The wraparound cover of the Melbourne edition of the Trading Post newspaper is a reflection on the health (or otherwise) of the print publication. It is a four page pitch to buy and sell online, nothing about print.
I guess their decision to partner with Australia Post over newsagents to do their 100 point check for online traders ought to have demonstrated their disconnect with print and the print distribution channel.
I checked our sales and the sales in several other newsagencies last night – the Trading Post is shedding retail sales fast, faster than any other daily or weekly newspaper from what I can see. In one newsagency, sales are down 33% year on year looking at the January to May data.
If I were them I would be pushing people online too. However, I’d do it in partnership with newsagents rather than abusing them.