Power of Print Conference: innovating to boost circulation and profits

Posted by Helena Deards on May 28, 2009 at 1:41 PM

With newspapers working out how to simultaneously appeal to their readers, monetise their content and be successful businesses, some publications are taking unusual steps to do so. Speaking at the World Association of Newspapers' Power of Print Conference in Barcelona, Kylie Davis of the Sydney Morning Herald and Sun-Herald, and Rodrigo Fino of Garcia Media described what steps their publications have taken.

Davis discussed the "sacrosanct" relationship between editorial and advertising, and how the Morning Herald and Sun Herald have toed the line between the two and come up with a profitable solution. They create high quality specialised magazines of 'advertorials', bundled with the newspaper but clearly separated from the main editorial.

The content of the magazines is written by news staff to strict standards, on a brief provided by the advertiser. ""We're not selling content, we're selling context," explained Davis. She said that the specialised publications have brought the newspaper company close to $5 million AU (€2.54 million) of new revenue in under 12 months.

Meanwhile, Venezuelan newspaper El Informador has increased its circulation by 14% this year. Fino, president of owner Garcia Media, described how this was largely to do with the papers redesign to focus on hyperlocal news, using the front pages to encourage comments and interaction from readers. "As a regional newspaper, we needed to fit in closely with readers, which means calling on important people in the region to give information on their specialties," he explained.

Source: World Association of Newspapers