections or limited, exclusive advertising spaces. Does this mean traditional media should leave the digital market to “700-pound gorillas” like Google, Yahoo, or Microsoft? There is still space for good business, even for newspapers. Veronis Suhler Stevenson, in its latest media industry forecast, compared the size and growth of digital pure plays versus traditional media companies. In terms of advertising, the pure plays are clearly leading with US$18 billion in 2007 and a forecast of US$40 billion in 2012, meaning a CAGR of 17 percent. This is much more advertising revenue than the traditional media companies, which generated US$11 billion in 2007 and for which the forecast by 2012 is US$28 billion, showing a CAGR of 21 percent. In terms of digital advertising, traditional media companies are going to grow more rapidly than the pure plays. Why is that? The answer can be found in the other digital revenue category: money for content. On the paid content field, pure plays have generated about the same amount of money as traditional media, US$3.7 billion. However, traditional media are expected to increase this volume until 2012 by a CAGR of 26 percent and reach US$11.6 billion, while the pure plays will increase by “only” 13 percent, reaching US$6.9 billion in 2012. It’s all about monetising audience that you satisfy with your content. If engineers can bring scale, automation, and efficiency to the workflow, there is still a lot of know-how needed to create the quality content that will attract audiences. When you succeed, advertisers will want to use your channel to transport their brand. At this game, traditional publishers are very experienced start-ups. F

the author: Jean-Christophe francet is deputy head of business development at Publigroupe Limited in Lausanne, switzerland. he can be reached at [email protected].

Newspapers need to start thinking like start-upsThe economic downturn is an additional

hardship for already struggling

newspapers, but traditional media’s

audience and brand leave them well-

positioned for future growth.

by jeaN-chrIStOPhe fraNcet


There are opportunities to be found in the way the newspaper industry views customer service. Handling customer service calls — many of them cancellation requests — do not necessarily have to be viewed as an expense, but rather are tremendous opportunities for the newspaper to add value for subscribers and drive revenue higher for the newspaper. The Dallas Morning News recently contracted with the outsource call centre Surpass to handle all of its customer service calls. The newspaper’s case provides an example of how newspapers can benefit by subscribing to the new paradigm of viewing customer service as a profit centre.

The key element of the process is to have a quality conversation with every subscriber who calls. This requires training and coaching call centre personnel to apply a robust call flow based on effectiveness versus efficiency. The first 15 seconds of a call determine how the rest of the call goes, so the greeting conveys enthusiasm, assurance of help, and clarity of purpose. Next, the discovery step helps the representative understand the subscriber’s wants, interests, and needs as well as the reason for the call. Then, after the representative has done a good job at discovery, the solution virtually presents itself. The subscriber responds positively to the offer, and the representative closes with an assumptive approach that achieves the desired result. The problem for many newspapers is that they don’t have the in-house resources to train, coach, and execute this process. What’s more, garden variety call centres don’t have the specialised expertise required to serve newspapers effectively. Outsourcing customer service and retention calls gives newspapers like the Dallas Morning News access to the outside firm’s investment in training and coaching and its own experience with the newspaper industry. Furthermore, the added revenue to cost is very attractive. Many calls that come into a newspaper customer service department are from subscribers who intend to cancel and who are often angry because of a service or billing issue. On average, newspapers save about 17 percent of these subscribers from quitting, but working with a specialised, outside provider can push that percentage significantly higher. This translates to fewer subscribers that the newspaper will need to replace, at costs ranging from US$40 or more apiece. The Dallas Morning News sends its outsourcing partner about 11,000 customer service calls per week. These represent 11,000 opportunities to not only prevent cancellations but also to convert subscribers to EZ Pay and upsell them to more deliveries and additional products. Even when the customer starts out angry, quality conversations overwhelmingly conclude with a happy subscriber who has just made a new purchase—and added to the newspaper’s bottom line. F

>>Bob davis is managing partner and co-founder of surpass and president of robert C. davis and associates. he can be reached at [email protected].

Transforming customer service from expense to profit

outsourCing newsPaPers’ Customer serViCe CaLLs can open new doors subscriber retention, product sales, and EZ Pay subscriptions. by bob davis

customer service is an integral part of newspapers’ operations. however, the revenue opportunities in these contacts between a newspaper and its audience are not always fully exploited.

{centre}


It was about 10 years ago — when the internet was still new and groovy — that I got my first taste of the power of bandwidth. Having just learned of the miracle of attachments, I had e-mailed the 64-page print-ready PDF of the newspaper to my printers, who were located 1,500 kilometres away. It had been a horror deadline, and we’d missed the flight that used to take our CD. It was after midnight and I thought “Why not gun this new IT stuff and see how it performs? What’s the worst that can happen?” The result: our computer server — running a 56kb modem — totally zoned out. When we came into work the next morning it was utterly non-responsive. We did the standard “reboot it and it will be fine” manoeuvre — several times — but it remained in a world of its own. I explained to our IT guy what I’d done. He looked at me with the long disdainful blink that only a man in a cardigan who relates to circuitry and microchips can do. “You tried to send an elephant through a straw,” he explained. “Oh, okay,” I said. “That was a really bad idea then. You can’t fit an elephant down a straw.” “Well, you can,” he said. “But you have to cut it up into really tiny pieces first.” It was an “Aha!” moment. Any expectation of computer work ended for the day. Our poor old system just needed to chew up the elephant. Nearly 15 hours after sending the first files, our printers phoned. The pages

had turned up. The elephant had come out the other end. Two hours later, they phoned again. The CD we sent on the plane the following morning had also showed up. The same information, sent by a traditional method, arrived safely, but more slowly. As a newspaper, we never looked back. From that day on we sent the files via e-mail — albeit in smaller bites — and gave the computer time to digest. In the latest “Newsmedia Outlook 2009” report from INMA, the idea of bandwidth is discussed as something that media executives and leaders need to embrace. Do they have the bandwidth to cope with the fast-moving, transitional newspaper market that we find ourselves in? The current environment of constant change, dramatic revenue losses, and readers’ shift online is a mighty elephant for executives to chew over, while at the same time producing newspapers and strategising for future success. But there is no way we can expect that elephant to go down the straw as a whole. It has to be minced up and an enormous amount of trust placed in the idea that it will come out the other end, rebuilt and still be recognisable as an elephant. Putting faith in this process gives us a time advantage. If we wait for the whole elephant to be sent via freight, we may have greater control, but we risk discovering we’ve left it too late —that the market for elephants has totally dried up and everyone has moved on. Ever since that fateful day of 64 pages down a 56kb line, “bandwidth” has been part of my vernacular. It’s the word used for those days when you have 147 things on your to-do list. Here is the other thing about bandwidth — that the more you jam that elephant down the straw, the more the straw stretches. Just as our 56kb became ADSL and then later broadband, bandwidth expands the more you use it — and the more you invest in it. F

the author: Kylie davis is managing editor, editorial business development, at the sydney morning herald in australia and a fired-up and passionate member of generation X. she can be reached at [email protected].

Newspaper managers today need more bandwidth

on >>newsroom

The world is coming fast and furious at

newspapers. Executives need to learn how

to survive in this environment of constant

change and how to respond to the diverse

challenges it throws up.

by kylIe davIS


To cut costs, newspapers are already reducing their page sizes and staffs. Next, they’ll be dropping their Monday editions, as some already have. Monday is on the chopping block because it is a money-losing proposition for editors in the United States, no local news of consequence happens on Sunday so there’s nothing but wire service copy for editors to put in it, readers are turned off by how little is in it, and advertisers aren’t advertising in it. Monday editions will be going the way of all things — even though it’s a terrible mistake for newspapers to make. One of the biggest drivers of daily newspaper readership is habit, which fortunately for newspapers are hard to break. Newspapers would be penny-wise and pound-foolish to interrupt this daily ritual of millions of Americans. Dropping Monday will only give subscribers another reason to drop their weekly subscription all together. But the Monday edition needn’t go the way of

defending the Monday editionas newsPaPers seeK to Cut Costs, some U.S. daily newspapers have cut or are considering cutting their Monday editions. But the answer instead might be to not spend unnecessarily on the Sunday edition. by alan jacobson

the Washington bureau. There is another way for newspapers to cut back without cutting off their noses. They need only look back 24 hours to find the resources they need to keep their Monday editions afloat. Newspapers need to take a hard look at their Sunday editions, where they’ll find tremendous resources that go to waste every week. Editors will tell you that Sunday is “different,” but they will be hard-pressed to tell you how. They’ll claim that people have more time to read on Sunday, but with church, soccer, trips to Home Depot, and the NFL, they can’t have enough time to read it all. Much of it must go unread. If readers do make more time for the Sunday newspaper, it probably isn’t for the content. Our research shows that free-standing advertising inserts are the number-one reason people look at the Sunday edition. If readers give the newspaper 15 minutes during the week and 25 minutes on Sunday, then maybe a daily-sized edition and free-standing inserts are all they have time for on Sunday. If newspapers want to preserve and nurture the daily reading habit with a Monday edition, then they need to take a serious look at Sunday to see what can be eliminated. So-called “value-added” sections, sections that aren’t supported by advertising, poster pages, and even long op-ed pieces could be cut because most readers don’t have time for them. Granted, newspapers can’t throw out the baby with the bath water. Weddings, engagements, honour rolls, pet of the week, or any other weekly features that readers love, must be preserved. But the six-column photo and the 70-inch story by the reporter who visited another country is not essential. Eliminating it will pay for a full page in Monday’s newspaper and free up an editor and a reporter. Cutting back on Sunday may produce complaints, but not as many as cutting Monday entirely. It comes down to people and paper. It takes too many people to produce the Sunday edition, and it takes too much paper to print what they produce. Cut back on both, and newspapers will have what they need to produce a Monday newspaper with the savings and continue to publish every day. F

>>alan Jacobson is president and Ceo of Brass tacks design in norfolk, Virginia, usa. he can be reached at [email protected].

If newspapers want to preserve and nurture the daily reading habit with a Monday edition, then they need to take a serious look at Sunday to see what can be eliminated …


I am not an alcoholic; nor am I particularly religious. But these days I find myself repeatedly drawn to the Serenity Prayer. As I’m sure you know, this came to popular prominence in the 1930s, and is now recited at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, as well as featuring on millions of cheesy wall hangings across the globe. On the slight chance there isn’t a copy hanging in a bathroom near you, it goes: “God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the Wisdom to know the difference.” Right now, I think it would be a pretty good idea if that was recited at the start of every newspaper board meeting or strategy session — because it is, frankly, about the most useful advice we can get. It is not just that “serenity,” “courage,” and “wisdom” are much more constructive emotional characteristics than the usual “fear,” “greed,” and “envy” that drive so many day-to-day business decisions. It is the simple fact that in an industry currently being whacked by such a potent combination of structural and cyclical change, it is all too easy to exhaust ourselves trying to reverse the irreversible that we have no energy left for the possible. There is so much we cannot change about our lot. We cannot change the shift away from print by consumers and advertisers. We cannot change the fact

that even when we move online, we are — even collectively — tiddlers compared to likes of Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft. We cannot change the constant wave of disruptive business models, often designed deliberately to challenge us. And, perhaps most importantly of all, we cannot change what we have — or haven’t — done over the last decade. Should we get angry about this? Should we have 1984-style “two minute hates” about Google? Should we engage in a game of “coulda-woulda-shoulda” whenever we gather? No, there is still a lot we can do — internally and externally, and we need to save our time, energy, and intellect for

working out exactly what we can do, and then seeing it through. This is where both wisdom and courage come in. We can make sure that we have the right people, in the right jobs, in the right structures, to make sure that are truly fit for a digital future. We can do everything possible to ensure our content is truly part of the web — and the catalyst for a million conversions, not just a collection of text and pictures stranded in cyberspace. We can continue to innovate to make sure our offer to advertisers is as effective as anything else they might be offered on the internet. We can all continue to push the boundaries of where our businesses and brands can go — building on the decades-old relationships we have with audiences and advertisers. And while we’re at it, we can continue to cast a cool eye over the issue of Google and copyright. There may be more we can change there than many think — even if it is a lot less than some might wish. This is no small to-do list. But these are extraordinary times. May we have the serenity, courage, and wisdom to cope with them. F

the author: simon waldman is director of digital publishing at guardian newspapers in London, united Kingdom. he can be reached at [email protected].

