In a statement released on Friday 24 February, the NFRN said: Responding to a flood of complaints from angry members, who represent nearly 30 per cent of newspaper sales, National President Kieran McDonnell said: “We are shocked and appalled at this callous treatment of retailers. Three days ago NFRN members were welcoming the launch of a Sunday edition of the Sun as a chance to recover sales lost after the closure of the News of the World. Now we have been kicked in the teeth with a 50p price tag on the Sunday paper and a 22 per cent margin coupled with a drop in the price of the Saturday Sun and our pence per copy margin slashed to 11p. Such penny pinching is unacceptable and we cannot believe that such a huge and exciting opportunity has been missed.
“The NFRN phone lines have been jammed with angry members demanding that NI think again. It’s not too late and I would strongly urge NI to do so.”
Scottish member David Woodrow said: “TV personalities have got compensation for having their phones hacked. Newsagents have got shafted with reduced terms.
“If my customers want a copy I will sell it to them but I sure as hell won't promote it against other titles who have demonstrated a commitment to working with news retailers.”
Star Plays Into Murdoch’s Hands
In another statement, also released on Friday, the NFRN said: In a wholly predictable move, Daily Star publisher Richard Desmond has thrown his weight behind the new Sun on Sunday by reducing the price and retailer terms on the Saturday and Sunday editions of the Daily Star.
NFRN President Kieran McDonnell said: “I never fail to marvel at the short-sightedness of publishers, if there was ever a time when the Star needed as many friends as it could get, it must be now with the launch of the Sun on Sunday. Yet in an ill-judged move they have now lost any support they might have got from the retail trade and that was their only hope. The possibility that retailer antipathy to Mr Desmond will affect the Express and OK cannot be ruled out either.”
Paul Baxter, NFRN Chief Executive, said: “What could have been a very positive weekend for all parts of the newspaper industry is turning into a very sad one with some dire long term consequences. Publishers have got to learn that they can no longer base their working assumptions on retailers bearing the costs of their actions.”
Mirror Group Applauded for Protecting Newsagents Terms
And, on a more positive note, the NFRN had praise for the Mirror Group: The NFRN, whose members account for nearly 30 per cent of newspaper sales, has congratulated Mirror Group Newspapers after the newspaper publisher announced that it would be cutting the price of its Sunday titles in selected TV regions but would protect newsagents’ terms.
The publisher advised today that the Sunday Mirror and People would cost 50p this weekend in the Carlton, Meridian, Central, Tay and North Scotland TV regions. The price of the Sunday Mail in Tay and North Scotland will also reduce to 50p.
However, circulation director John Howard has confirmed that the newsagents’ profit on each copy will be maintained at the previous £1 cover price, meaning retailers will continue to earn 22.1p for every copy.
This compares to 11p for each copy sold of the Sunday version of the Sun.
Welcoming the Mirror’s announcement, NFRN National President Kieran McDonnell said: “I know I speak for all my members when I say how delighted I am with the Mirror’s show of support for independent retailers. We have been working constructively with them for some time to come up with new ways to stem the decline of newspaper circulations and we are pleased to see them continue to back the local newsagent while other publishers seem hell bent on simply stabbing us in the back.
“I would urge all retailers in the price test areas to give Mirror Group their full support.”
