As the number of newsagency businesses in Australia and the foot traffic into newsagency businesses declines we have to wonder about our relevance.
There was a time when we were at the centre of each town. While some newsagencies are, and plenty are thriving, the channel, nationally, is confronting a relevance crisis.
Not that it would happen but I wonder what the impact might be if we, as a channel, took a stand on the Voice referendum and actively promoted a Yes vote.
We are uniquely positioned because many of us sell News Corp newspapers that have been actively campaigning against a Yes vote. Whether we like it or not, our shops are being used to magnify the News Corp interference in the referendum, their interference in our democracy.
What if we as a channel put up signs in our windows promoting yes, and on our social media. What if we placed a poster like this one above News Corp titles:
I get that some customers might be unhappy, but I suspect they might be among the perennially unhappy group because they read content designed to make them unhappy.
Taking a stand says something about us, what we believe, what we support, and that we are unafraid to make that statement.
If we do nothing out of fear for what customers and would-be customers might think, we commit ourselves to being ignored, we show ourselves as being irrelevant.
What our channel has is location, across the country. If we leveraged that for a national, channel wide, statement of support, we run the risk of lifting the perception of our channel out of the 1980s and into the mindset of 2023. It’s a scary thought. One we should want, well those of us who plan to be in the channel for the long term at least. This question of the relevance of the newsagency in the mind of an everyday Aussie should matter to us.
I’d love to see consideration given to this: the associations and various other groups coming together to take a stand nationally, in our front window and next to newspapers.
We could even be the local outlet for yard signs others could collect and put up in support of a yes vote. Talk about being relevant.
I reckon plenty of folks would be happy to see us do this.
We’d run the risk of feeling better about ourselves for doing this, and how great would that be!
And to customers who disagree, I’d say: isn’t it great that we live in a country where we can disagree and still offer a g’day and a smile every morning.
The poster is one being pitched by Dr Monique Ryan to Kooyong (VIC) voters.
Across at https://www.yes23.com.au/ there are plenty of resources including art for posters and other formats. Here is one example:
There are so many resources, some many opportunities for supporting Yes. I do think that if our channel engaged as I hope we would, that we would do so in a visually unifying way as that’s part of our key need.
My personal position is that I will vote Yes. It makes sense to me. There is nothing to fear. It’s long overdue.
I like this proposal a lot but worry not enough of us will understand the importance for us in taking a stand like this.
I good idea for newsagents and good for the country. I am a yes voter.
I am voting yes and would wholly support newsagents getting behind yes. I think we have too many old white men in our industry to allow that to happen though. They are all so out of touch.
( old white men ) mmmm Amanda imagine if you used other colours or references in what you said
never vote with emotion’s, there’s not much details on voice other than emotion guilt blackmail. government was elected on improving cost of living,electricity and economy.theres was no mention on VOICE REFERENDUM. we are most taxed people in australia. one country one people.
The Labor party went to the election with the Voice referendum as part of their policy. The only disinformation is coming from No campaign outlets like Sky News and News Corp more broadly.
So a few have said they are voting yes and that’s all well and good but how many newsagents will follow Mark and actually put up a vote yes sign – let us know
If you want to help the NO campaign win, go ahead and put your Vote Yes signs up.
The last thing Australians want is to be told how to vote, everyone’s vote is a personal matter.
Amanda your “old white men” comment says more about you than those you have tried to denigrate.
Maybe if you took off yourself entitled attitude off you might actually learn something from “old” people regardless of skin colour.
Though you don’t have to be from the Left of political spectrum to vote Yes for the Voice , in general I am sick of those with what always seems more left orientated views always belittling ( ie old white men as Amanda thinks) or telling us we tell lies or spread misinformation. ( as Mark thinks) or we couldn’t understand the issue ( as Michael thinks) if we have an alternate view.
It always seems to me that those on the left think they have the high moral ground on every issue.
Their Opinion is not fact necessarily, it is just that, opinion, until proven.
Sky News and News Corp are the devil himself on this blog ( it’s even been suggested not selling the likes of the Herald Sun in store due to their bias) heaven forbid those of us that may suggest that the likes of the ABC or Nine with their mastheads may lean to one side more than the other.
For heavens sake let’s all be sheep !
If only people actually read what I wrote before commenting. My post is about the channel having an opportunity to be relevant on a significant, once in a generation issue.
While I called for the channel to act as one, I knew it could not, and would not.
It’s funny seeing the comment The last thing Australians want is to be told how to vote. Most of us promote and sell newspapers every day that do just that.
On the issue of spreading lies about the Voice referendum, you only have to look at the claim from Credlin on Sky News and some Coalition politicians, and covered widely in News Corp media that the Uluru Statement from the heart was 26 pages. The comment was made to cast doubt on the simple objective of the referendum question. There is no truth to the claim: https://www.rmit.edu.au/news/factlab-meta/uluru-statement-from-the-heart-is-one-page
It’s good people have opinions. It’s unhelpful if they are not based on the facts.