Grant us wisdom, courage, and serenity

on >>web2.0

A focus on what’s ahead, an acceptance of

what is, and the right people, strategies,

and attitudes are what newspaper

companies need to survive in today’s

tough environment.

by SIMON waldMaN

we can do everything possible to ensure our content is truly part of the web — and the catalyst for a million conversions, not just a collection of text and pictures stranded in cyberspace.


Gazet van Antwerpen is a newspaper with a long tradition in Belgium. It is the country’s third highest-circulating newspaper. Its focus is on the city of Antwerp itself and the surrounding areas. The city is well known for its important port facilities, its diamond trade, and its creative fashion designers. Antwerp has a history deeply rooted in the affairs of countries both nearby and around the world. Similar to other European metropolises, its truly international character has grown especially quickly over the past few decades. Thanks to immigration, Antwerp has become one of the most diverse cities in the world. Its inhabitants represent 166 different nationalities. This variety ranks Antwerp as the world’s second-most diverse city behind Amsterdam and ahead of New York City. Antwerp’s multi-cultural character is limited for the most part to the city centre, with a mix of poor and uneducated people and the well-off and well-educated ones. In addition, one inner-city household out of two is made up of a single person. The traditional newspaper reader — the elderly, the affluent, the more traditional, and the family-orientated — have moved to the suburbs. Today, they live either north in the rural areas or south in the inter-city area that lies between Brussels and Antwerp. The northern part, with its numerous mansions and wide open space, has grown to become one of the most affluent areas of the country. Prior to the summer of 2008, Gazet van Antwerpen, while the leading newspaper in the area, offered a single edition. That one edition was tasked with serving a million very different old, new, and potential readers. Now, the newspaper is offering three different editions, better targeted to reader tastes, interests, and needs. The edition distributed in the north features a

range of content that focuses more on issues related to enjoying life and money. The edition serving the southern sector concentrates its articles on issues related to employment and traffic as this area is the economic centre of gravity for a number of small- and medium-size companies. The third edition of the newspaper is targeted at Antwerp’s city centre. It is designed to appeal to readers of different origins and backgrounds, focusing on cultural opportunities and on creating the new multi-cultural society of the area’s future. Each edition of Gazet van Antwerpen has a different approach to city issues and local news. In each of the three geographical areas, people’s interests differ, ranging from political and cultural viewpoints, to shopping and traffic habits, to social community interests, and the like. At its most fundamental, these differences reflect whether they come from outside Antwerp and “use” the city or whether they “feel” the city because they live in it. The three editions of Gazet van Antwerpen are produced by the same central desk in the newsroom. The content and audiences of these three editions may be different, but the individual characteristics of these newspapers have to reflect on and be incorporated within the inclusive brand policy of Gazet van Antwerpen. F

>>Luc rademakers is editor-in-chief of gazet van antwerpen in antwerp, Belgium. he can be reached at [email protected].

Answering the specific needs of Antwerp’s diverse population

a singLe newsPaPer Cannot Cater to the needs of a diverse audience. Gazet van Antwerpen is connecting with its audience through three localised editions targeting specific regions of the city, each unique but reflecting the over-arching brand image of the newspaper. by luc rademakers

Belgium’s Gazet van Antwerpen is offering readers three different editions, better targeted to their tastes, interests, and needs.

{three}


media ComPanies striVe to deVeLoP strong Brands around their products. The challenge is to measure that brand value and persuade advertisers that strong brands are worth paying for. by mart ots

Most of the attention media firms devote to brand management is directed toward the consumer market. Yet newspapers are not taking full advantage of the value that their brands provide to advertisers. As advertisers strive for accountable returns on their promotional investments, they recognise the insufficiency of “reach” or “ratings” as indicators of media value. Increasingly, they explore qualities such as media context and consumer engagement. Media brands may provide a path into better understanding these relationships. Strong media brands with high brand equity generate two tendencies. First, their audiences show a behavioural loyalty, meaning they have made their consumption of the brand into a routine. They may purchase the same newspaper every morning, at the same place, consume it in a similar way — with a cup of coffee by the breakfast table, on the crowded subway, in the lunch room at work — receiving the experience that they desire from it. Secondly, audiences may develop an attitudinal loyalty to the brand, meaning that they identify themselves with it, they speak well about it, and want other people to recognise their association with the brand. They may decorate themselves or their belongings with the media logo, keep certain magazines lying on their coffee table, or carry a

prestigious business newspaper under their arm, even though the content itself is not consumed. Some of Sweden’s leading media agencies assessed the usefulness and value of media brands. What was easiest to agree upon was that readers’ behavioural loyalties to a strong newspaper brand produces distinct benefits. Since loyal readers are more consistent in their consumption patterns, a strong brand experience provides more stability in its reach and is less dependent on single-copy sales. To the agency, strong media brands are therefore more trustworthy partners with whom to sign long-term agreements. Further, readers and subscribers are loyal to the media brand for a certain reason. This becomes a point of differentiation where the brand communicates how the audience composition is unique. Attitudinal loyalty caused much more controversy among the agency representatives. On the one hand, their gut feeling tells them that media brands matter — that it should be better to advertise in a context that connects to audiences’ values and engages them. On the other hand, “gut feeling” has become a bad word at many media agencies, and most of them prefer to measure exactly wrong rather than relying on intuition and getting it half right. While there is evidence that advertising placement in the proper media brand context produces better effects, brand attitudes don’t show in most audience measurements and media selection tools. Without the appropriate audience data and selection procedures, worries are that the media buyer or planner makes a pick in accordance to his or her personal brand preferences, rather than those of the intended target audience. Agencies observe an increasing interest and demand from their clients, the advertisers, to take the media brand context into account. What are lacking are the tools to systematically link it to advertising media selection practices. The media industry is now challenged to present a convincing case based on data that is comparable across media brands. Their reward is the opportunity to deliver an advertising product with higher value creation potential — a product for which media eventually can charge a higher price. F

>>mart ots is a researcher at the media management and transformation Centre at Jönköping international Business school, sweden. he can be reached at [email protected].

does brand equity matter to advertisers?


Everywhere I travel, I have noticed one thing: newspapers rarely run fillers these days. Fillers are so last century. I had to clang out nothing but fillers on the trusty Underwood when I joined a newspaper as a cub reporter. You never got beyond them until you knew how to write the perfect filler with all the 5Ws answered in fewer than 25 words. Any more than that, and the news editor would rap you on your knuckles and pile you with a stack of press releases, invitations, court reports, government gazettes, and other dead-tree documents from which you were to write more fillers. I learned. Fast. But I also enjoyed reading them. So-and-so fined $50 for cutting down a tree without permission. Mrs X gets a divorce from her adulterous husband. The Boy Scouts are having a jumble sale. A minister is visiting an orphanage. A VIP is coming to town. And so on and so forth. You read them in one breath. Quick, slice-of-life stories. People. Things. Events. Who’s who. Some were mundane. Some fascinating. A few intriguing and a couple scandalous! Fast forward to the 1980s and the 1990s, and fillers have been consigned to the cemeteries of journalism. Modular design means news fits nicely and exactly into neat rectangles across the page. Why would you need fillers? Faithfully, perhaps blindly, newspapers everywhere responded to this “new” design technique. Dog-leg design was thrown out the window and onto the scrapheap

of journalism. But surveys carried out by the Poynter Institute and other organisations have consistently shown that readers like the short stuff. They almost always get higher readership than anything else. And this is where Western newspapers can learn a thing or two from their Indian counterparts. When I redesigned the Malayala Manorama some years ago, I learned one thing to my great embarrassment. The world’s biggest vernacular newspaper had what it called the “mofussil” pages. “Mo what?” I asked, thinking this was an Indian word. “Go look up the Shorter Oxford dictionary,” the owner and editor-in- chief, Mammen Mathew, told me. It turned out that mofussil is the Queen’s English word for local, local, local! Malayala Manorama has 18 editions a day. Each edition has a different mofussil page. Each has 10-15 photos and 35-50 stories on anything and everything about a particular district. It even has a full page of obituaries printed free of charge for readers. It is the highest-read page, bar none. Read by every self-respecting Malayalee in Kerala, it is no wonder that Malayala Manorama is number one. Bewildered? You’d better be because the circulation figures in India prove that readers simply love the short stuff. Indian newspapers have a very close link to their readers. They behave more like a community than “us” and “them.” Access to journalists and editors is easy unlike in Western newspapers where it is impossible to get past secretaries — and that’s if you can get their direct lines in the first place! With newspaper circulation in the United States, Europe, and the Western world plunging, perhaps it’s time to take another look at the humble filler and re-examine modular design. Modular design as practised in Western newspapers and perpetrated by Western designers and foisted upon unsuspecting journalists has lulled newspapers into a semi-comatose state. It’s time to wake up. F

the author: Peter ong is a newspaper consultant in sydney, australia. he has consulted for and redesigned newspapers and magazines in more than 10 countries across the asia-Pacific region. he can be contacted at [email protected].

All the news that fits (into nice, neat rectangles)

on >>design

Is modular page design in newspapers

way past its use-by date? Slavish devotion

to modular page design can steer a

newspaper’s journalism away from what the

audience is most interested in reading.

by Peter ONg


Behind the decision to launch a Sunday edition is the conviction that only a fully developed regional newspaper can satisfy the changing behaviour in newspaper readers. Sunday has become a recreational reading day. A 2007 study by Demoscope shows two-thirds of Central Switzerland inhabitants already read a Sunday newspaper. The survey also showed that on Sundays people read more and longer. More in-depth reporting and entertainment stories are in great demand. Prior to the launch of Zentralschweiz am Sonntag, the interviewees complained that there was a lack of regional subjects in other Sunday newspapers. Moreover, the study showed that two-thirds of the interviewees would welcome a Sunday newspaper from Neue Luzerner Zeitung. The Zentralschweiz am Sonntag is designed to answer consumers’ needs. It offers professional coverage in national and international subjects, in sports, and culture, but focuses specifically on a regional bundle with news, interviews, and services from all over Central Switzerland. The Zentralschweiz am Sonntag has a clear connection in appearance to the daily edition during the week. The newspaper is composed of six thematically assessed sections in the same size as the daily edition. The Sunday edition is mainly produced in-house because of its important regional focus. For these purposes, further jobs in the editorial department were established, whereas synergies with the weekday edition are realised. The Sunday edition consists of six sections, each examining the week’s news from a region-specific viewpoint. The News section features both national and international events, as well as local cultural stories. The Sports section reports on international, national, and regional sports events. The newspaper also covers important events and news from Central Switzerland, broken down by the six individual cantons in the region, with in-depth background information and reporting in the Canton section. The Market section tackles local consumers’ concrete questions about the markets, the economy, and business. More lifestyle-oriented content appears in the newspaper’s Piazza, covering travel, home, dining,

Sunday edition opens Swiss publisher to new opportunitiesneue LuZerner Zeitung Listens to readers and adVertisers and launches a Sunday edition in central Switzerland. The rollout includes a trial edition for subscribers and a comprehensive editorial offering. by jürg weber

fashion, and other subjects. The Knowledge section features information about health, medical science, and educational questions. It also carries a family page that addresses not only parents, but children. The Sunday edition is distributed to all of the newspaper’s subscribers. This has lead to an expansion of the newspaper’s home delivery operations. In exceptional cases, if delivery on Sunday is not possible, the newspaper is delivered on Monday by mail. Due to the more comprehensive offer, the price for the subscription was given a moderate adjustment. During the first four months subscribers receive the Sunday edition for free. The Zentralschweiz am Sonntag is also available worldwide available as e-paper. The Sunday edition is following the trend of the advertising market. Advertising on Sunday has grown more important. Zentralschweiz am Sonntag has opened Neue Luzerner Zeitung to this part of the market. Advertising in the Sunday newspaper uses the same formats as the daily, but the prices are more attractive. The edition will be financed extensively through advertising, allowing the increase in the subscription price to be a modest one. F

>>Jürg weber is general manager of neue Luzerner Zeitung in Lucerne, switzerland. he can be reached at [email protected].

A new Sunday edition of an established daily is in response to the audience’s reading habits and what they want from their newspaper.

