The decline continues

IRE60

The Jan-June ABC’s were released. Normal stuff completed if you follow the signature.

I just looked at the Irish Times article on the ABC's, who also took a peek at the work(!). However, no matter how many times you point this out, the media bitchiness is still in full flight – but the Times seem to have their sights on one paper – The Daily Star.

In the article they give themselves a good rubbing down and subtly manage to avoid quoting their own print circulation (58,678 – down 8%) by using the combined print/digital number. The print circulation which is an all Ireland circulation, both North and South.

However when it came to the Daily Star, they maintain their circulation is 41,169 whereas its actually 46,808 – North and south. The use the RoI figure only - a bit selective given the report is called the 'Island of Ireland' report.

I simply find it staggering that they go out of their way, not for the first time, to p1ss on the title like that (or do I?). If they do that, what else do they get up to.

‘"A man who will misuse an apostrophe is capable of anything" - Con Houlihan

JTMan

The ABC newspaper circulation numbers are out for January to June 2018. ilevel.ie has good analysis as always here. Crica. 8% declines.

L1011

Is there a paid vs bulks figure for the Sun available? Saw that they had been hammering bulks out in places, circulation the only one up...

IRE60

They carry 2,500 bulks in both the Sunday and Daily - consistent figure each month.

John_Rambo

Muahahaha wrote: »

They certainly are looking for taxpayers money and they already have Fianna Fail TD Dimmy Tooley in their back pocket batting for them-

How do you feel about the burgeoning hotel industries tax discount that already exists? Are you as incensed about that as you are about the newsprint industries non-existent one? And if not, why not?

Muahahaha

John_Rambo wrote: »

How do you feel about the burgeoning hotel industries tax discount that already exists? Are you as incensed about that as you are about the newsprint industries non-existent one? And if not, why not?

not sure what the 9% vat rate has to do with Govt. directly subsidising the print media. Are you saying that it is a good idea that politicians subsidise the very industry that is supposed to hold them to account

For the record the 9% VAT rate for hotels should be hiked back to its original 13%. Tbh I never really felt they needed it in the first place- tourism has grown in a steady trend in Ireland for as long back as I can remember, recession included.

John_Rambo

Muahahaha wrote: »

not sure what the 9% vat rate has to do with Govt. directly subsidising the print media. Are you saying that it is a good idea that politicians subsidise the very industry that is supposed to hold them to account .

Because the 9% reduce VAT rate actually exists where as the subsidies that the Government gives the print media doesn't exist.

Muahahaha

John_Rambo wrote: »

Because the 9% reduce VAT rate actually exists where as the subsidies that the Government gives the print media doesn't exist.

As said Im not in favour of the 9% VAT rate for hotels charging 300 odd a night in Dublin nor am I in favour of the print media being subsidised by the very people they are supposed to hold to account. We already have one RTE, we dont need another.

The print media only has itself to blame for not moving with the times fast enough. Their advertising revenues have been obliterated because they sneered at sites like Daft, Carzone, Donedeal, etc rather than innovating and competing with them. The print media had a monopoly on all car sales and accommodation advertising from the year dot. They thought the internet was some sort of fad and treated it as such. That is their business failure and it isnt up to the taxpayer to bail them out for messing up their own business.

John_Rambo

Muahahaha wrote: »

As said Im not in favour of the 9% VAT rate for hotels charging 300 odd a night in Dublin nor am I in favour of the print media being subsidised by the very people they are supposed to hold to account. We already have one RTE, we dont need another.

The print media only has itself to blame for not moving with the times fast enough. Their advertising revenues have been obliterated because they sneered at sites like Daft, Carzone, Donedeal, etc rather than innovating and competing with them. The print media had a monopoly on all car sales and accommodation advertising from the year dot. They thought the internet was some sort of fad and treated it as such. That is their business failure and it isnt up to the taxpayer to bail them out for messing up their own business.

Lol.. I don't think there's anything the print media could have done to be honest. The internet took over, organically, with no real effort! Most people saw it coming and retrained and moved with the times (myself included)..

