A very small article appeared in the Sunday Sun today (29 June 2008) on page 3A at the bottom of the page. It served to notify Barbadians that as of 04 July 2008 the price of the Weekend Nation will be increased from $2.00 to $2.25 and the Sunday Sun moves-up from $2.00 to $2.50. By any measure this is a significant increase in the prevailing economic conditions. This increase comes after the Nation announced an increase in advertising rates in January 2008. It is no secret that the Nation Newspaper and Voice of Barbados currently corner the market according to the Systems Survey.
We are aware that with the increasing price of oil there will be the knock-on affect on production costs for most businesses. We are also aware that if most companies don’t find ways to reduce cost or increase revenue the focus on the inevitable will occur, lay-offs! The head honcho at the Nation Newspaper is an accountant by training and we have no doubt that this is where her training will expose the newspaper.
To date we have not discern any innovation in the product delivery that the newspaper has on offer. Was there an attempt to reduce the volume of newsprint by reconfiguring content? Is the Circulation Department doing anything differently to attempt to reduce the cost of distribution? More importantly does the Nation Newspaper plan to integrate the popular online edition into its business model in a serious way? From where we sit there is significant advertising dollars to be generated but who is the Marketing Manager? Is this person sleeping on the job? The easy approach is always to pass-on increases to the dumb Barbadian consumer.
This morning we came across an article in the Jamaican Gleaner (now there is a newspaper that is generating some online advertising dollars) which commented that Internet penetration was now at 55%. The startling revelation when compared to Barbados which measures 95% supports our point that the Nation Newspaper is not maximizing returns from their online edition.
The Nation Publisher Vivian-Anne Gittens should battle the demons which are driving her to be a bean counter and demand some product innovation from her staff.
To emphasize the point we made earlier about the opportunity for the media houses in Barbados to exploit the online option, let us now critique the Nation Newspaper sister company Voice of Barbados. Today we visited the blog The Observations of a Simple Bajan and the blogger dissected the Voice of Barbados Website with precision. We could not have done a better job. The challenge for any business is to find effective ways to use technology to enhance its business. Unfortunately the Nation Newspaper and VOB seem happy to milk the cash-cow side of the business and the Internet option continues to be regarded as the stepchild. The good thing about this state of affairs is that it provides an opportunity for competitors to gain a foothold on the Internet side of the business. Let us hope with the talk about radio licenses to be issued that the new entrants pursue this option.
Some members of the BU family may continue to ask why do we continue to be so harsh on the Fourth Estate in Barbados. The answer is simple. It is one of the most important Estates of the Realm. It should play an advocacy role on behalf of the PEOPLE. Any attempt to short change the PEOPLE should be of concern to the PEOPLE. We will have some more to say in the days and weeks ahead.
We may even ask the question who is the person in the media industry who has risen to millionaire status and who are the goats paying for it.
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14 responses so far ↓
Anonymous // June 29, 2008 at 11:02 PM
I will be leaving the paper right there. I can read it online or make a borrow at work.
Banned Again from BFP // June 30, 2008 at 12:11 AM
These increases across the board have little to do with oil increases. What all business strategists in Barbados know, from the BL&P to the Nation to Chickmont to Super Centre, is that the Barbados dollar has been significantly devalued over the past five years and this devaluation will continue for some time into the future as the USD continues to plunge against the world standard of worth, Gold. But dey ain’ sayin nuttin’, no one is, all that will happen is that the average normal person in the street will continue to blame oil prices. The truth is so mush worse.
caller // June 30, 2008 at 5:39 AM
BU vob dont have any respect for us. Have you noticed how long they have had a problem with the phones? The moderator and the callers got to be shouting at one another.
no respect!
Anonymous // June 30, 2008 at 8:30 AM
There is so much going wrong with the Nation newspaper and VOB at this time that time and space cannot allow it to be told.
Since harold hoyte left and even before then – but mainly since his departure the nation has declined to a meaningless rag which should be given away free.
I predict there will be massive layoffs with that nation company within the next couple of years as less and less people buy that newspaper.