{sunday}


free newsPaPers are maKing headway in markets around the world, many from publishers of traditional dailies. These companies are developing diverse ways to incorporate and mesh their product lines. by piet bakker

Mixed paid/free models target the total audience

A spokesman for Axel Springer once said, “Every day without a free newspaper is a good day.” The German publisher was not alone. Incumbent publishers reacted to free dailies by starting lawsuits and launching spoilers. But things have changed. At the end of 2008, more than half of the total circulation of free dailies is controlled by publishers who own both paid and free newspapers and use them to target their audience as a whole. They are convinced that some readers, particularly younger ones, can only be reached by free products. Even Axel Springer reversed its policy, launching Wochendende Extra, a free weekend edition of the paid-for Berliner Morgenpost. In some cases, the same newspaper is distributed for free and for a cover price. The United Kingdom’s Manchester Evening News, Austria’s Österreich, and Italy’s E Polis are examples of this model. The “lowest” form of cooperation is for a traditional newspaper company to buy an ownership stake in a free publication. Between these models, other levels of cooperation are distinguishable: sharing facilities, joint advertising, sharing content, and publishing a free appetizer, evening, or “lite” edition under the same brand. Executives from publishers around the world have reflected on their collaboration models and the results they have delivered.

sharing facilities. Chris Jones, editor of the free afternoon newspaper mX in Brisbane, shares facilities with News Limited’s Courier-Mail, the area’s leading morning newspaper. “We use the same building, the same presses, and administrative and IT support as the Courier-Mail but we are a different business unit. We have our own advertising and editorial staff. We share circulation staff with other Queensland operations.” Portugeuse media group Cofina uses shared facilities to produce the paid newspaper Correio da Manhã and the free dailies Meia Hora and Destak. Said Cofina’s Francisco Pinto Barbosa: “The cooperation between the two business models occurs mainly in back office and printing functions. In terms of cost, it is more efficient, either by volume negotiations with suppliers and clients or by augmenting the productivity of staff. In terms of readership, combining different reader profiles can be very interesting to clients seeking a wider range of advertising impact.”

Joint advertising. In Sweden, Schibsted publishes paid newspaper Aftonbladet and owns 35 percent of Metro. The publisher’s “Dawn till Dusk” campaign promises advertisers 4.2 daily readers — 60 percent of the Swedish population — by using paid and free dailies. The package was received “in a very positive way,” said Andreas Ohlson, managing director of Metro Sweden. Ohlson adds that 2009 “will be a big test of the offer.” Metro also offers local advertising packages with paid newspapers Svenska Dagbladet and Aftonbladet. Swedish free daily City, from Bonnier, publisher of paid dailies Dagens Nyheter and Expressen, are also sharing back office, printing, and distribution. Said City’s Jakob Ståhl: “Advertising is 75 percent combined with the paid daily, but we do have our own sales and editorial organisation.” The main benefit is “a solid base of local advertising that we would never accomplish without the default package sales with the paid morning newspaper.” The German-language Luxemburger Wort started the free daily Point24 in 2007. Mahnaz


>>Piet Bakker is associate professor at the university of amsterdam in the netherlands. dr. Bakker’s newspaper innovation blog (www.newspaperinnovation.com) offers a thorough examination of the free newspaper industry worldwide. he can be reached at [email protected].

country free daily Since Publisher Paid newspaper

Austria die Neue 2006 Wimmer Verlag oberösterreiche Nachrichten

TT kompakt 2008 Moser holding Tiroler Tageszeitung

Österreich 2006 Wolfgang Fellner Österreich

Belgium Metro 2000 concentra Gazet van Antwerpen

Czech Republic Metro 1997 Mafra dnes

24 hodin 2005 Ringier Blesk

Denmark MetroXpress 2001 JP/Politiken* JP/Politiken

Urban 2001 Berlingske Berlingske Tidende

24timer 2006 JP/Politiken* JP/Politiken

Estonia Linnaleht 2005 Eesti Meedia / Postimees, Eesti Päevaleht Ekspress Group

*minority share

Nikbak, publisher of Saint-Paul Luxembourg, said that opportunities for “advertising improved because of the increase in total readership.” Paulo Cuturi, publisher of the free daily Oberösterreichs Neue in Linz, Austria, is “sharing back office and printing, but also advertising. We have a completely separate team of journalists, producers, and sales staff, but also support from the sales team of the paid newspaper. The major benefit primarily regards the cost structure.” Spain’s ADN cooperates with local newspapers in the markets where they are published. Laura Jimenez Ramos, in Pamplona, explained that the collaboration developed gradually: “first administration, then sharing facilities, and finally sharing advertising sales. It has led to advertising campaigns in both newspapers because the free daily offers a younger target audience while the paid has wider coverage.” sharing content. In Argentina, the Clarín group converted paid daily La Razon to a free newspaper in 2000. Said Clarín’s Luis Vinkler: “La Razon has its own editorial and commercial staff. But photo services, administration, distribution, printing, technical operations, security, marketing, and online are shared. The only ‘own’ cost is the staff, no more. Also, Clarín provides a lot of content.” International news and news from areas outside Buenos Aires and photography are made accessible to La Razon. The United Kingdom’s Associated Newspapers — publisher of the paid dailies Daily Mail and Evening Standard, and the free dailies Metro and London Lite — uses two strategies: shared facilities only for Metro while London Lite also shares content with the Evening Standard. Karen Wall, assistant marketing director at Associated

( {publishers of paid & free newspapers (example) Newspapers’ Free Division, said, “Both our free titles have attracted a young, upmarket professional readership that is attractive to many advertisers. This has had a beneficial effect for the group in taking greater share in some advertising categories. Shared facilities also allow improved efficiencies and shared costs.” Yet cooperation is not easy. “Cultural challenges sometimes exist when you are working with people who are used to following the paid-for model.” Clarín’s Vinkler sees the same issue. “The biggest challenge as to make the Clarín people understand that La Razon is a complement, not a competitor.”

two newspapers, one brand. In Slovenia, 24sat — both paid and free — is going all the way in collaboration. Advertising in only the paid morning edition or the free evening edition is impossible. Said Director Jasna Zemljić: “Paid and free editions are produced in one editorial, sharing all facilities and offering combined advertising. The free p.m. edition is published under the same brand.” The benefits are clear. “After launching our free p.m. edition, we have managed to become the number one newspaper in Zagreb and on the national level. This has, of course, given a big push to our advertising growth. Furthermore, the free edition serves as a great promotion tool for the paid edition and has helped to grow its circulation.” Colombia’s ADN — published by CEET, which also publishes the paid newspaper El Tiempo — is fully integrated with its stablemates, although different brand names are used. Fernando Millan, director of ADN, said: “More than 150 journalists are involved in producing daily materials for ADN, El Tiempo, Portafolio, Hoy, and eltiempo.com. At the same time, each product has a team of journalists that adapts news and content according to specific characteristics.” Also in Colombia, some resistance was felt at the beginning. “We are seen as Cinderellas because there have been some defensive attitude from the leading newspaper. However, little by little, cooperation has evolved practically without encountering any problems.” F


The advent of digital media has enabled advertisers to scientificly measure the effectiveness of their online campaigns. In today’s digital media game, there is no branding for branding’s sake. Branding only matters to the extent it can be tracked and produce measurable results. In order for newspapers to win, they first must understand the game they are playing and the competition they are up against. It’s all about results. Advertisers have more choices to reach local consumers today than ever before. Not only do marketers have newspapers, TV, radio, and outdoor but they also have abundant digital options that together match or exceed the readership of a daily newspaper and its web site. Further complicating this for online newspapers is advertisers can buy this massive reach on the web for about US$1 to US$2 cost per thousand (CPM). For comparison purposes, MySpace, Facebook, and YouTube combined serve more than 1 trillion page views a year. This equals a lot of geo-targeted inventory on the web. For newspaper executives, the most common defense is, “yes, but our audience is better.” Unfortunately, this audience is just a subset of the portals’ and the leading networks’ audience. The unduplicated audience between a portal or a network and a newspaper web site is practically non-existent and irrelevant in the eyes of advertisers. The competitive differentiation online newspapers have is “environment.” Online newspapers have great brands and content. They represent safe

online newspaper cPMs: maximise revenue, not rate

adVertising is aBout resuLts. Newspapers need to shape their advertising rate strategies to reflect that advertisers are after results. by shawn riegsecker

environments on the web for brand advertisers. Most online newspapers offer compelling and creative executions and many carry high-quality video. This represents a great story. But the important question is: “how great?” All things being equal, national advertisers would prefer to place their geo-targeted digital ads on newspaper web sites rather than a portal or network. Why? Because their data proves online newspapers outperform what is referred to as “nat-geo” advertising (geo-targeted advertising through national sites). In fact, in many cases, online newspapers have proven to be 80 percent more effective than nat-geo advertising. Here’s the rub: advertisers can buy the nat-geo ads for US$1 to US$2 CPM. If an advertiser buys through a network at a US$2 CPM and newspaper web sites are 80 percent more effective that would mean the advertiser would be willing to spend up to US$3.60 CPM to have their ad on an online newspaper. However, any CPM US$3.61 and over would make the advertiser’s campaign on the online newspaper less effective than nat-geo advertising. In this example, if the newspaper is asking for any CPM over US$3.60, the advertiser will choose to geo-target their ads through a portal or a network. For a newspaper trying to get more national advertisers, the answer to the question above should dictate strategy going forward. The example begets options. Either a) make the site a lot more effective than 80 percent versus your competition; or b) the CPMs asked of national advertisers need to be more in-line with the newspaper’s effectiveness relative to their other choices. Online newspapers can get a premium in the market because they’re more effective and more valuable. The problem is they’re not 400-600 percent more valuable which, on average, is the desired premium they’re attempting to get. The good news is the online newspaper industry still has more than 40 percent unsold inventory. This can be used to attract more national advertisers to the site. The objective for every online newspaper should be: maximise revenue, not rate. The portals and networks figured this out a long time ago and only focus on maximising revenue. They know that revenue pays their bills, rates do not.F

>>shawn riegsecker is chairman and chief executive officer of Centro in Chicago, usa. he can be reached at [email protected].


Cause marketing, or cause-related marketing, is a marketing partnership between a business and non-profit entity that delivers mutual benefit. For newspapers, cause marketing can not only be a vehicle for new profits, but it also offers the additional benefit of improving awareness of both parties — the newspaper and the cause. Newspapers can provide the causes with the awareness they seek, strengthen brand positions, and potentially generate revenue at the same time. Soliciting sponsors to promote the cause and the creation of special sales programmes are the backbone of the charitable donation and can sell more product. For example, for every pink Yoplait yogurt lid sent in between September and December, the company donated US$0.10 to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation to raise money for breast cancer research, education, and support. Not every lid gets sent in, but the promotion likely drives people to consume more yogurt. And Yoplait’s brand image gets a boost for being associated with the popular cause. Breast cancer gets a lot of attention nationally. Nearly everyone knows someone affected by this disease. The Savannah Morning News took the step of taking the month of October to focus on the cause of breast cancer. On October 1, the entire newspaper was printed

cause connects a newspaper to its community

the saVannah morning news assists Breast CanCer awareness through a multi-departmental cause marketing campaign — an example of what newspapers can do to improve awareness, brand, and revenue. by stacy jennings

on pink paper. It was a big statement that got the attention of just about everyone, even the broadcast media. The newspaper donated US$0.10 for every single copy sold that day to the cause. Single-copy sales were up 12 percent on October 1. The newspaper ran a single-copy sales promotion throughout the month — giving away a pink Motofino scooter — and single-copy sales exceeded their goal by 5 percent for the month. And for every EZ Pay subscription sold, the newspaper donated US$10 to the fund. It generated more than 430 new orders during October. The advertising department took the opportunity to sell more advertising to clients who took the breast cancer cause to heart. Pink ribbons in their ads earned another donation to the fund to fight breast cancer, while offset flysheet pages were sold as “Get a Pink Lip!” Other departments contributed to the cause marketing programme. The newsroom devoted inches and online space to reporting about breast cancer — stories about research, survivors, treatments, and caregivers all ran in October. The web site’s background “went pink” on October 1 and linked to a micro-site featuring all of the coverage as well as blogs, photos, audio, and video. In addition, the newspaper worked with city officials to light up the clock at city hall with pink lights, and planted “pink ribbon” flowers throughout the city. It hosted a screening of the Lifetime movie “Living Proof” before it was available on TV and sponsored a successful community-wide push for mammograms on October 27. There are a number of causes that can benefit from association with the local newspaper — literacy, the environment, poverty, health issues, hunger, animal welfare, and others. Newspapers bring the reach of their print and online products, delivery and distribution systems, news gathering and dissemination staffs, and sales organisation. Newspapers are strong and trusted, and people want the newspaper to help them. F

>>stacy Jennings is director of marketing at the savannah morning news in savannah, georgia, usa. she can be reached at [email protected].