I actually didn't know the print media sneered at websites, I worked in the print media and I never saw or heard of anyone sneering at websites, there was just genuine concern and a shift to packaging.

Who told you the print media thought the internet was a fad??

CeilingFly

Muahahaha wrote: »

The print media only has itself to blame for not moving with the times fast enough. Their advertising revenues have been obliterated because they sneered at sites like Daft, Carzone, Donedeal, etc rather than innovating and competing with them. The print media had a monopoly on all car sales and accommodation advertising from the year dot. They thought the internet was some sort of fad and treated it as such. That is their business failure and it isnt up to the taxpayer to bail them out for messing up their own business.

Most of the print media saw it coming from a long way back.

Irish times owns myhome.ie, indo group own several sub sites including vow.ie and carsireland.ie

Most media have been online for many years - its trying to monetize that which is the problem.

Indo, because most of their content is sensationalist nonsense simply would not get people to pay to read rubbish whereas the Irish Times are approaching 20,000 subscribers

And it's not just an Irish issue, it's the same worldwide

L1011

John_Rambo wrote: »

How do you feel about the burgeoning hotel industries tax discount that already exists? Are you as incensed about that as you are about the newsprint industries non-existent one? And if not, why not?

The 9% VAT rate applies to newspapers and has done since it came in.

IRE60

John_Rambo wrote: »

I actually didn't know the print media sneered at websites, I worked in the print media and I never saw or heard of anyone sneering at websites, there was just genuine concern and a shift to packaging.

Likewise, I worked in print and I can honestly say that whilst they certainly didn’t sneer at websites, they completely underestimated the momentum gathering. Even trying to bring up the subject – the ‘I’ word (in some of my experiences) was treated with derision.

You’d have to understand that the print media thought the party would never end. The high class problem for some titles was that on a Thursday or Friday they needed extra vans to distribute the papers as the size of the property supplements meant they couldn’t fit the same amount of papers into a van as they would have on a ‘normal day’ – total madness.

I worked for a publication that now no longer exists – its demise was 100% down to the internet and peoples changing habits. Could it have migrated – absolutely. Was that on the cards/radar absolutely not! (I’d just like to add that I wasn’t working there when it closed!)

NIMAN

TodayFM has been mentioned many times in the radio forum as a station that has gone to the dogs in terms of quality.

This morning I was listening to their news and the top story? It is day 2 of the electric picnic. And Kendrick Lemar was the closing act the previous night.

Story 2, the president of the United States would be visiting Ireland in November.

TheQuietFella

NIMAN wrote: »

TodayFM has been mentioned many times in the radio forum as a station that has gone to the dogs in terms of quality.

Nothing but airheads on radio now and I'm talking nationally!

The recent influx of women to be honest isn't doing it any favours either.
I don't know if it's just me but I turn the dial when I hear a feminine voice
on the radio. I'm probably just old school!

IRE60

So the High court has appointed (will appoint) two inspectors to the indo:



https://www.irishtimes.com/business/media-and-marketing/high-court-to-appoint-two-inspectors-to-inm-1.3617849

JTMan

Total waste of INM's cash taking this to court.

IRE60

That may be true - but I'd have no difficulties with a criminal inquiry being instigated on the back of the alleged data extraction

JTMan

Enda O’Coineen agrees deal to buy Sunday Business Post

https://www.irishtimes.com/business/media-and-marketing/enda-o-coineen-agrees-deal-to-buy-sunday-business-post-1.3620896?mode=sample&auth-failed=1&pw-origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fbusiness%2Fmedia-and-marketing%2Fenda-o-coineen-agrees-deal-to-buy-sunday-business-post-1.3620896

Galway businessman Enda O’Coineen, the chairman of Kilcullen Kapital, has signed a deal to buy the Sunday Business Post newspaper.

Staff at the Post, which was put on the market last year by private equity firm Key Capital, were told on Thursday afternoon that the deal with Mr O’Coineen has been finalised. Pending regulatory approval, it is expected to close in about six-to-eight weeks.

Mr O’Coineen was advised on the transaction by fellow Galway businessman Declan Dooley, who previously operated the Galway Independent freesheet and co-founded the Independent Free Newspaper group.

