Friday, December 23, 2011

It Would Appear That The Good People Of PG And The 'Loops....

...Won't Have The Ghost Of Lord Tubby To Ignore Anymore.



Will wonders and/or the War on Crazy Anti-Canadian Ghosts of Christmas Past never cease?



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Here's the link to T. Hawthorn's tweet.

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Posted by RossK at Friday, December 23, 2011

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Interesting trend. The Post stopped its print subscriptions about five years ago on the east coast, and then pulled most of its paper editions from stores and newsstands too. A couple of years ago they did something the same in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, although I can't recall the specifics. Basically, Conrad Black's experiment in a Canadian version of the Torygraph wasn't making money. Not enough people bought it -- the experiment or the paper.
So, interesting trend.
On the other hand, they told workers about six months ago that the paper was finally cauterizing the wounds, and I believe it was some time this fall that they announced it had made its first profit.
The online edition is still free. No paywall, and none for the Financial Post either. No one will say what online revenue is. Chainwide, online revenue is holding at about 20 pct., versus 80 pct from print editions. Is it an online miracle that's pushed the Post into the black? Or cost cutting? Some other factor? No one's saying.
The question is: What does it all mean? They don't sell a lot and they can't sell at all in some markets. But they have created a market that works.
Success? Failure? Canadians still rejecting a rabid rightwing press (kind of like they're rejecting Sun TV)? Or Canadians slowly warming to them?
And is the Post just a cog in a bigger plot to reshape Canada, so not to be judged strictly on its own numbers?

6:14 pm, December 23, 2011
RossK said...

Thanks Anon--

Most insightful comment, and thanks most for the information that is not widely available to those of us outside the guild.

Now, getting down to the the topic at hand....

If the 20/80 ratio is staying the same and the 80 is shrinking as they downsize, doesn't that mean that the 20 must be shrinking too.

Given that, even with cost-cutting, I find it hard to believe that the 'small profit' is non-deep pocket assisted.

Couple that with the egregiousity of giving DFrum a free hand to pretend that he is the 2nd Great White Northian coming of the bearer of the Friedman Unit and I reckon the answer is 'e' which is 'Cog' and 'Plot'

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Hey, here is an unrelated question for you...

Leaving political slant, etc., out of it for the moment....From a purely ink-stained wretch point of view did the arrival of the NaPo make everyone else better.

Or.

Put another way, does competition in your business still matter?

I ask because of this concept that Jay Rosen and others have been batting around that Journos are competitive while Bloggers are collaborative, and I see the merits in both.

Thanks.


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8:10 am, December 24, 2011
Norm Farrell said...

I wonder if when they've reduced circulation to Rosedale, Forest Hill, Lawrence Park and The Bridle Path, will they still call it the "National" Post.

Probably.

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11:24 am, December 24, 2011
RossK said...

Of course they will Norm.

After all, the fine folks that live there think that they are the Nation.

It's a funny thing though...Every time I take that long, lonely ride in along the Gardiner from Pearson (usually late on a Sunday night in advance of the work week), I can't help but think how much the place looks like NewCleveland these days.

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7:24 am, December 25, 2011

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