Wright told editors at the UK conference that their newspapers would be dead in ten years if they don’t add value to them. He said, “Any editor who believes he can sell his newspaper entirely on news and that magazines, supplements, promotions and yes, CDs and DVDs, are simply embarrassments imposed on them by commercial management is not going to succeed. Any editor who wants his paper still to be here in 2020 needs to be constantly thinking about what he can add to his newspaper and what he can put into his polybag (plastic wrap) that will make his newspaper better value to the reader.”

Wright said it is the things given away or sold cheaply with the newspaper that circulation will depend upon. The distribution system should be used to deliver desirable items at a very low cost simply because newspapers have the ability to do so.

For example, newspapers could distribute candy, CDs, or DVDs. The manufacturer of a new candy bar could make a deal with a newspaper to distribute a free sample along with the paper, which could earn huge revenue for the paper.

“When the history of newspapers is written, it may well be that the greatest innovation of our generation is the humble polybag,” Wright said. Newspapers are no longer just news services but "cultural packages ... put together by a remarkable collection of people with fingers on the pulse."

Many UK national newspapers have taken Wright’s advice, giving away a plethora of things in October. In Europe, newspaper groups are now generating about 20% of their revenue selling, rather than giving away, items. The hope from many is that these promotions will be a way to recapture the young readers.

Although manageable sized giveaways and promotional items distributed at little cost seem to be the sensible trend, Rupert Murdoch said that his newspapers will not be following the pack because they have basically already given up trying to recapture young readers, and instead are just trying to redirect young people the website.

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