The Savannah Morning News involved all departments in an effort to bring awareness of breast cancer. Above and below are examples of how the newspaper executed their campaign.

{pink}


A few years ago, Tom Rosenstiel, a former media critic for the Los Angeles Times and MSNBC, was quoted saying that “the age of trust-me journalism is over.” He was commenting, of course, on the sudden rise of the blogosphere where everyone with access to a laptop and the internet can become a news pundit, feeding off the incessant rumour mill and in turn feeding into it. Established media outlets long revered for their integrity were being challenged by a new generation of upstarts with unparalleled reach and uneven credibility. This didn’t bother me then, and it bothers me even less now. I am convinced that readers and viewers will always go “B2B,” back to basics, and have even greater respect for the experience and resources on which traditional media is based — especially as media access increases. Reputation and quality still trump popularity; integrity still trumps incidence. I think they always will. The same is true of sales. The successful salesperson is someone with experience and resources, and most of all it is someone committed to the product’s reputation and quality. Motivational speakers repeat the mantra, “Believe in yourself.” Motivational salespeople revise the mantra to “Believe in what you are selling” (though it certainly helps to believe in yourself, too). Unfortunately, some salespeople continue to claim that a belief that one’s

products and services are “the best things out there” is not the sine qua non of sales. It is enough, they argue, to be convinced that what they offer will create value that exceeds the cost to the customer. Nothing can be further from the truth. You may as well try convincing someone to buy one book and not the other because it has more words! That is peddling, not selling. One of the key techniques I preach in sales training is the “Wow! Statement,” a brief, carefully worded phrase about exactly what you do, which is usually used in the prospecting phase of the sales

process. It’s called a “Wow! Statement,” not only because it wows the pants off your prospect, but also because, if you listen to it closely, it will wow the pants off of you, the salesperson. It must, because our customers are savvy enough to know if we truly believe in our product. As I write in my book “you are not that good of an actor. If you don’t believe, the customer will never believe!” In media sales this means that we must be convinced of the intrinsic value of the media we sell. We must be committed to its integrity because integrity always trumps incidence, especially in media sales. This leaves me to ask: what do you, the sales manager, do each and every day to bolster this belief among your sales team? Are you constantly reaffirming the product, its integrity, its growing readership (thanks to its online assets), and the results we garner each and every day? Why not add a new “bullet” to your job description: “Company Evangelist.” In challenging times, salespeople look to leadership for the attitude they take to the street each day. Do you have a “Wow Statement?” F

the author: mike Blinder is president of the tampa-based Blinder group, which specialises in training traditional sales staffs to take advantage of new concepts in selling media. he’s the author of survival selling even in the toughest times: surviving in Business to Business sales using Back to Basic skills. you can reach him or reference his book at www.mikeBlinder.com.

Integrity trumps incidence, especially in sales

on >> survivalsales

Successful advertising sales efforts begin

with believing in the quality of what you

sell. A newspaper’s advertising sales

force have to not only communicate the

newspaper’s benefits but believe it as well.

by MIke blINder

the successful salesperson is someone with experience and resources, and most of all it is someone committed to the product’s reputation and quality. Motivational speakers repeat the mantra, “believe in yourself.” Motivational salespeople revise the mantra to “believe in what you are selling.”


faCed with the ProsPeCt of the erosion of its online destination audience and potential advertising revenue, cape cod Media Group chose to act quickly to stave off its competition. A low-cost marketing campaign helped promote the changes. by karen ryder

While the Cape Cod Media Group (CCMG) generates more information about Cape Cod and the Islands than its major competitors, this information was scattered across the company’s news and niche online products, each with a different look, feel, and, often, navigation. Some information can be hard to find, leaving readers to go elsewhere. And many did. Between 2006 and 2007 the number of people visiting the sites’ destination-related pages dropped by 33 percent. During that same period, one of its main competitors for the destination audience saw an increase of roughly the same number of visitors. Because of its wealth of local information, the company is well-positioned to capture and dominate this market. This sentiment is not new. But earlier attempts to create the ultimate destination site have fallen short, in part because the CCMG did not aggregate its destination content and/or apply the resources necessary to keep it current. To reverse this trend, the company created a comprehensive destination web site that aggregates destination-related content on a single platform and added user-generated capabilities to better engage its audience and to provide a stream for additional content. CCMG sought to increase its audience among the 4 million annual visitors who travel to Cape Cod, as well as the more than 200,000 people who live there. A larger audience and better product would provide advertisers with greater value and thus increase the company’s revenue potential. The company set out

to insure that the site was easy to navigate, capture the spirit of Cape Cod, and provide comprehensive information and user-generated content. These changes were developed alongside a solid, low-cost marketing plan consisting of a number of elements. Online, CCMG employed search engine marketing and the audience participation game “Where onCape is Gulliver.” The game ran 11 weeks and was promoted both online and in print. Its submission page featured a sponsor’s advertisements. Also part of the marketing plan was heavy promotion across all available Cape Cod Media Group products. These include the onCape Summer Guide, onCape Fall Guide, supplemental niche products distributed in and outside the newspaper. Also, onCape was promoted through in-newspaper event listings re-branded with the onCape moniker and through publication on the onCape Sunday page. The onCape marketing plan includes a number of elements. It receives high visibility on the Cape Cod Times’ main web site. Launch news was included in promotional newsletters and in the “What’s Happening onCape” weekly entertainment newsletter. Furthermore, segments on the New England Cable News channel dedicated to destination activities featured the onCape brand. F

destination audience targeted with newly aggregated web site

>>Karen ryder is the marketing manager of the Cape Cod media group in hyannis, massachusetts, usa. she can be reached at [email protected].

oncape was cross-branded across the company’s print products. These include the oncape Summer Guide, oncape Fall Guide, supplemental niche products distributed in and outside the newspaper.

{guide}


In April 2006 I addressed the INMA World Congress in Chicago. My message at that meeting was that newspaper marketers needed to move away from short-term promotions that spiked circulation in order to increase the average audit number. I saw looming danger in these promotions and described them as “marketing cocaine” because, like cocaine, their effectiveness (the circulation spike) diminishes over time as the cost increases. And, like cocaine, the tactic is incredibly addictive. In addition, these promotions — “win a car”, “free DVD”, “Bingo”, etc. — do not build the base of readers and they can damage the brand. Two and a half years later circulations in western economies continue to decline along with the economies themselves. Never has the temptation been greater to resort to competitions, premiums, and other enticements to “bribe” consumers into buying a newspaper. And never has it been so important to resist that temptation. Today, with reduced revenues from both circulation sales and advertising sales, we cannot afford to prop up a promotions strategy that requires ever-increasing funds just to maintain a rate of decline. We must shift our focus and our objectives. Our goal should be to build audiences, not audit numbers. Audiences that purchase our newspapers because they are relevant and add value to their lives, not because we gave them something free in exchange for their one-off transaction. Before making a case for a sustainable

audience-building strategy, let me make this disclaimer: promotion is not without merit. It is an effective and legitimate marketing strategy when used to encourage trial of a new product, counter competitive activity, or re-ignite a buying habit (for example, a promotion following a holiday time period). But using promotions as an ongoing technique to drive short-term casual sales is dangerous. The research I’ve seen shows that in virtually every situation, the increased sales generated by the promotion evaporates immediately after the promotion finishes. So how do we replace the promotions that build “artificial” sales? We move from “big bang” marketing — short-term, high spend, big impact — to sustainable growth marketing involving long-term, continuous spend, and sustained impact. This strategy takes a page from newspapers themselves and could be called “journalistic marketing.” “Journalistic” because it speaks to potential customers on a daily (or regular) basis, giving them new reasons to purchase the newspaper; reasons based on the content of the newspaper and the benefits that the content provides. Journalistic marketing requires new thinking from both marketers and their editorial colleagues. Marketers must change their expectations of success, from large spikes in short-term sales, to smaller lifts on a regular basis. Both will show a lift in an average audit, but the latter is sustainable and the other is not. Marketers will use a much different media plan to support this strategy. Editors must work with their marketing counterparts to create content that is relevant and marketable. Content that supports the newspaper brand and that delivers a consumer benefit that will motivate a purchase. That requires more than reporting the news of the day. It requires creating unique content that adds value for readers. Breaking any addiction is difficult. And moving from promotions marketing to journalistic marketing is a huge challenge. It requires unprecedented cooperation between marketers and editors. It requires more accurate metrics and discipline to stay with the plan. It is an extremely difficult transition to execute. But the stakes involved require that we make the effort. Fthe author: Joe talcott is group director of marketing at news Limited in sydney, australia. he can contacted at

[email protected].

The false promises of promotion- driven salesstrategies

on >> multimedia

driving newspaper sales through

promotions generate short-term sales

but damage the brand’s prospects.

Sustainable marketing plans require a

longer-term strategy.

by jOe talcOtt


Free dailies capture heart of local beach communities

innoVation training yieLds BeaChComBer newsPaPers in New England. The newspapers cover local beach fun, target tourists and locals, capture a unique audience for advertisers, and are profitable. by mary salmon

The Hampton Beachcomber and York Beachcomber are free daily newspapers serving the beach communities of Hampton, New Hampshire and York, Maine. The Hampton Beachcomber was created after the staff of Seacoast Media Group (SMG) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, participated in Newspaper Next disruptive innovation training. It outlined “a broad new vision for what newspaper companies must become if they are to survive in today’s heavily disrupted media landscape.” Of the company’s 128 employees, 100 participated in the training and were divided into several teams to brainstorm about different geographic and niche categories. Tourism was one of the categories. SMG publishes seven newspapers in New Hampshire and Maine, including its daily, The Portsmouth Herald. “We closed the whole shop for a day, and trained as many employees as we could,” said publisher John Tabor. The Beachcomber is published Tuesday through Saturday for the 13 weeks of the beach season. It covers fun features such as the annual sand castle competition, irreverent interviews with beachgoers, photos of friends playing in the waves, and young men and women tanning or playing beach volleyball. Calendar information helps beachgoers plan their dining, entertainment, and nightclub visits. The Hampton Beachcomber was successful from the start. It turned a 28 percent profit margin in its first year — exclusive of about US$7,000 in launch expenses. It reaches a unique market of both tourists and locals, and enabled SMG to get advertisers that had never been with the company before. Hampton’s beaches represent a large market between the end of the school year and Labor Day. As many as 120,000 people visit on a good beach day,

and Tabor explains that the Beachcomber acts as “a GPS to get you where you want to go on the beach.” The Hampton Beachcomber has allowed SMG to penetrate a region it had neglected as it clustered its daily newspapers. “It’s paid great competitive dividends for us,” says Tabor, putting it in a better position against the established weekly Beach News because “dailies trump weeklies.” Promoting and distributing this product gives SMG’s marketing and circulation departments an opportunity to learn the logistics of distributing free tabloids targeting younger readers. As a result of the success the Hampton Beachcomber experienced during its first summer, SMG introduced the York Beachcomber in June 2008 to reach beachgoers in York, Maine. Both Beachcomber publications display a love of beach culture and feature interviews with locals and tourists about beach happenings. More random questions have proven popular with readers, such as, “First Brad Pitt and now John Mayer, why can’t Jennifer Aniston keep her man?” The Beachcomber publications are printed in full colour and its photography reflect what Tabor described as the newspapers’ “chirpy little attitude.” F

>>mary salmon is the executive assistant to the publisher and editor at seacoast media group in Portsmouth, new hampshire, usa. she can be reached at [email protected].

Seacoast Media Group creates the daily Beachcomber for hampton and York, targeting tourists and locals in the summer beach season. Advertisers and profits soon followed.

