Thursday, July 14, 2016

WHAT'S NEWS , PUSSYCAT ?

Sign outside Townsville Bulletin printery directing readers and motorists  to cat clinic-pussies and  kitty  litter  circulation  statistics  doctored ?
 

A  puzzling  recent item  in the Murdoch  Townsville  Bulletin said   readers had appreciated  the  focus on local news .  One would think that  this was  the  bleeding obvious thing to do  in  a  paper claiming  to  be the  voice   of Townsville .  
 
It went on to  cite another  source of circulation figures ,  other than the Audit Bureau of  Circulation , which  seemed to show  a  Bulletin   lift off  across  all kinds  of   platforms ,  including  those  at  Cape  Canaveral . 
 
This report may have been  prompted by  critical  posts run  in The Magpie's Nest, which voices the strong opinions of ex-Bulletin reporter  Malcolm Weatherup , showing that Townsville  Bulletin  circulation is not very flash, especially  its    digital  copy  .  In addition, bothersome  Weatherup   ran  an  item  showing   a   stack of Bulletins  at a  soccer match where  he said the  entrance  fee  had been    four  bucks  which  entitled you  to a  free  copy of  the paper . The  inference  was  that  very few people wanted  the  paper . Would  this  mound of   Bulletins  be   included in  circulation statistics,  he asked . 
 
The  Townsville Bulletin has been running an extensive introductory offer  advertising  campaign , including  a sexy, full frontal , full page photograph of a tomato sauce bottle ,  urging  people  to  sign up  for the paper , The Adventures   of   Digit Dick  edition ,  Courier Mail , etc.