Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Free sheet free for all
So now we have four free newspapers in London: City AM, the Metro, News International’s thelondonpaper and Associated Newspaper’s London Lite. It has been just over a week now since thelondonpaper and London Lite started their battle for commuters eyeballs in the evening, and of course advertisers’ wallets.
Both papers have been criticised for tailoring their content at the lowest denominator, much in the style of the burgeoning weekly gossip market. However, after a day at work it is often more relaxing to read a digested version of the news – something that the freesheets do well - than trying to digest a literary classic.
With the release of the new freesheets, a model pioneered don’t forget by the internet, how long before all newspapers become free in order to have the largest audiences and therefore satisfy advertisers.
Whatever your view its great news for PR agencies – loads more column inches to target with stories. And think of the potential reach if any or all go regional in the same way that the Metro has. Permalink |
So now we have four free newspapers in London: City AM, the Metro, News International’s thelondonpaper and Associated Newspaper’s London Lite. It has been just over a week now since thelondonpaper and London Lite started their battle for commuters eyeballs in the evening, and of course advertisers’ wallets.
Both papers have been criticised for tailoring their content at the lowest denominator, much in the style of the burgeoning weekly gossip market. However, after a day at work it is often more relaxing to read a digested version of the news – something that the freesheets do well - than trying to digest a literary classic.
With the release of the new freesheets, a model pioneered don’t forget by the internet, how long before all newspapers become free in order to have the largest audiences and therefore satisfy advertisers.
Whatever your view its great news for PR agencies – loads more column inches to target with stories. And think of the potential reach if any or all go regional in the same way that the Metro has. Permalink |
Comments:
thelondonpaper gets my vote. I agree that its slightly gossipy, but this criticism can be levelled as much at the broadsheets too - most of them have gossip or 'society' columnists now. This is just a reflection on UK society in 2006. A few years back under the much-maligned Piers Morgan's editorship, The Mirror made an effort to bring real news back up the agenda. It made for a great newspaper but lost readers in droves.
# posted by 
: 10:31 AM
: 10:31 AM
I'm not a fan of either to be honest but they do their job well - i.e. they are free and kill time on the bus journey home. I can't tell the difference between either. Anon, you prolific author, i beleive you are right in saying that gossip columns are a reflection of society, but hasn't every generation had something to complain about? It's a shame about the Mirror also. I was too young to appreciate what a good tabloid newspaper it was at the time and do hope it sets a precedent for other tabloids to follow.
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# posted by : 9:50 AM
: 9:50 AM