Loafing Oaf

JTMan wrote: »

Enda O’Coineen agrees deal to buy Sunday Business Post

https://www.irishtimes.com/business/media-and-marketing/enda-o-coineen-agrees-deal-to-buy-sunday-business-post-1.3620896?mode=sample&auth-failed=1&pw-origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fbusiness%2Fmedia-and-marketing%2Fenda-o-coineen-agrees-deal-to-buy-sunday-business-post-1.3620896

Wonder will he keep on Padraig O'Coineen as a columnist.:p

Muahahaha

CeilingFly wrote: »

Indo, because most of their content is sensationalist nonsense simply would not get people to pay to read rubbish whereas the Irish Times are approaching 20,000 subscribers

I cant remember where I read it but apparently the Indo are soon to put some of their content behind a paywall.

Comhrá

Muahahaha wrote: »

I cant remember where I read it but apparently the Indo are soon to put some of their content behind a paywall.

Fair play to them. They'll be doing the country a great service.

CeilingFly

Rumour has it that the ODCE sent their inspectors into the Indo today on a fact finding mission.

They left five minutes later and finding none.

JTMan

The Irish Daily Star accounts for 2017 are on the CRO website.

Always provides a fascinating insight into how a company in structural decline is keeping its head above water.

Turnover: Down from €18.8m to €17.4m
Expenses: Cost of sales: Down from €11.3m to €10.9m
Expenses: Distributing & marketing: Down from €3.8m to €3.1m
Expenses: Admin: Down from €1.6m to €1.4m
Expenses: Exceptional (possibly redundancies): €0.2m
Profit: Down from €1.7m to €1.5m
Dividends: Down from €2.0m to €1.1m

How did they stay profitable?
--> Staff cut from 58 to 50.
--> Massive cut in distributing and printing expenses. INM paid €4.4m from prior €5.5m. (Northern and Shell still paid €0.4m for content).
--> €0.2m cut from legal provision.
--> Other small cuts.

So Independent Star have pulled a Houdini again and in the face of ever declining newspaper sales and newspaper advertising revenue, they are still profitable. The ability to cut costs, and still produce a national newspaper, has limited bounds, but they keep finding more cost cutting measures, but this surely can't last too much longer.

NIMAN

There's a link in the Indo's website today entitled "Who is the hardest working band in Ireland?".

I clicked on it, expecting to see U2 or The Coronas etc listed, instead this is the story:

https://www.independent.ie/storyplus/who-are-irelands-hardest-working-band-37357103.html

The bloody Lotto band from the advert. It reads like a proper story and then the last line says:
Note: The Celebrations is a fictional band, and all characters represented are fictitious.

I'm not sure if this is meant to be funny, and no mention of it being an advert.
But its a new low.

IRE60

NIMAN wrote: »

There's a link in the Indo's website today entitled "Who is the hardest working band in Ireland?".

I clicked on it, expecting to see U2 or The Coronas etc listed, instead this is the story:

https://www.independent.ie/storyplus/who-are-irelands-hardest-working-band-37357103.html

The bloody Lotto band from the advert. It reads like a proper story and then the last line says:
Note: The Celebrations is a fictional band, and all characters represented are fictitious.

I'm not sure if this is meant to be funny, and no mention of it being an advert.
But its a new low.

It's not a new low - it's prostitution! See the little logo at the bottom of the story : sponsored by the national lottery!

An Ciarraioch

Comhra wrote: »

Muahahaha wrote: »

I cant remember where I read it but apparently the Indo are soon to put some of their content behind a paywall.

Fair play to them. They'll be doing the country a great service.

Much like the Telegraph's "premium" content!

expectationlost

NIMAN wrote: »

There's a link in the Indo's website today entitled "Who is the hardest working band in Ireland?".

I clicked on it, expecting to see U2 or The Coronas etc listed, instead this is the story:

https://www.independent.ie/storyplus/who-are-irelands-hardest-working-band-37357103.html

The bloody Lotto band from the advert. It reads like a proper story and then the last line says:
Note: The Celebrations is a fictional band, and all characters represented are fictitious.

