Star-Bulletin special

[pumpkinboy]

Someone just called me today offering (1) year of Star-Bulletin every day of the week for under $1 per week

Had to take it.

Plus, I have to support the smaller paper since I want them to survive against the Advertiser.

I firmly believe we need at least (2) papers in this market.

Rock on SB!!!

[Karen]

Re: Star-Bulletin special

Yeah, I got that call and she sounded confident that I was going to say yes simply cuz I was so polite and let her say her entire spill. I had to tell her that I do read her paper online but am not interested in any being delivered to the house. I don't have a birdcage to line and it's just a waste of paper and of my garbage can. I do miss the Sunday coupons if they still put pages of glossy ones in there, but that's the only reason I would want it. I know both papers are going to have to start charging for online service someday. I'm hooked.

[buzz1941]

Re: Star-Bulletin special

Everybody should be reading BOTH papers.

[lavagal]

Re: Star-Bulletin special

Everybody should be reading BOTH papers.

Indeed. And throw in that weekly PBN and those little weenie rags that find their way in your mail pile, too! Personally, I'd be quite grateful!

[Kimo]

Re: Star-Bulletin special

I know both papers are going to have to start charging for online service someday. I'm hooked.

Actually, the New York Times announced this week it will no longer charge for online content - and follow-up stories in the media seem to indicate that this is the trend.

[unidentifiedstar]

Re: Star-Bulletin special

At that price, the Star-Bulletin has basically turned itself into a freebie. Which begs the question: What is their circulation now? It used to be 60,000, but I doubt it gets that any more, and certainly not in paid circulation. Does anyone out there have credible circ numbers for the Bulletin from this year? Many of us would love to know, particularly the people who advertise.

This also raises another question: Do readers who pick up a paper for free command the same ad rates as readers who buy their paper? Again, I doubt it, but I'd love to hear evidence to the contrary. Long live the Bull!

[buzz1941]

Re: Star-Bulletin special

Last I recall, around 60,000 was the point of diminishing returns for us. It's what the market will bear, and it's tough for our little press to crank out more than that on a timely basis. So the goal now is to aim at around that number but make sure no papers are wasted. You'll notice that the street racks aren't overstuffed with Star-Bulletins -- their daily sales are closely monitored.
In the paper business today, it's better to be small and lean. The age of "major metropolitan dailies" is over.
When Gannett puts the Advertiser up for sale next year, it will be interesting to see if there are any takers.

[pumpkinboy]

Re: Star-Bulletin special

I also agree, gotta have 2 dailies!

I find the coverage in the SB is a bit more open and hard-hitting in some aspects than the Advertiser. Take the Paakaula case for e.g.

I thought the articles by the Advertiser, where he pleaded guilty really toned down the racial aspect of the crime. The SB, they really hit that point hard and constantly throughout the story.

They also, as we all know, decided to run that story on Bishop Estate.

An article that changed Hawaii history.

[BigD]

Re: Star-Bulletin special

I get my newspapers FREE everyday just by going online and reading it. Its just as good as buying it off the rack. Aloha, BigD.

[unidentifiedstar]

Re: Star-Bulletin special

Good point BigD. IMO, within the next generation, most people in the U.S. will get their regular news fix online, or in some electronic format, for both local and global news. Why pay when you can get it for free? Why wait for the delivery boy? The only print readers left behind will be those who fail to get into the computer age, and few big advertisers will be interested in reaching these types of readers.

So, I'm still curious about the Bull's actual circulation today. If roughly 60k is the goal, what are they achieving? 40k? 50k?

[scrivener]

Re: Star-Bulletin special

I get my newspapers FREE everyday just by going online and reading it. Its just as good as buying it off the rack.

M-hm. Can't do the crossword, can't turn pages, can't read it on the throne, can't clip stuff to pass along, can't file the recipes in your recipe box...

[infinitypro]

Re: Star-Bulletin special

I received a similar call 'bout a month ago, but it went more like, "Hi. We'll be delivering the Star Bulletin to you everyday next week, and all you have to pay is..." I stopped the solicitor abruptly since I didn't want or need 'nother bill. I prefer they return to the Advertiser in the morning, Star Bulletin in the afternoon, but I wonder if it would help with circulation?

We subscribe to the Advertiser since that's how it was since I was raised, and on the commute home pick up the Star Bulletin. But now, it's just read the SB online and still subscribe to the Advertiser as well as PBN.

The MidWeek has its own spot on the counter next to the throne!

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Star-Bulletin special

Can't do the crossword, can't turn pages, can't read it on the throne, can't clip stuff to pass along, can't file the recipes in your recipe box...

Get printer? Uses less paper, too, and I don't have to wade through all the ads.

(This is coming, mind you, from someone who used to collect daily newspapers as travel souvenirs in his youth AND still subscribes to one daily print edition paper, along with Sunday's New York Times.)

[buzz1941]

Re: Star-Bulletin special

I get my newspapers FREE everyday just by going online and reading it. Its just as good as buying it off the rack. Aloha, BigD.

Crux of the dilemma: People get their news online, which harms newsgathering resources, but if the newsgatherers go under, who will provide content for online readers?

Good thing you're not a coupon clipper! And good thing you don't care about national and international news, sports, business and features, or comic strips or national columnists, or local sales and advertising news, because none of that content is in your online edition.

Newspapers can also be "scanned" much faster by your analog Mark.1 eyeball. They are designed to deal with a great deal of information in an efficient manner. Getting your news one story at a time online is tunnel vision, and takes substantially longer to do, and ties you to your computer. Some people like that, or they're only interested in a couple of things at a time, in which case getting all your news online is fine.

I guess your computer and online server fees are free too?

One thing to clear up. Paid circulation basically only pays the cost of distribution. If you had to pay what it actually costs to produce and then get the newspaper to your door, you'd never be able to afford it. (In other words, the paperboy gets the money, not the newspaper.) Newspaper income is derived, mostly, from advertising and street sales. Advertising rates are determined by how many eyes see the ad, that's why newspapers keep track of circulation. And it's not just how many eyes, but whose eyes.

That's a huge generalization, I know, of a complex business model, but pretty much how it works.

[Kimo]

Re: Star-Bulletin special

wireless laptop = readable on the throne