This topic is one of relevance. Let’s all check back in 10 years and see what happened and what it meant to us. Ignorant fear is an intoxicating drug.
This has gone as I expected. Scared old little men drawn to oppress the oldest continuous peoples on the planet. It is pathetic really.
I’m neither scared or old or little Amanda and it went ad expected I doubt that
While I would love to display the Yes Poster (I will vote yes), I will not as it will only elevate my business and self to a status which most of my town totally rejects (along with climate change). I would be publicly harassed, abused and Graffitied along with lost sales if I did so.
There are no yes posters displayed in my business or home towns. The only comment about the referendum is negative and Graffiti usually on the back (reverse) side of other signs. It is common for elderly customers to state as fact if the yes vote wins we would give the Opera House to indigenous people (complete horseshit). I have also been to the Blue Mountains where Yes posters were displayed on many private properties and no No’s in sight. A sight to behold.
When you are in a Country National Voting electorate the National Party and then God, as number two are seen by the Conservatives is all that is allowed to exist. If you publicly step outside this you cop it.
It is simple offering for the Indigenous people to have 3 things in the constitution.
1. The right to have a body of Indigenous people peeking in Canberra.
2. The right for this body to advise the Executive of the Government of issues affecting them. There is no compulsion to listen or act on this advice.
3. The right of the Parliament to pass law for its regulation and how it works.
The case as put up the No Case consist of lies and deceit to press their own political gain. Look what was achieved by the Conservatives in destroying legislation to prevent another Juklan Gorge happening in WA again to which the voice is unrelated
It is been very effectively used as a cover for Racism.
Please Amanda I do not mind scared white men but I do mind the “old”. Bedsides this I totally agree with you.
Marks comment “Ignorant fear is an intoxicating drug” is very correct. It is now been used as very effectively in political arguments which are based lies and deceit. Free speech should not give one the right to be a rude and ignorant rude pig, or spread lies and deceit especially for political purposes.
out of curiosity are you putting up these posters in your stores Mark ?
Paul, this post is not about that, it’s about an opportunity for the channel to be relevant and on the right side of history. If the channel was doing it, I would. I’ll make a personal decision once we have a date announced.
Interestingly, our channel has put out some pretty grubby stuff over the years, especially from News Corp.
So what was your personal decision in the end Mark ??
The abuse continues, Amanda’s reiterating her slurs about old white men, then Peter R joins in and goes further than simply agreeing with Amanda he calls No Voters racists, liars and ignorant pigs and then masterfully turns it around to say you cop it from conservatives if you step out of their beliefs and Marks back to saying News Corp have put grubby stuff out for years !
It’s unbelievable how often this occurs from the left.
This post was about should we as a channel put up yes campaign posters to be relevant to the community a simple yes or no would have been suffice but it transcends into a reason to abuse those with a different view to the one espoused.
Mark , The Yes campaign is not going well, according to the polls Yes voters are now in the monority.
The conduct and arrogance of those you have mentioned is pretty typical of what has been going on and i say to then keep up your rightous attitude as it only drives more people to vote NO.
Funny that two of those people don’t even have the courage to put their full name on their posts, that says it all really
Mark Richardson
Peter Ruxton is my name.
I prefer not to use my name as such as push flaming and push back can be intense.
Further details about my business and myself are known to Mark Fletcher.
Peter R
Name calling is as bad as labels like ‘left’.
The thread is a reminder that the channel is not unified, and likely never will be.
If I was coding right now I’d type: Goto https://vimeo.com/853202419
If names matter in your little game. 崔婷婷
Being labeled left (or conservative) is not the same at all as being called old white men, racist, ignorant pigs, liars and not being capable of understanding an issue.
Let’s stop dancing around and trying to be half smart with words and simply call it out for what it is , abuse.
It’s not a dignified way to argue and simply put should not be tolerated.
People can have their views for sure and put forward those beliefs all they like just don’t descend into the gutter as too often happens.
ffs some people here need as reality check. Some comments by thin skinned blokes here make me glad I sold up when I did. I’m voting yes because that is sensible and overdue. But that is not the point I want to make. I agree with what Mark says about relevance. It’s smart. Plenty of big businesses agree as we can see already. If newsagents took this stand they would be in the news cycle and that would demonstrate relevance. It’s better than trying to sell chocolate.
Ok so the date is announced so who is putting up posters either way
Given the trolling here no wonder people have not answered you Paul.
The real point is the referendum is in itself divisive when it isn’t necessary.
Our constitutional allows for all Australians to be equal with equal legal rights.
The YES/NO VOTE is RACIST by choice. I dislike the fact that I have you choose a non event such as this.
I have friends from all different origins including indigenous Australian. It’s about time we told politicians to go jump for they are making the Country racist by forcing a non issue.
It’s about time we had some leadership in this Country something that Politicians from both persuasions lack.