Stuff bragged recently that their web-site has pipped the Herald’s in visitor numbers. That was deceitful. What they didn’t point out was their site is free while the Herald’s has a costly pay-wall.
What Stuff could have justifiably boasted about and indeed should do so, is their newspapers have far superior lay-outs to the Herald. So kudos to them for that.
But to survive, given their free-fall print sales (as with newspapers world-wide), sooner or later they will have to emulate the Herald’s pay-wall.
Because of their regional coverage and with a decent capital injection this could work, but otherwise it will be a hard slog as in tiny New Zealand the market for two pay-wall news sites covering the same main news is obviously a tough quest.
They’ve toned down the ludicrous maori wonderfulness nonsense which hit their sales hard last year. Start referring to the country by its correct name and not the fictional Aotearoa and I’d back their survival.
10 Comments
You get what you pay for on Stuff – Government PR labelled commentary and snippets of local news amongst permanent climate alarmism and Maori wonderfulness.
Couldn’t agree more. And international news just stenography from the usual leftist propaganda rags like NYT, the Guardian, LA Times and the Washington Post.
Newspapers haven’t changed (and wont), and largely propaganda tools to maintain the status quo. Like most readers, I cant remember buying one for some time because most articles are a waste of time.
Journalists clearly don’t ask challenging questions; or do sufficient research, anymore (if they ever did), for fear of being consigned to the bust bin themselves. It happens with too much concentration.
The TV and social media have taken over, and its platforms like yours that will survive because its self funded.
I gave up on commenting on the main stream platforms, because they would publish less than half them. Here’s to you Bob for publishing most of mine!!
The current economic model dictates that you are either an individual (or a very small business) or a very large corporate. Basically ensuring very little competition in core needs exists. Maybe when the 80 year debt cycle comes to a head, we could see change.
On that note, merry christmas and a happy new year to all.
What’s black and white, and red all over?
The Dom Post
Stuff get a lot of money from the Govt. But then I think the Herald is also in that trough.
Any actual news on HZH (not much tbf) is not behind the paywall so perhaps Stuff not being so “deceitful”. Most of what is behind the paywall is opinion articles, not news, so largely worth swerving anyway.
… the lady who paid $ 1 to buy Stuff from its Australian owners has managed to reduce its value to way below that …
I was a life long reader of the DomPost until last year . In my opinion the only reason to buy it now is for the crossword and other puzzles. As a NEWSpaper it’s become a joke.
Sir Bob,
Perhaps stuff have identified your IP address and are delivering you less ‘Maori wonderfulness’.
The rest of us are still seeing all that garbage.
I have got the Herald down to $1 per week for the ‘Premium’ subscription. Goes for 3 months.
Trick is to cancel near the 3 months finish and tell them how hopeless news coverage is. Then ‘grudgingly’ renew at $1 pw,
Worth $1 pw just to read Steven Joyce and Richard Prebble.