I'm not sure if this is meant to be funny, and no mention of it being an advert.
But its a new low.

did it not have the "Sponsored by: Lotto logo" thing at the end.

it should have one at the top too.

CeilingFly

This is how far the indo has fallen.


Today has seen a horrendous tsunami in Indonesia. Hundreds, probably thousands have died.

The tragedy is headline news around the world.

The indo is leading with some utter garbage about nurses being tired.

And they wonder why they are failing.

L1011

#sponcon is keeping news media going at this stage really. Most papers would be dead without it; lots of online wouldn't even exist. Should be easier to realise what it is though - the Irish Times puts a box around it in print at least.

Heres Johnny

Most publications are an absolute basket case these days. I said it before, but when you get better thought out arguments on boards.ie, even in after hours forum, than in what used to be respected media outlets topical issues the system is broken and it's game over.
The coverage in Irish media over some topics recently has been a disgrace and amateurish at best. Spelling mistakes, no fact checking, sensationalist claims....good riddance. I'm probably talking about the indo here to be honest. It's no better than journal.ie and other derivatives at this stage. Bye bye.

NIMAN

IRE60 wrote: »

It's not a new low - it's prostitution! See the little logo at the bottom of the story : sponsored by the national lottery!

I'm fine with adverts being sponsored by companies or lotteries etc, but at least tell us they are adverts, don't hide them in their standard content to make it look like its a real story.

If the Indo was to go paid for service, I think they might fail miserably. Who would honestly pay for what they have to tell us?

JTMan

Article on what happens when newspapers kill print ...

or American daily newspapers, the story of the last decade-plus hasn’t been about mass closures — it’s been about mass shrinkage. The pace at which newspapers are shutting down isn’t much different from what it was in the late 20th century. Instead, just about every daily paper has gotten smaller — smaller newsroom, smaller budgets, smaller print runs, smaller page counts — year after year after year. It’s death by a thousand paper cuts.

But shrinking can only go so far. In the second quarter of 2018, McClatchy’s print advertising revenue dropped 26.4 percent year over year; Gannett was down 19.1 percent, Tronc 18 percent. They’re not making new daily print newspaper subscribers anymore

There’s no Zeno’s Paradox to prevent newspapers from eventually deciding one one of two courses of action: going online-only or shutting down entirely.

IRE60

is there a borris effect in here?!


https://www.theguardian.com/media/2018/oct/03/telegraph-to-put-politics-business-and-rugby-news-behind-paywall

Loafing Oaf

JTMan wrote: »

Article on what happens when newspapers kill print ...

Something similar must be true of Irish papers. I would have bet my life savings there would have been at least one more national newspaper coverage within five years of the Tribune yet they're all still here. It seems close to miraculous that the Examiner and the SBP can keep going at less than 30K sales...

IRE60

JTMan wrote: »

Article on what happens when newspapers kill print ...

It's a very interesting article and I hadn't checked in to Nieman Lab in some time! But it's not jaw dropping stuff. The engagement with a physical product that you put your hand in your pocket for will always surpass a free online offering. So no revelation there.

They majored on the fact that the Independent (print) readers didn't migrate online to the digital product - but were they ever - were they the right profile in the first place to be enthusiastic about the digital offering?

I think a telling stat emerged in the FF policy document on their theory how to keep the forth estate alive. [While it was blurred in parts and there were questionable parts - it was a start]. A print reader is worth €140 p.a. to a publisher - the digital 'user' is worth €17. However, there was no mention of the costs to the publisher to each market!


And @Loafing Oaf - I'm totally surprised that something else didn't go to the wall - and won't be if a publication does. In the immoral words of someone or other 'size isn't everything' - the SBP is (I believe) profitable and the Examiner will probably will be under the wings of the Irish Times Trust.

Edit: anyone interested in the 'production' end - this is a really interesting article. A bit like the beginnings of Amazon where there was mass fragmentation in parts. Likewise, in the slightly unclear path for publishers, there may be some clarity
http://www.niemanlab.org/2018/09/newsonomics-the-washington-posts-ambitions-for-arc-have-grown-to-a-bezosian-scale/

JTMan

Loafing Oaf wrote: »

Something similar must be true of Irish papers. I would have bet my life savings there would have been at least one more national newspaper coverage within five years of the Tribune yet they're all still here.