Then VOB.What does VOB stand for – ‘VOICE OF BARBADOS’.
But is it really the voice of the people of barbados or the voice of corporate barbados,the voice of guyanese sympathiser like mike brown and vic fernandes?
Is it not the voice of the BLP politicians and their yardfowls?
Since vic fernandes took over at the helm of VOB the quality of staff,programmes etc at that radio station has declined considerably – because as you well know Vic is only concerned about ‘Numero Uno’ – the Big man himself.
But matters got worse when they brought in that character Mike Browne – where did they pick up that reject from?
What does he know about radio or about programming?
He according to Barbados Underground – is the hatchet man for Vic Fernandes.
Well it seem like the hatchet man now has David Ellis sidelined to the point where he mike browne seems to be charge of news and current affairs and the call in shows.
But if that is not eneough in steps one Stetson Babb – another reject – who is now advertised with some strange title of associate director of news and current affairs.
David ellis has been emasculated – if he wasn’t already so.I can hardly recognise the David Ellis of old with this new David ellis.
Yet with all of these changes the standards down at the river continue to decline – so tell me who is pocketiing all these financial rewards from getting cheap,low quality staff and bare bone projects – is it vic – the rich market vendor?
People,this country and the important pillars in this society are in a complete mess.
God help us all.
JC // June 30, 2008 at 9:11 AM
Anon I am like Negro man and Adrian Hinds, I hardly listen to any discussion that is on VOB I find that thier comments are very distatsteful and disrepectful. To the bajan public, I remember when Wickam and Faria said the most horrendous things about bajans!
Shameful Lot!
Online // June 30, 2008 at 11:57 AM
VOB website is a joke. Before you could access news there easily . Now when you hit the months listed you get nothing.
David // June 30, 2008 at 5:50 PM
The only passion we hear coming from the staff is from Dennis Johnson but he is old school and may not be able to see the benefit of the online.
The scout // June 30, 2008 at 7:48 PM
Before the Nation talk about raising their price, they need to raise the quality of their reporting and the sentencing and structuring of the sentences. Once you could have told your young child to read the newspaper today it seems that they write words and put a fullstop anywhere if the sentence is too long. Then they start the next sentence with “buy,and”and there don’t seem to be a proof reader; words spelt wrong and simple mistakes that you expect from children in infants. Come on Nation deal with the quality before you deal with price.
Anonymous // July 1, 2008 at 7:08 AM
http://barbadosfreepress.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/nation-news-exclusive-mango-tree-crashes-into-yard/#comments
BFP takes a freebie at the Nation. But don’t they need to highlight these matters as well?
anotherview // July 1, 2008 at 11:04 PM
BU did you read the nation editorial today? The head at BICO said that to increase prices should be the last thing companies do. Wonder if the Nation understands the point.
Barbados » Blog Archive » Nation Newspaper And Voice Of Barbados Maybe Shortchanging Bajans // July 3, 2008 at 2:02 PM
[...] Nation Newspaper And Voice Of Barbados Maybe Shortchanging Bajans A very small article appeared in the Sunday Sun today (29 June 2008) on page 3A at the bottom of the page. It served to notify Barbadians that as at 04 July 2008 the price of the Weekend Nation will be increased from $2.00 to $2.25 and … [...]
hazel eastmond // August 4, 2008 at 4:26 PM
i find it to be alright, there is more that can be published, especially when you read an article and then it tells you to refer to page whatever. like that is a little on the silly side when you dont get that page online.
Barbados Media Turns Blind Eye To Prime Minister being Sued In Canada « Barbados Underground - bringing the news to the people // September 7, 2008 at 9:28 PM
[...] upwards. We also recall that that early in 2008 advertising rates and the cost of the newspaper increased. We also remember that the Nation refused to print several stories scooped by the blogs, the most [...]
Me // August 23, 2009 at 11:02 AM
VOB has once again scrapped the Rate Card and raised advertising rates. The lack of a rate card makes it hard to document the new rates