Just after the announcement that Fairfax and News Limited had met to discuss newspaper distribution, the collective of newsagent associations released their New Territories Report. This report lays out several principles which they consider to be important to newsagents in negotiating the newspaper distribution model of the future.
Internally, News and Fairfax are playing their cards close to their respective chests. Newsagents need to approach this project in a similar way.
In the late 1990s newsagents botched the negotiation of new contracts. The egos of a couple of blokes got in the way and newsagents were left with poor representation on a crucial matter.
While the report from the associations released yesterday makes a range of statements with which I agree, I would feel far more comfortable if I knew that they were being advised and guided by a text of professionals from outside the channel: legal people, economists and business strategists.
If newsagents want to have a strong position at the table discussing the future of newspaper distribution, they will need to stump up the funds necessary to be as well prepared and represented as the publishers. This is not happen in the late 1990s and the result was a poor one for newsagents.
I applaud the associations for making the report public. Now, I’d like to see details on their expert external advisors.
Have the memories returned from the late 1990’s to early 2000. Don’t forget!!!But unite!!! The distribution of newspapers by NEWs & FAIRFAX will be on the back burner as they gear up towards the new electronic models they are currently all pushing. They will not have the same attitude this time in discussions with newsagents – so get together and get the distribution model with fair prices on the table with all united on the one front. Just maybe newsagents will come out ahead with the new agreements. Mark – good work.