{daily}


I’ve been loyal to my local bank all my life. But now the end is here. I’ve been treated badly despite my decades as a customer. I am leaving. People normally don’t. Loyalty is sometimes equal to stupidity. Just by habit you go to the same company and pay your money, year after year, no matter how they behave. Banks are institutions where people normally just stay on. Newspapers used to be. Not any more. And many in the business just blame technical development and changing costs and revenue patterns for losing the readership battle. But what about CRM? Could it be that some of our former true long-time supporters left just because we didn’t appreciate them? Yes, I know about all these bonus programmes for loyal subscribers. They look and work the same all over the world. I know that if I subscribe and pay for more than a year, the two of us may get one free main course in the worst restaurant in town, but only on rainy Mondays. And $50 off on an exclusive trip to Paris, price only $3,500. And a cheap novel that was printed in too many copies, so somebody has to get rid of them. Some of you out there have bonus policies which are more of an insult than a generous gesture. My own old regional Sydsvenskan in Malmö, for example, tries to sell you nice, lovely books for a nice

lovely price which they say is 50 Swedish Crowns lower than the normal market level. But all of these books can be found cheaper on any internet book retailer! I’ve been complaining about this in newspapers all over Scandinavia and in parts of the rest of Europe for several years now — and everybody agrees, something has to be done. Yet very little happens. My suggestion is that you buy a ticket to Ontario, Canada (never been there myself ). At your arrival in Toronto, look up Zygoht Partners and see if you can

catch its president, Michelle Gross. Well, she’s probably out trying to save customers at slowly awakening newspapers, but just wait awhile. She may help you “bring your brand to life.” Zygoht seems to be one of the few who have the ideas missing in the marketing departments. (No, I’m not an owner of the company. I will get no kick-backs and or bonuses. I’m not related to anybody there. I’m just happy to see entrepreneurs who tackle the newspaper business with necessary recipes.) There you will get a handful of useful ideas, based on the brilliant thought that you should use the historic strength of your name to something new. Try, for example, to give just a small group of your fans an experience they never forget. Try to transform your loyal readers to your best ambassadors. And in this work, involve all people in the company, including sour reporters longing for the good times that were. Let’s skip the minimal discounts in bad restaurants. Don’t pretend that you sell books for a “very special price” when you don’t. And why offer boat cruises that cost a month’s wages for a few dollars less? It’s CRMM: Customer Relations MisManagement. Time for the new CRM: Customer Respect Management. F

the author: Jan wifstrand is co-founder of digital newswire rapidus (www.rapidus.se), chief executive officer of wordwide aB in malmö, sweden, and former editor-in-chief of dagens nyheter. he may be reached at [email protected].

Customer relations strategies built on respect

on >> audience

Newspapers today need to at the top of

their game in managing the relationships

they have with their audience, taking

them seriously and offering real value in

their promotion strategies.

by jaN wIfStraNd

let's skip the minimal discounts in bad restaurants. don’t pretend that you sell books for a “very special price” when you don’t. and why offer boat cruises that cost a month’s wages for a few dollars less? It’s crMM: customer relations MisManagement. time for the new crM: customer respect Management.


in moVing into BhoPaL and indore, India’s Rajasthan Patrika Group uses extensive surveys and other methodologies to pave the way. by lakshmi agrawal

The Rajasthan Patrika group is moving into India’s Madhya Pradesh market with editions in Bhopal and Indore. Madhya Pradesh represents an appealing market for the Rajasthan Patrika group. It is among the top four states of India in terms of investment in industries. Employment in the state is largely through industries or services segments, ensuring a large and progressive urban population. It is home to two vibrant Indian cities. Bhopal has been listed among the top 20 Indian cities in terms of potential per capita income and has registered about 8 percent growth in household income over the past couple of years. The city of Indore is the commercial capital of the state. It is the hub for all major business activities in Madhya Pradesh and is poised to become centres of software and industrial development. Madhya Pradesh also represents a larger potential market than Rajasthan. There are 10 million more literate people in Madhya Pradesh, although the circulation of newspaper in Rajasthan is far more than in Madhya Pradesh. It is also one of the largest Hindi-speaking states in India with a population of over 60 million. Furthermore, 98 percent of readers of the state’s daily newspaper are Hindi readers. For Rajasthan Patrika, Madhya Pradesh

represented significant and under-utilised potential. Its existing Hindi-language newspaper was losing marketshare, which Rajasthan Patrika took as an opportunity for a new player to enter. Also, research showed that one newspaper in Madhya Pradesh was read by 33 people, an indicator that there is room left in the market for another newspaper. Furthermore, a growing literacy rate points to even greater potential. Ahead of Rajasthan Patrika’s launch in Bhopal, a survey sought to get local insight, understand the reader mindset, chart readers’ preferences and dissatisfactions, and to create brand awareness. This survey led to a product designed around readers’ preferences, with an understanding of the weaknesses they saw in other products, and with new features that differentiated Rajasthan Patrika from its competitors. When the full-colour Bhopal edition of Rajasthan Patrika entered the market, initial circulation was 150,000 copies. This grew to 250,000 copies within five months. Once it was established in Bhopal, the newspaper redirected its expansion to Indore. Launched in September 2008 with a circulation of 140,000, Rajasthan Patrika was distributing almost 200,000 copies by November. Rajasthan Patrika’s extensive surveys of the markets ahead of its entry played a significant factor in the newspaper’s success in these Bhopal and Indore. These were four-tier surveys that reached thousands of households each day. The markets were broken down into 20 and eight zones, respectively. Within each, teams of surveys spread out, knocking on doors to get consumers’ impressions to develop a clear picture of the public’s perception of the local newspapers. To insure the accuracy of these findings, a second group went back to about 25 percent of the households contacted and re-confirmed these findings. Alongside the door-to-door survey work, Rajasthan Patrika conducted extensive telemarketing and SMS messaging campaigns to not only learn more about the market, but also to inform and interact with consumers. F

>>Lakshmi agrawal is with rajasthan Patrika in Jaipur, rajasthan, india. she can be reached at [email protected].

door-to-door surveys pave wayfor launch in high-potential cities

Rajasthan Patrika uses door-to-door surveys in Bhopal and Indore, as well as other methodologies, to pave the way for extensive launches that are transforming the local markets.

{surveys}


If newspapers are in deep trouble, yellow pages companies are just as bad off, probably worse. The challenge for both is the move away from print. But it is worse for catalogues because news sites can compete with yellow pages online. It is much more difficult the other way around. Let’s say your newspaper decides to go into the online yellow pages market. It is probably because banners are not enough to secure your online future. We need more business — and the millions and billions in the yellow pages are tempting. Then the question is how do you build up an online catalogue service? Well, you buy a database of local companies, and you make it the best local company listing available. And it must be easy to use. For this you will need programmers and new talent. It is also smart to share the effort with your colleagues — that is, other newspapers. We need clever designers — probably under 30-years-old — to get the proper look and feel. This is especially important if we add a print ingredient. The next step is pricing and packaging. With database listing and categorising local enterprises, we can imitate the big yellow pages players. For even a few hundred dollars a month we should have a competitive product. In catalogue services you sell per-time-unit, not per-click or per-exposure. The idea for the advertiser is to be found if and

when the consumer is making their final decision. It is more about action than getting attention or creating desire. Then the fun starts — to build our unique selling points. We need to put more value for money in the package. And, yes we can! Your newspaper is probably the leading local site, traffic-wise. If we put up listings under categories matched with season and content we can improve the reach of the catalogue listing. A third element is the addition of print into the package — branded catalogue pages under different categories once a month, for

example. Done well, it produces a clear co-branding strategy. If you’re brave, you may even print and distribute a real catalogue on newsprint once a year. This is the strategy of hitting the enemy where he is weak — in his soft spot. But be careful with the print ingredient. The ideal is pure online offerings. So, do we just sit and wait? No. It is a lot of hard work which requires true online speed and functionality, the right branding and design, dedicated sales managers with full control and know-how, adapted bonus programmes and patience. Pricing will probably be too high, some categories are very difficult to sell on, the database will have quality defaults, and more. There will be challenges, I promise you. The numbers are fun to play with — but hard to turn to real money. Let’s say out of perhaps 20 calls you sell one package per day at US$150 to be invoiced monthly, that is times 12. Multiply with 5 work days per week and 40 effective sales weeks. That is $360,000 per year and salesperson. I guess you cannot afford to miss the opportunity. Go for it — and do it together. F

the author: niklas Jonason is chief executive officer of stadsporten Citygate aB in stockholm, sweden. he can be reached at [email protected].

The news site as the local catalogue service

on >> digital

There are many opportunities for

newspapers online. one of which is

online yellow pages. This is a channel

in which newspapers are ideally

positioned to succeed.

by NIklaS jONaSON

your newspaper is probably the leading local site, traffic-wise. If we put up listings under categories matched with season and content we can improve the reach of the catalogue listing.


the PuBLisher’s dog tooK Centre stage in the Albuquerque Journal’s loyalty programme. The initiative spurred sales and generated tremendous buzz around the newspaper’s brand. by dorothy rosado

The Albuquerque Journal has conducted a number of successful loyalty programmes, but nothing like its “Augie’s Fetch and Find” contest. Augie is a British bulldog owned by T.H.Lang, the Albuquerque Journal’s publisher. He was the contest mascot, whose image in part drew more than 17,000 entries over a three-month period. New Mexicans were enamoured with Augie. Furthermore, the promotion allowed them to win monthly prizes and a grand prize. Readers sent in entries with special notes, drawings of their pets, and even used stickers featuring their pets to seal envelopes. Hundreds of calls came in and readers drove to the newspaper to drop off entries. On random days, the Journal printed numbered game pieces in the likeness of a rolled newspaper. Readers collect five game pieces during each of the three monthly contests and submitted them on an official entry form. Monthly winners received prizes valued at up to US$1,200 and were eligible for a grand prize valued at up to US$10,000. Photos and stories of the winner appeared in the newspaper following each drawing. To promote the contest, the Journal purchased bus advertising and ran cable television and 60-second radio spots featuring Augie. “Teaser” advertisements prior to the contest created excitement among readers. Advertisements throughout the contest featured entry forms and the rules for entering. The newspaper’s circulation department promoted special

subscription offers that included as an added value a stuffed Augie. The contest generated tremendous “noise” throughout both Albuquerque and New Mexico. It forged a special affinity between the newspaper and its audience. The newspaper is already well-respected and well-read, but using Augie as the mascot proved to be an effective tool for reaching new and current readers and aligning the newspaper with enthusiastic pet lovers across New Mexico. Since then the newspaper has introduced a number of related offerings. These include a new FETCH! pet page every Friday and a feature allowing pet owners to submit photos of their pet for selection as the “Pet of the Week.” And in 2009, the Albuquerque Journal is planning the largest pet adoption event ever held in New Mexico. The bottom line is that the newspaper is reaching out to its loyal readers and creating innovative features and events to attract new and younger readers. Thanks Augie! F

The publisher’s pet dog served as the mascot for a promotion to spur reader loyalty and build excitement around the newspaper’s brand.

{augie}

>>dorothy rosado is marketing director at the albuquerque Journal in albuquerque, new mexico, usa. she can be reached at [email protected].

