APEC is affecting more than the streets of Sydney when the circus rolls into town. Check out the note the newspaper experts at Fairfax have just sent to NSW Newsagents:
Fairfax will produce a Bumper Weekend Edition of The Sydney Morning Herald over the APEC long weekend which will retail for the normal Saturday price of $2.20 (incl. GST) for the entire on sale period.
DISTRIBUTION (NSW/ACT):
“SPECTRUM†SECTION
• Sydney Metropolitan newsagents will receive the “Spectrum†section on Thursday, September 6, one day earlier than normal.
• Country NSW/ACT newsagents will receive the “Spectrum†section on, Friday, September 7.“THE FORMâ€
• The Form will be distributed to newsagents on Friday, September 7 as normal.FRIDAY (Public Holiday) – September 7, 2007
• You will receive a supply of the early edition of the Weekend Bumper based on your past sales of Bumper Editions.SATURDAY – September 8, 2007
• You will receive a supply of an updated edition based on your past sales of Bumper Editions. The updated edition will have the latest news and sports content.KEY OPERATIONAL POINTS:
SHOP SALES & GENERAL RETAILERS
• On both Friday, September 7, and Saturday, September 8, the APEC Bumper Weekend Edition of The Sydney Morning Herald is to be sold complete at $2.20 (incl. GST).
• Please ensure that The Form is available as normal to retail customers on Friday, September 7.
HOME DELIVERY CUSTOMERS & FAIRFAX SUBSCRIBERS
• 5 day (Mon-Fri) customers should only receive a delivery of the Bumper Weekend Edition of The
Sydney Morning Herald on Friday, September 7.
• The Form customers should receive their delivery as normal on Friday, September 7.
• Daily customers should receive a delivery of the Bumper Weekend Edition of The Sydney Morning Herald on Friday, September 7, AND should receive a delivery of the updated edition with the latest news and sports content on Saturday, September 8.
• Weekend only customers should only receive a delivery of the Bumper Weekend Edition of The Sydney Morning Herald on Saturday, September 8.
We appreciate your ongoing support and professional approach to the Herald Bumper Editions and are sure their success will continue.
Just when one would have thought the city’s newspaper of record would want to show off, it goes for the Aussie long weekend.
These distribution plans considerably increase the workload on small business newsagents without any compensation. They demonstrate a lack of respect from Fairfax.
I don’t know how you southerners handle all these bumper editions. It sounds like the most convoluted way you could possibly handle things. A tip for you Fairfax, produce your normal paper all year round. Give them Good Friday and Christmas day off and you will have happier newsagents and less confused customers.