Newsagents are certain to reflect on the passing of Kerry Packer as they trade today. His influence over their businesses was considerable.
His companies published our most successful magazines (Australian Women’s Weekly, Woman’s Day, TV Week, NW, Madison, Real Living, Take 5) and distributed many many others. There was not a day that would pass without contact between a newsagent and a Kerry Packer owned company.
As newsagents sell their newspapers today carrying Kerry Packer as front page news, some will hope for a happier relationship with his companies, others will worry that with his passing goes a support from within his companies for small business newsagents. While in recent times Packer companies have made some decisions which have hurt newsagents, they have, overall been very supportive of the channel – actively investing in marketing strategies designed to help newsagents compete with supermarkets and others moving into the magazine space. Indeed there are stories of Kerry Packer personally intervening and reversing at least one decision by his management team which would have hurt newsagents.
Publishing needs more people who have grown up with and have an affinity for “the business”. Kerry Packer was unique and I reckon newsagents will miss his influence.
So the legend of Kerry Packer groes as every man and his dog jumps on the emotional band wagon to relate stories mostly embelished with bullshit as they grovel in the dust hoping for a few crumbs from the tax evading goanna’s mouth.
Truth is if this bloke could have made money out of the oxygen in the atmosphere we would all be paying too much …. RIP Kerry …. but we don’t need another like you.