“Fetch and find” contest helps boost reader loyalty


onLine soCiaL networKs are Changing the way people collect and use news. While a challenge to newspapers, they also represent a new way to reach audiences. by ken sands

Media consumption habits have altered course 180 degrees in my lifetime, yet news companies have changed course only a few degrees. They still try to sell one package of information to a mass audience, whether it’s delivered ink-on-paper, or on a desktop or mobile communication device. As media consultant Vin Crosbie points out in a November 2008 article “The Myth of the Missing Digital Business Model,” consumers are demanding individualised news products. Traditional media companies are slow to develop such products, so consumers are gravitating to social media sites, where their “friends” recommend what to read or watch online. How does this work? Way back in May 2007, internet entrepreneur and self-described early adopter Chris Pirillo claimed to a roomful of journalists that he hadn’t used any traditional media news sites in following the tragic shootings at Virginia Tech a month earlier. He claimed to have learned everything he needed to know that day through social networks such as Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, and Twitter. The claim seemed unbelievable at the time, even to the web journalists who already were using Facebook and Twitter. Fast forward to the 2008 election. Veteran journalist Michelle McLellan writes on the Knight Digital Media Center web site that she got most

of her election news from the micro-blogging site Twitter, in which users post items and links that amount to 140 characters or less. “Twitter itself is hardly the future of news, especially the future of producing in depth public service journalism,” McLellan writes. “But Twitter illustrates a larger point about consumption and delivery of news. People increasingly believe that news will be there for them on demand or find them when they aren’t even looking. Twitter and other social media tools (Delicious, for example) enable consumers to get recommendations from people they trust.” Look at today’s early adopters to get a sense of where this is headed. Robert Scoble, who produces the “tech-geek” blog “the scobelizer,” has about 3,000 “friends” on the social networking aggregator “FriendFeed.” That site is intended to help you “discover and discuss interesting stuff that your friends and family find on the web.” Scoble’s network is so active that his FriendFeed changes every time he refreshes the web page. With that constant stream of information, how does he keep up? He doesn’t. Instead, he says, he engages in what he refers to as “snacking,” or dipping into the FriendFeed at various times throughout the day to see what’s happening at any one moment. If the news is important enough, he says, it will find him. It’s critical for news executives to understand this concept. Instead of consumers seeking out information as they have historically — subscribing to newspapers and magazines, buying books and watching cable TV — they’re letting the information come to them through recommendations from trusted sources. What to do? Here is Crosbie’s recommendation: “Media executives must cease delivering the same content to everybody and begin delivering a unique mix of content that satisfies an individual consumer and do so to massive numbers of consumers. Otherwise, their companies will be toast.” F

The news will find you: Tracking the emergence of micro-personal news and social networks

>>Ken sands is executive editor of innovation at Congressional quarterly in washington, d.C., usa. he can be reached at [email protected].


The Vancouver Sun launched a campaign to promote awareness around changes to its print edition. These were a result of research conducted by Ipsos Reid, engaging current and past readers to determine what they want in their newspaper. The newspaper is changing to match shifting consumer habits. Alongside print, it now shares content through a variety of channels including online and mobile devices. News and content is updated on the web site almost around the clock. Alongside words and photographs, stories are made with videos, podcasts, blogs, and photo galleries. The expanding variety of delivery platforms has led The Vancouver Sun to rethink the print product. Reflecting the timely nature of the web site, it is where much of the newspaper’s breaking news is published. Content in the print edition follows on with greater analytical focus. Among the other changes to the print edition, local news was moved to the A section, and world and national news to the B section. Furthermore, a daily headline news summary page, News on the Go, was added on page A3. Integral in the launch of this re-worked print edition was the newspaper’s first-ever widely available three-week free trial of the print edition. The trial was created to encourage new readers to discover the changes for themselves. Highlights include increased analysis, context, and commentary; a new daily, stand-alone section for national and international news; enhanced lifestyle content in areas such as health, food, fashion, nutrition and fitness; and a daily headline news summary. A marketing campaign by The Creative Department in Vancouver kicked off in September with a one-week teaser print campaign to build awareness before the changes were officially revealed

Revamped newspaper offers “Seriously Westcoast” opportunitymuLti-media marKeting CamPaign highLights Changes to The Vancouver Sun as it updates itself to meet its audience’s needs. by patricia wu

in the newspaper’s October 4 edition. On that day, readers were treated to a special gatefold wrap on the front cover. On the inside was a letter outlining all of the new changes. Outside was the first of many campaign headlines, “You’ll love our deeper look at the news. Provided you’re not a criminal,” as well the overall line for the campaign, “More in-depth coverage than ever before.” “The tone of the creative was key,” said Dan Nelken of The Creative Department. “The work had to appeal to hardcore news enthusiasts but couldn’t alienate readers with an appetite for lighter news or the latest on ‘Branjelina.’ ” Ken McCarty of The Creative Department adds: “The existing tagline for The Vancouver Sun, ‘Seriously Westcoast’ helped us strike the right balance. In every execution the work is both serious, and to suit the west coast, also a little witty or laid back.” The multi-channel marketing campaign included television, print, point-of-sale, and online in a variety of publications and media outlets. It ran until the end of November. Canwest’s in-house media planning agency handled the media planning and buying. F

>>Patricia wu is marketing manager at the Vancouver sun in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. she can be reached at [email protected].

The Vancouver Sun’s marketing campaign surrounding changes to its print edition touched on multiple media, a new creative theme, and included a three-week free trial of the newspaper.

{deeper}


Have you ever been swimming in a river? You can swim with the currents or against them. Depending which way you go, the experience is totally different. It’s the same way with running a newspaper. Culture, structure, and process are the currents. Spend time on those issues, and the swimming is so much easier. Unfortunately, in the haste to action, it is sometimes easier to focus on the strategic goals and the tactics instead the hard work of cultural, structural, and process change. Focusing on tactics gets results, but the going is so much slower if attention hasn’t been paid to culture, structure, and process. Fortunately, there is a lot of science on how to go about achieving cultural change. There are lessons to be learned from other industries. It takes time, dedication, and focus. It’s not easy, but it sets us up for easier times ahead. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution began a strategic planning process a few years ago. Out of that work came the understanding that it can no longer be a newspaper company. Instead, it needed to become a media company that was significantly growing its digital operations while reinventing the newspaper. That launched a series of projects. It was clear that the current structure in the newsroom would

Reorganising the newsroom for modern age

traditionaL newsrooms are not designed for the requirements of the modern, multi-media age. Newspapers like the Atlanta Journal-constitution are taking a new look at their newsroom and reshaping them for today’s challenges. by julia wallace

not allow the company to make the changes needed. Management at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution understood it needed to make changes to structure and process — and it needed to change the culture. For that work, the company followed the steps outlined by John Kotter, a professor at Harvard Business School. In the newsroom, changes were made to the long-standing and historic structure. The traditional departments like sports, metro, and features — all built around print sections — were gotten rid of and in their place three new departments were created. This included one focused on producing digital products, one focusing on producing the newspaper, and one content department that serves both. The company mapped processes to make its work more efficient. Methods to communicate were built based around templates and very specific methods so everyone would hear the same message. Goals were developed for every staffer tied to those of the company. It built behaviour-based interview guides so people would hired and promoted who would be a good cultural fit. Mission statements were written for the various departments and referenced back to during the decision-making process. A training programme was developed that tied closely to the goals. Was all of this a lot of work? Yes, but it was essential in giving the company the speed to transform. After the newsroom re-organisation, digital traffic growth doubled. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution now ranks as one of the top newspaper site for reach within the market. This year, it will have more than 1.3 billion pages views on its site. Sunday print has stabilised, and the company has been able to devote dedicated resources to focus on the company-wide effort to re-invent the Sunday newspaper. The new features were debuted through a rolling introduction and the newspaper has received an excellent response from readers. There is still more to do, but each step of the way, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution thinks about culture, structure, and process. And then, it thinks about it again. F

>>Julia wallace is the editor of the atlanta Journal-Constitution in atlanta, georgia, usa. she can be reached at [email protected].

The Atlanta Journal-constitution’s strategic planning process prompted a new newsroom structure that got rid of departments like sports and metro. The new departments focus on platforms: one on digital, one on the print newspaper, and a content department that serve both platforms.

{ajc}

ideas January+February 2009 page 41<< campaignsadvertising

the gazette + circulation 108,000

trade publication advertisement puts newspaper market “on the hook” Through an advertisement placed in trade publications, the objective was to remind media buyers of The Gazette’s penetration of Montreal’s English-language media market. As an English newspaper in a French province, The Gazette has to stand out to be noticed. Although the image of the newspaper’s market being “on the hook” is slightly jarring, it conveys the message well and fits into the Gazette’s ongoing “Words Matter” campaign.nancy diggins is marketing manager at the gazette in montreal, Canada. she can be reached at [email protected].

Mittelbayerische Zeitung + circulation 440,000

service awards competition aimed at infrequent advertising clients Mittelbayerische Zeitung has a strong focus on the local advertising market. A key element of its strategy is the way it connects with local advertisers. Events are a key part of the newspaper’s strategy to strengthen relationships with existing advertisers and win new customers. The “Mittelbayerische Service Award” was designed to communicate the advantages of combining editorial independence, a big audience, and the advertising budgets of 50 local clients who usually don’t advertise in the newspaper. The awards competition drew 50 competitors. The newspaper had a net sales result of €80,000 and published a 40-page supplement. The competition prompted 4,000 readers to vote for their favourites. The winner was a car dealer who offered everyone a test drive and a free dinner for two on their birthday. He still uses the award in his campaign, doubled his spending in and will spend some more the next year. The runner-up used the award in a supplement that was published in a competing weekly newspaper. albert islinger is a copywriter at Creativ Concept gmbh in regensburg, germany. he can be reached at [email protected].

the tampa tribune + circulation 226,990

testimonial campaign highlights newspaper-advertiser relationship The Tampa Tribune created a multi-media testimonial campaign to increase awareness of the success advertisers have achieved through advertising in the newspaper. It also sent the message that no other newspaper reaches more active consumers in the Tampa Bay area. The campaign consisted of print, online, video, and e-mail. It featured relatable small business owners and Tribune advertisers who represent different geographical areas of the Tribune’s market, explaining in their own words how advertising has been successful in growing their business. Response from advertisers was overwhelmingly positive. Advertisers like to be a part of a winning team, and hearing the positive results from peers about their experiences strengthens the newspaper-advertiser relationship. matt Larson is marketing creative manager at the tampa tribune in tampa, usa. he can be reached at [email protected].

page 42 January+February 2009 ideas

alternativeproducts

guelph Mercury + circulation 14,000

advertiser sales kit, party mark launch of magazine targeting affluent readers

The launch campaign announced the arrival of Guelph Life Magazine to pique advertisers’ interest in the controlled circulation publication, which was free to selected homes. Launched in 2007, Guelph Life Magazine is distributed to 9,000 well-heeled homes in the Guelph area. Since it is not a subscription-based business model, the key is to sell advertising opportunities to area businesses. A sales kit emphasising the high-end lifestyle focus of the magazine was delivered to targeted accounts and ads in the newspaper started the “talk” around town. The same targeted advertisers received an invitation to an exclusive party on the day the magazine launched. The combined result was great support from advertisers and a profitable first edition right at the start.

Jennifer malcolm is a graphic designer at the record in Kitchener, Canada. she can be reached at [email protected].

knoxville News Sentinel + circulation 122,587

web site connects with time-pressed, information-hungry audience segment With its Knoxmoms.com web site, the Knoxville News Sentinel sought to become a resource for local moms to find places to go, things to do, and connect with other moms. It site proved popular and useful for its target audience. Over 70 percent of users return more then once a day. They’re spending, on average, more than 20 minutes on the site and viewing an average of 24 pages. Knoxmoms.com has become so successful that it is being used as the model for “mom” sites in other Scripps markets. The site is drawing over 14,000 unique users per month. The newspaper estimates that it reached over 40 percent of its target market — households with children aged 0 to 6 years — in less than 7 months time. Laddy fields is the creative brand manager at the Knoxville news sentinel in Knoxville, usa. they can be reached at [email protected].