I was for a long time surprised to that more newspapers have not gone to the wall until I realised how 'easy' it is to cut costs in the newspaper industry. Journalist numbers keep dwindling, pages in papers keep decreasing, copy and paste journalism from other sources keeps increasing, the number of print presses is declining, distribution is consolidating ...

The cost of producing a newspaper has declined significantly but so has the quality but some people (elderly mainly) will keep buying regardless.

Loafing Oaf wrote: »

It seems close to miraculous that the Examiner and the SBP can keep going at less than 30K sales...

The SBP is boarderline profitable and has had significant reductions in revenue in recent years to just 7.1 million EUR per year in the last set of accounts. Rich owners have helped keep it alive. It would seem that the scope for further cost cutting at the SBP is getting limited.

JTMan

Reech (Express, Star and Mirror) results are out.
- Total revenue down 7%
- Advertising revenue down 20%
- 70 editorial jobs to be axed
- 2m in cost cutting this year
- 20m in cost cutting by 2020
- Profit for the year will be around 132m

Yet again cost cutting keeping a newspaper groups head above water.

More here.

JTMan

Owner of The Scotsman Johnston Press hangs up 'for sale' sign

https://news.sky.com/story/owner-of-the-scotsman-johnston-press-hangs-up-for-sale-sign-11523226

Johnston Press, the company behind a string of newspaper titles including the i, The Scotsman and The Yorkshire Post, has put itself up for sale.

The company, which like many rivals has struggled financially amid declining print readerships and ad revenues, took the decision after a strategic review of its business which began last year.

The review took place ahead of a looming deadline for the repayment of £220m in loans.

The announcement of a sale was the only option it revealed in its statement to the market.

JTMan

3-4 Month Consultation at the Sunday Business Post Might Lead to Print Closure

https://www.independent.ie/business/media/sunday-business-post-buyer-hints-at-digital-tv-future-37405930.html

Galway businessman Enda O'Coineen, the chairman of Kilcullen Kapital Partners, which recently acquired the 'Sunday Business Post' says he does not know if the Sunday newspaper will cease to print following a strategic review of the title.

IRE60

the ABC 'metric' is probably redundant at this point -

https://mumbrella.com.au/news-corp-pulls-from-amaa-audit-shifts-focus-to-readership-489248


maybe more to follow

JTMan

Any good print advertiser will want independent sales stats, not, often bogus, readership numbers that are based on surveys.

ABC still have a role to play.

IRE60

JTMan wrote: »

ABC still have a role to play.

Absolutely. It's a definitive metric. But I think that the progress of cross platforms means that this data has to be supplemented/augmented with other data.


I see our friends on Newsbrands Ireland who published this article 'The Future of Media Planning is Integrated' are seriously on the ball! Article written in December 2013!
http://newsbrandsireland.ie/the-future-of-media-planning-is-integrated/

JTMan

Voluntary redundancies at the Irish Times (Linked to the Landmark acquisition) ... https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/ireland/newspaper-group-looks-for-voluntary-redundancies-bnclw0r8t

IRE60

Jaw dropping story on front of SBP in the INM data breech

JTMan

This is going to eventually lead to INM paying out large sums of money to those who's data was breached which would include sources. This has a phone hacking compensation ring to the whole story.

IRE60

I'm told that the redundancies in the Indo will be announced tomorrow. A reduction of 35 bodies will go through by the end of the day.

JTMan

Yeah, it was reported on the press.

IRE60

I see the 'press' aka the Indo press release suggested they would get 25 voluntary..... not the case on the ground!

Muahahaha

Interesting by the Sunday Times to drop their subscription fees from €21 a month to €5. Would imagine they are picking up a lot of new subscriptions because of it.

JTMan

The latest ABCA UK newspapers in Ireland numbers are here. 10% YoY decline. The decline continues.

Separately, anyone any thoughts on what happens to these UK newspapers, well the ones that are imported, post a hard Brexit? Will distribution continue?