Irish examiner + circulation 58,000

sports supplement attracts readers and boosts the newspaper’s brand image GAA (hurling and football) are Ireland’s indigenous sports and the most popular. The Irish Examiner, which is noted for the strength of its GAA package, identified a gap in the market for a dedicated GAA supplement. In 2007, The Irish Examiner introduced the first dedicated GAA newspaper supplement. Throughout the season, it published 12 supplements ranging from 20-24 pages. This targeted supplement was aimed at sports fans in general as well as GAA fans. A 2 percent increase in the newspaper’s Monday sales figures can be attributed to the Championship supplement. This was a strong result considering the newspaper had already reached near saturation point within this market, and it was the year of introduction of the new supplement. The supplement attracted new readers and led to increased brand awareness of the Irish Examiner at a national, local, and grassroots level.mairead maher is head of marketing at the irish examiner in Cork, ireland. she can be reached at [email protected].

campaigns >>

ideas January+February 2009 page 43<< campaignsbrand

dainik bhaskar + circulation 1,400,000

application connects the newspaper’s brand with mobile technology Dainik Bhaskar sought to use different media to enhance the newspaper’s brand image across media platforms. The campaign also promoted the newspaper’s accessibility to consumers throughout their day, using different media such as computers and in print. Promoting the newspaper’s accessibility via mobile telephones was especially important. The campaign generated a 9.67 percent increase in users downloading the newspaper’s news update application on their mobile telephones. sanjeev Kotnala is the national head of communications at Bhaskar group in mumbai, india. he can be reached at [email protected].

fort worth Star-telegram + circulation 400,000

following research, newspaper reshapes its brand and itself to fit readers’ needs The Fort Worth Star-Telegram sought to re-engineer itself using research that indicated that readers wanted and needed more from their newspaper than a reiteration of news that they had seen on TV or online. This premise was behind the reengineering that included a redesign and renaming of sections, such as Your Life, Work, and Money. The other critical part of the redesign was the change in the way stories and topics were covered. Stories were rewritten to include what the story means to the readers, why they should care, how it can affect them, geographical references, and how to obtain more information. It was this reengineering of the Star-Telegram that prompted the need for the “U” campaign. Research after the launch found that three out of four readers who expressed an opinion preferred the new format to the old. Specifically, 48 percent said the new Star-Telegram met their personal needs and interests better than the old format, compared to only 15 percent who said it was worse. diane wakefield is the creative director of the star-telegram in fort worth, usa. she can be reached at [email protected].

the columbus dispatch + circulation 219,000

Promotion emphasises the importance of the sunday edition in readers’ lives Extensive research The Columbus Dispatch commissioned showed that for people in many demographic groups, the newspaper is an important part of their Sunday. The campaign was geared toward what were called the “Lunch Bucket Families” — families that include two or three kids and working parents who don’t have a lot of spare time or money. Using still photos from the newspaper’s archives, the Columbus Dispatch was able to both thank the people who already read the newspaper on Sundays and let those who don’t know what a big part of Sunday the newspaper is. The newspaper added about 2,300 home deliveries. darrell dawson is a copywriter/marketing projects specialist at the Columbus dispatch in Columbus, usa. he can be reached at [email protected].

page 44 January+February 2009 ideas campaigns >> classifieds

helsingborgs dagblad + circulation 49,500

Campaign attracts advertisers to a newspaper’s new online classifieds site Helsingborgs Dagblad noted the downturn in classified advertising in its print newspaper. Rather than giving up on this lucrative business line, it launched a campaign to capture classified advertising business online. This campaign was based around the launch of a new web site that allowed classified advertisers to advertise for free. On a daily basis, the site brings in more than 4,000 unique visitors and they search more than 6,000 advertisements, from old cars to gold watches.Jonas Brorson is brand manager at helsingborgs dagblad in helsingborg, sweden. he can be reached at [email protected].

frankfurter allgemeine Zeitung + circulation 471,000

re-launch of jobs site establishes brand image for recruitment advertising

The campaign for the launch of the new Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung job market had two prime objectives: the announcement of the new integrated careers platform FAZjob.net, and the positioning as the leading print and online job market for specialist and management personnel. In the campaign, personnel executives of leading international concerns provided statements confirming that FAZjob.net is the prime address when it comes to finding perfect jobs in leading concerns. This approach achieved credibility and relevance in the reader market. The campaign’s central theme was maintained throughout all

advertising media for optimum advertising effect, with the message “We get you to the top” communicated in print, outdoor and direct marketing, on the radio, and online. The careers platform’s re-launch proved successful. Only six weeks after the launch, up to 20,000 job offers had been submitted. andrea Bürger is head of advertising at frankfurter allgemeine Zeitung in frankfurt, germany. she can be reached at [email protected].

the boston globe + circulation 382,500

“Leaving isn’t easy” campaign targets targets students new to job market Bostonworks is the recruitment section of the Boston Globe. It launched its Student Center in 2006. This online channel of Bostonworks.com serves as a resource for career-related news, jobs listings, and internship opportunities. The newspaper needed a clever way to launch the site and make it interesting, particularly to graduating college seniors. It styled an image of a dorm-room door and a student being literally dragged out of the room, as evidenced by fingernail marks on the wall. The tagline read, “Leaving isn’t easy. We can help.” The advertisement proved effective. It helped attract thousands of hits to the Bostonworks.com’s Student Center channel after the ad ran.Lauri martignetti is an executive assistant at the Boston globe in Boston, usa. she can be reached at [email protected].

ideas January+February 2009 page 45<< campaignscommunityrelations

richmond times-dispatch + circulation 214,971

newspaper programme gives to the community following tragedy After the tragedy at Virginia Tech in 2007, the Richmond Times-Dispatch wanted to do something to honour the victims and assist the survivors and the victims’ families. Many of the newspaper’s employees have close ties to the university, and it hoped to aid in the healing process for them as well as for the community at large. The newspaper printed a poster based on a commemorative page the Times-Dispatch newsroom created. All proceeds from the poster sales would be contributed to the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund. Print ads and displayed signs in lobbies promoted the availability of the posters to the public. The posters sold quickly and the newspaper received thanks from many readers for offering them. The entire allotment of more than 1,800 posters was sold out in three weeks. The newspaper donated US$3,654 to the fund at Virginia Tech.teresa edwards is audience growth manager at the richmond times-dispatch in richmond, usa. she can be reached at [email protected].

Orlando Sentinel + circulation 226,854

Back-to-school fundraiser generates funds for disadvantaged children Each year, the Orlando Sentinel Family Fund raises money for backpacks and school supplies for economically disadvantaged children through its “Back to School” campaign. The goal of the campaign was to increase donations from the previous year by promoting the fact that donations would be matched 50 percent by the McCormick Tribune Foundation. The campaign included print ads in the Orlando Sentinel, online ads, and direct mail. The Orlando Sentinel Family Fund’s Back to School Campaign raised US$90,768, up from US$81,504 in the previous year, and thanks to the community, more children were able to start the school year ready to learn with the proper school supplies. Jen Kugler is creative services supervisor at the orlando sentinel in orlando, usa. she can be reached at [email protected].

the Sacramento bee + circulation 279,000

Kids day street sale campaign raises funds for children’s hospital The Sacramento Bee’s Kids Day campaign sought to raise money for the Shriners Hospital for Children, which is a hospital that takes care of children with burns and other serious illnesses, regardless of whether the family can pay for the treatment. In a one-day street sale, volunteers raised US$60,000 and corporate sponsorships added an additional US$90,000 for a total of $150,000. garth nearents is creative director at the sacramento Bee in sacramento, usa. he can be reached at [email protected].

page 46 January+February 2009 ideas campaigns >> editorial

the washington times + circulation 102,350

Campaign celebrates newspaper’s contributions on its 25th anniversary The Washington Times has lent a voice to the local and national political scene for 25 years. Since then the newspaper continues its vision of bringing strong content to both its political visionaries and loyal readers. The newspaper’s promotional piece was created to announce the 25th anniversary special section it was set to publish. Distributed by the advertising department to all contacts and advertisers, the special section promoted by this piece resulted in a net worth of US$57,000. Patrick Crofoot is graphics supervisor at the washington times in washington, usa. he can be reached at [email protected].

de Standaard + circulation 81,000

editorial project between 2 newspapers encourages reconciliation on divisive issue The editors-in-chief of De Standaard and Le Soir worked together on an editorial series “North-South Confrontation.” It was one of the major examples of intellectual debate on the future existence of Belgium. The project brought together the two newspapers’ editorial teams, readers, and ideas. Contacts remain between the two newspapers’ French-speaking commentators now also appear on De Standaard’s opinion pages, even if their views clash with those of De Standaard. During the second — prior to the elections — and third — just after the elections — quarters of 2007 a lot of editorial work was done on Belgian politics. De Standaard’s paid circulation in the second and third quarters was up 3.39 percent on the same period in 2006. sofie Pintens is an account executive at LdV united in antwerp, Belgium. she can be reached at [email protected].

the Seattle times company + circulation 220,000

redesigned section draws in readers with relevant content The Seattle Times’ campaign promoted the redesigned and enhanced content of its Sunday lifestyle section, NW Life. The section offers tips on local fashion and beauty, health, and fitness information, and celebrity news, as well as lifestyle feature stories. The newspaper targeted readers — largely female — who had busy, active lives and those interested in life topics and planning tools, relationships, and fashion. The NW Life campaign helped help make The Seattle Times one of only three of the United States’ major newspapers to post an increase in circulation over the past year. Additionally, an increasing number of subscribers mentioned this section as a reason for subscribing. The section is also popular with advertisers. megan mcKinney-rickey is project manager at the seattle times Company in seattle, usa. she can be reached at [email protected].

ideas January+February 2009 page 47<< campaignsevents

cape argus + circulation 104,000

Campaign highlights the newspaper’s sponsorship of whale festival The Hermanus Whale Festival is the only Enviro-Arts festival in South Africa. It is held annually to celebrate the return of the Southern Right whales to the waters of Walker Bay in Hermanus. The Cape Argus is one of the sponsors, and the client briefed the agency to come up with an ad that communicated this sponsorship. The campaign communicated that the Cape Argus probes deep into the heart of stories to bring its readers the information they are looking for. Lesley wright is an account director at King James in Cape town, south africa. they can be reached at [email protected].

the west australian + circulation 203,000

newspaper’s support helps a local arts event reach record success levels The Perth International Arts Festival is an annual international arts event held every February. The West Australian has been a major sponsor of the event for more than 15 years supporting the festival with a comprehensive sponsorship package of editorial, promotional, and advertising to maximise awareness of and attendance at the arts festival. In addition to The West Australian’s extensive daily editorial support of the event, a special Festival Guide magazine insert was produced by The West Australian together with an exclusive half price ticket offer on a daily basis for readers. The Perth International Arts Festival was the most successful festival in its 54-year history. With 149 events, 864 performances and the highest box office ever, numerous shows sold out in record time. The West Australian distributed 280,000 copies of the festival guide, a 1,120 percent increase in distribution on the 2004 when only 25,000 copies of a festival guide were distributed. Kelly Canfell is promotions manager at the west australian in Perth, australia. they can be reached at [email protected].

austin american-Statesman + circulation 173,579

Campaign promotes a race on its 30th anniversary, raises participation The Statesman Capitol 10,000 is one of Texas’ earliest road races and the state’s largest 10K. Marking its 30th anniversary, a creative campaign sought to increase participation and introduce the race to runners. Print, radio, television, billboard, and online advertising promoting the anniversary year and souvenirs created interest and increased participation. The newspaper’s campaign increased participation by almost 20 percent more than the previous year reaching the highest participation numbers since 1994. Lisa sullivan is the marketing director of the austin american-statesman in austin, usa. she can be reached at [email protected].

page 48 January+February 2009 ideas campaigns >> readership

the record + circulation 73,000

Campaign launched to prepare readers for changes coming to their local newspaper The Record’s campaign sought to mitigate a negative response from readers following the announcement of the cancellation of the newspaper’s TV Week television guide through strategically placed and timed ads. The decision to cancel the TV Week product was not an easy one, but an annual loss of 2US$350,000 made it necessary for it to go. To mitigate reader response, the newspaper’s approach was to give readers two months advance notice of the change; use the TV Week as a promotional vehicle for the first month to target the message to its users only; and to provide a new television book as a separate subscription for those readers who felt “lost” without their TV Week. At deadline entry, The Record received a manageable 300 calls to its customer service centre, 29 Record subscription cancellations as a direct result of the announcement, and more than 300 subscriptions to the newspaper’s new product. All three of these metrics were more positive than had been anticipated.Jennifer malcolm is a graphic designer at the record in Kitchener, Canada. she can be reached at [email protected].

die burger + circulation 91,669

Promotion highlighted newspaper’s strengths as a forum for debate The newspaper wanted to establish Die Burger not only as a reliable source of information but also as a platform for informed debate. The MCQP campaign manipulated the famous statue of the founder of Cape Town, Jan van Riebeeck to highlight the country’s largest gay festival and the gay community’s preference for Cape Town. It also highlights Cape Town’s welcoming attitude towards the festival. andile mdakane is an executive assistant at draftfcb Cape town in Cape town, south africa. they can be reached at [email protected].

the roanoke times + circulation 88,334

newspaper columnists introduced, promoted in multi-media campaign

In promoting The Roanoke Times columnists, the objective was to retain current readers and attract new ones. The marketing team created a fun questionnaire that gave the reader a glimpse into each columnist’s life. By using illustrations of the columnists, their character and interests were presented in a unique yet personable way. This twist ultimately helped introduce the columnists to new readers, while current readers felt more connected to the columnists. The campaign included a billboard, mall boards, rack cards, TMC wraps, and in-newspaper ads. The campaign got the exact response the newspaper wanted: people talking. Friends from Cox Communications had nice compliments on the campaign, “They love it. The pictures ... the board on 581, everything. Kudos to you!” One of the columnists heard from six readers, two of which had never read his column and planned on doing so.

Jody Kolars is art director at Kolars marketing in Victoria, usa. she can be reached at [email protected].

ideas January+February 2009 page 49<< campaignssingle-copy

quick + circulation 110,000

Promotion gets free weekly newspaper new distribution opportunities Quick is distributed mostly through racks placed throughout Dallas and vendors who hand the weekly newspaper out to commuters. The company’s objective was to get Quick into more offices and office buildings. Its new campaign was directed at both employers and employees. As a direct result of this campaign, Quick is now bundled and delivered to over 65 new offices throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area.steven Johnson is the director of creative strategy and execution at the dallas morning news. he can be reached at [email protected].

het Nieuwsblad + circulation 210,000

deals to desirable destinations increase revenue, create bond with readers

Het Nieuwsblad wants to offer good deals to its readers. To do so, it negotiated an offer with tourism operator Neckermann of a weekend trip for only €22 per person/per night. The in-newspaper promotion offered weekends to a number of desirable vacation destinations. The promotion was also designed to increase the single-copy sales of the newspaper during the two weeks of the promotion, increase revenues, and to create a bond with readers. The promotion resulted in an 8 percent increase in single-copy sales over 12 days. The newspaper sold an extra 48,000 single copies on top of the normal circulation. It received 15,000 saving cards and a total 180,000 saving points. geert Potargent is client services director at tBwa\Brussels in Brussels, Belgium. he can be reached at [email protected].

Malayala Manorama + circulation 1,540,000

Contest spurs newspaper’s single-copy sales, has lingering impact Malayala Manorama’s Weekly Six Star 200 campaign sought to arrest the continuous drop in sales of Manorama Weekly and to increase the casual sales of the weekly by 160,000 copies on the week in which the “Six Star” Game Card was distributed. The campaign was designed to create excitement at retail outlets which sell the publication as 80 percent of its sales are at retail locations. The hope was also that following the promotion, sales of Manorama Weekly would still show a 50,000 copy boost. During the week in which the promotion ran, the newspaper increased the single-copy sales of Manorama Weekly by over 180,000 copies. It also produced a lingering 50,000 copy increase in single-copy sales after the campaign concluded.rajagopalan nair is senior general manager of circulation at malayala manorama Limited in Kerala, india. he can be reached at [email protected].

page 50 January+February 2009 ideas campaigns >> subscriptions

the columbian + circulation 75,000

Campaign draws new subscribers during holiday season The Columbian aimed to use the print product as an avenue to acquire as many starts as possible during the holiday season. The newspaper ran four single-copy flyers: one-day sale print, one-day sale electronic, reduced rate gift subscription in print, and a reduced rate gift subscription online. These flyers were also mirrored as run-of-press advertisements in the newspaper. The newspaper received a record number of starts during the holiday season, including 200 directly related to marketing efforts. There was also an increase in sales for the newspaper’s outside sales department, due largely in part to the increased presence of the ads. rachel rose is a circulation promotion and sales executive at the Columbian in Vancouver, usa. she can be reached at [email protected].

the Palm beach Post + circulation 204,847

newspaper mailer seeks to reconnect with its market’s seasonal residents

The Palm Beach Post’s circulation numbers rise and fall according to the comings and goings of the market’s winter-season residents. To insure that these “snowbirds” resume their subscriptions when they return to South Florida in the autumn, it sent a “back north” postcard to their summer addresses, offering them a quick way to have their home delivery ready when they arrive. The postcard was mailed to 40,000 subscribers who had cancelled their subscription in the spring and indicated to customer service that they were going “back north” for the summer. Following the mailer, the newspaper received more than 1,210 orders, a 3.03 percent return. This was an increase over 391, a .98 percent return, two years earlier, and 539 orders, a 1.35 percent return, the previos year. This year’s cost per order was US$9.36, a very low cost compared to an average of approximately US$40 per order, and far down from the cost per order of

US$34.16 two years ago and US$17.31 last year.Laura Cunningham is marketing services director for the Palm Beach Post in west Palm Beach, usa. she can be reached at [email protected].

the charlotte Observer + circulation 270,000

airline partnership lets a newspaper offer something extra to new subscribers The Charlotte Observer’s campaign sought to increase its EZ-pay subscriptions online through a partnership with US Airways that offered 2,100 Dividend Miles to new subscribers. The promotion’s creative included a single-copy insert targeted to non-subscribers, an e-mail blast, and banners and rectangles on the US Airways site. The campaign produced 946 new orders and increased web sales, new and renewal, by 7 percent year-to-year.angela adamson is an account executive at the Charlotte observer in Charlotte, usa. she can be reached at [email protected].

ideas January+February 2009 page 51<< campaignsyoungreaders

toronto Star + circulation 446,493

teaching guide confronts school bullying, aims to grow nie circulation The Toronto Star created a newspaper-based teaching guide to identify bullying, promote peer interventions, research, and analyse situations related to potential bullying. The teaching guide included a wide variety of activities. The circulation objective was to increase circulation by 150,000 copies from this Newspaper in Education (NIE) initiative. This programme reached a broad range of grade levels with lessons plans covering grades 4 to 12. The newspaper exceeded its circulation targets with over 1,500 teachers signing up for this programme, which resulted in a total circulation increase of 225,000 weekday copies. It also provided educators with additional curriculum to tie in with The Ontario Ministry of Education’s Violence-Free Schools Policy. Lorne silver is director of creative marketing at the toronto star in toronto, Canada. he can be reached at [email protected].

the cairns Post + circulation 45,643

Concert, promotion connect newspaper’s brand with young people The Cairns Post's marketing initiative had multiple benefits and objectives, including increasing the profile of its Thursday entertainment lift-out, timeOUT, and targeting the elusive youth market. To receive a free ticket, readers collected 12 tokens printed in the Cairns Post over a two-week period and attached them to an entry form, also available in the newspaper. A huge marketing campaign supported the promotion, including print advertising campaign, point-of-sale, TV promotions, and online. The promotion produced a 3.2 percent circulation increase over two weeks and more than 9,000 people attended the concert. The most important outcome was the positive perception this event had on the newspaper’s brand and with the community. sylvia Palumbo is marketing manager at the Cairns Post in Cairns, australia. she can be reached at [email protected].

the chronicle + circulation 30,758

new section showcases junior sports, drawing advertisers and young readers With a huge number of junior sports played in the city and surrounding region, there was an untapped market waiting for this void to be filled. JS, as the new section was titled, was targeted not only at parents, but also the children themselves, with the focus on all children, not just elite athletes. The launch was backed by in-house advertising, television, radio, editorial stories, posters, front page pointers, and displays in many newsagents. JS has proved to be popular. Not only with extra single-copy sales but with the acceptance it has gained in the marketplace and the kudos The Chronicle has received for featuring everyday kids and not simply elite athletes. Meanwhile, businesses have signed advertising contracts up to 40 weeks to be in the section, raising revenue of more than A$100,000 a year. Businesses have also provided great prizes to be won, ranging from iPods to DVD players.markeeta hatherell is newspaper sales and marketing manager at toowoomba newspapers in toowoomba, australia. she can be reached at [email protected].

page 52 September+october 2008 ideas

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grZegOrZ PIechOta. SPEcIAL PRoJEcTS EdIToR. GAZETA WYBoRcZA. warsaw, Poland. Piechota develops and runs multi-media editorial projects alongside editorial, marketing, and research teams. he is also responsible for a number of successful products like supplements, collections, and promotional and advertising campaigns. he started his career at Gazeta 12 years ago as a reporter

and rose to deputy editor-in-chief of one of the newspaper’s spin-off titles. Since 2006, he has been involved in a number of projects at Gazeta, including editorial campaigns and series that achieved circulation and online traffic increases, improved reader participation and won awards from INMA, IFRA, and the World Association of Newspapers, including the World Young Reader Newspaper of the Year 2008 title. Among his greatest achievements are interactive campaigns that engaged thousands of readers, such as “Save the River,” “Future of our cities,” and “School of Photography Masters.” his biggest challenge now is to develop multi-media news services that link the quality journalism that the newspaper delivers with social features in order to make Gazeta an even more interactive medium than it is today. Piechota also serves as a vice president of INMA’s Europe division board.

axeu aislan Beluca, Gerente Int. Marketing Jornais, Gazeta do Povo, Curitiba, Brazilisshu Bhalla, Executive Vice President Revenues, Diligent Media Corp. ltd., Mumbai, Indiamary ann Brown, Director of Audience Development, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, USAdoug Caldwell, Publisher, Petoskey News Review, Petoskey, USABhanummati Chandiraman, General Manager, Diligent Media Corp. ltd., Mumbai, IndiaPramod dabke, General Manager, Diligent Media Corp. ltd., Mumbai, IndiaKim dalglish, Marketing Manager, The State Pubishing Company, Columbia, USAClaudine garver, loyalty Marketing Manager, Newsday, Melville, USAPetra hallstrom, Country Manager UK and Ireland, RAM-Research and Analysis of Media, Stockholm, Swedenmike halstead, Managing Director, hh&S, london, United Kingdomsindre hegna, International Sales Manager, Schibsted ASA, Oslo, Norwayed hubbard, Vice President Sales, Digital Technology International, Springville, USAozana Jurkovic, General Marketing Manager, Styria IT Solutions Gmbh & Co KG, Zagreb, CroatiaJadran Kapor, Chief Executive Officer, Dnevnik, ljubljana, Sloveniamichal Klima, Chief Executive Officer, Economia, Prague, Czech Republic

Josephine Lisuzzo, Strategic Marketing Manager, Chicago Sun-Times, USAmark medici, Director of Acquisition, Retention and Circulation, The Dallas Morning News, USAdavid mele, General Manager, Interactive Media, The Virginian-Pilot, Norfolk, USAJohn newby, Publisher, The Times, Ottawa, USAPontus ogebjer, Director of Marketing, Aftonbladet, Stockholm, Swedentorry Pedersen, Chief Executive Officer, Verdens Gang, Oslo, NorwayK.u. rao, Chief Executive Officer, Diligent Media Corp. ltd., Mumbai, Indiarobert redshaw, Director of Sales and Marketing, Cape Brenton Post, Sydney, CanadaJulie rutledge, Market Inforamtion Manager, Newspaper Advertising Bureau, Auckland, New Zealandsheena saji, Vice President of Marketing, Diligent Media Corp. ltd., Mumbai, IndiaLesley schwartz, Business Development Manager, Mixpo, Seattle, USABethuel thai, Managing Editor, Public Eye Newspapers, Maseru, lesothoJose ortiz Valladares, Executive Director, El Vistante, San Juan, USAandré Van tonder, General Manager, MCS24, Johannesburg, South Africasanja Vernic, Dnevnik, ljubljana, SloveniaCalvin wong, General Manager, Sing Tao Daily, Vancouver, Canada

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(Photo 1) Attendees at the INMA Europe conference in Vienna. (Photo 2) Bhaskar das of The Times of India, serving as moderator at the INMA South Asia conference at Mumbai. (Photo 3) Rune danielsen of Verdens Gang delivers a presentation at the INMA Europe conference. (Photo 4) delegates from the Times of India in a jubilant mood in Mumbai. (Photo 5) Attendees gather for the opening session of the INMA Europe conference. (Photo 6) Shahrukh hasan of Pakistan’s Jang Group in Mumbai. (Photo 7) Attendeees at INMA’s Strategic Marketing and Innovation Summit in chicago. (Photo 8) k.P. Narayanan of Mathrubhumi during a session in Mumbai. (Photo 9) Panel discussion at INMA chicago summit. (Photo 10) Sunil Muteja of Amar Ujala Newspaper during a session in Mumbai.

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