Comments on: ‘No plans to close freesheet’ says regional publisher http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2012/news/union-hits-out-over-northcliffes-freesheet-takeover/ The home of UK regional journalism news and jobs Wed, 22 May 2013 15:41:06 +0000 hourly 1 By: Last one out - switch off the light http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2012/news/union-hits-out-over-northcliffes-freesheet-takeover/#comment-21272 Last one out - switch off the light Mon, 11 Jun 2012 11:32:52 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1629664#comment-21272 Steve H said " Our priority is to make into a sustainable business" If it was not why the hell did they buy it!!!!!!!!!!!!!! By the way I agree that the vast majority of the talent has left NM but Steve Holly is one of the few strong operators to still be in there - a top bloke and I don't say that often. Steve H said ” Our priority is to make into a sustainable business”
If it was not why the hell did they buy it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By the way I agree that the vast majority of the talent has left NM but Steve Holly is one of the few strong operators to still be in there – a top bloke and I don’t say that often.

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]]> By: Smithy http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2012/news/union-hits-out-over-northcliffes-freesheet-takeover/#comment-21192 Smithy Fri, 08 Jun 2012 11:53:29 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1629664#comment-21192 From the OFT's own website: 'The OFT's mission is to make markets work well for consumers. Markets work well when businesses are in open, fair and vigorous competition with each other for the consumer's custom. Our job is to make sure that consumers have as much choice as possible across all the different sectors of the marketplace. When consumers have choice they have genuine and enduring power.' Mmm... From the OFT’s own website: ‘The OFT’s mission is to make markets work well for consumers. Markets work well when businesses are in open, fair and vigorous competition with each other for the consumer’s custom. Our job is to make sure that consumers have as much choice as possible across all the different sectors of the marketplace. When consumers have choice they have genuine and enduring power.’ Mmm…

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]]> By: Aman http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2012/news/union-hits-out-over-northcliffes-freesheet-takeover/#comment-21190 Aman Fri, 08 Jun 2012 11:46:33 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1629664#comment-21190 They wont close it. Closing it creates a hole that someone else could fill. What they might do is use staff and content from the paid-for. You can run a free paper for next to nothing if you've got a bigger paper in the same town/city. Shame the NUJ went in all guns blazing again though. It achieves nothing and makes them easy to ignore as militant, but powerless, troublemakers. How about trying some diplomacy? Approaching the company and asking for reassurances rather than just slagging them off before anything has been decided. They wont close it. Closing it creates a hole that someone else could fill.

What they might do is use staff and content from the paid-for. You can run a free paper for next to nothing if you’ve got a bigger paper in the same town/city.

Shame the NUJ went in all guns blazing again though. It achieves nothing and makes them easy to ignore as militant, but powerless, troublemakers.

How about trying some diplomacy?
Approaching the company and asking for reassurances rather than just slagging them off before anything has been decided.

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]]> By: GladImOutOfIt http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2012/news/union-hits-out-over-northcliffes-freesheet-takeover/#comment-21167 GladImOutOfIt Fri, 08 Jun 2012 09:23:00 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1629664#comment-21167 "We have no plans to..." ALWAYS means they will do it, but not until the fuss has died down and everyone's attention has moved on. Governments have used it for years. It really means "we haven't actually drawn up our plans to close it yet because we've been too busy sorting out the OFT and buying it" If they'd said "we will definitely not close the Topper" I might have been more inclined to believe them, but even so... Milli Tant: what's the local NUJ supposed to do about it except criticise? Industrial action would be illegal at this point. People who knock the NUJ like this usually turn out to be the very people who fought tooth & nail in the old days to avoid joining it and backing it, thus rendering it toothless! “We have no plans to…” ALWAYS means they will do it, but not until the fuss has died down and everyone’s attention has moved on. Governments have used it for years. It really means “we haven’t actually drawn up our plans to close it yet because we’ve been too busy sorting out the OFT and buying it” If they’d said “we will definitely not close the Topper” I might have been more inclined to believe them, but even so…
Milli Tant: what’s the local NUJ supposed to do about it except criticise? Industrial action would be illegal at this point. People who knock the NUJ like this usually turn out to be the very people who fought tooth & nail in the old days to avoid joining it and backing it, thus rendering it toothless!

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]]> By: Milli Tant http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2012/news/union-hits-out-over-northcliffes-freesheet-takeover/#comment-21144 Milli Tant Thu, 07 Jun 2012 15:09:41 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1629664#comment-21144 Ah, that great toothless old lion the NUJ rears it's head and bites? No. Just criticises. About at useful as a chocolate teapot. Ah, that great toothless old lion the NUJ rears it’s head and bites?
No.
Just criticises.
About at useful as a chocolate teapot.

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]]> By: Mike Hack http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2012/news/union-hits-out-over-northcliffes-freesheet-takeover/#comment-21140 Mike Hack Thu, 07 Jun 2012 14:32:33 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1629664#comment-21140 Janet said "They dont understand free papers". It goes further than that....they don't understand regional papers. They have sacked, downgraded or driven out all the expertise that Northcliffe had. All that are left are Associated self servers, Northcliffe incompetent "Yes" men and a few.....a very few....genuine regional newspaper people who have given up and are taking the cash before it's their turn for the chop. Janet said “They dont understand free papers”. It goes further than that….they don’t understand regional papers. They have sacked, downgraded or driven out all the expertise that Northcliffe had. All that are left are Associated self servers, Northcliffe incompetent “Yes” men and a few…..a very few….genuine regional newspaper people who have given up and are taking the cash before it’s their turn for the chop.

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]]> By: Bill B http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2012/news/union-hits-out-over-northcliffes-freesheet-takeover/#comment-21137 Bill B Thu, 07 Jun 2012 14:15:09 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1629664#comment-21137 The OFT have handed another victory to the corporate giants with a decision that defies logic and common sense. Healthy competition between rival newspapers is good for business, advertisers and readers. Many people relied on The Topper for local news and advertising. It’s a great shame. The OFT have handed another victory to the corporate giants with a decision that defies logic and common sense. Healthy competition between rival newspapers is good for business, advertisers and readers. Many people relied on The Topper for local news and advertising. It’s a great shame.

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]]> By: janet http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2012/news/union-hits-out-over-northcliffes-freesheet-takeover/#comment-21134 janet Thu, 07 Jun 2012 13:49:46 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1629664#comment-21134 I just hope they leave this great paper alone and keep it as it is Please dont let them spoil it They dont understand free papers I just hope they leave this great paper alone and keep it as it is
Please dont let them spoil it They dont understand free papers

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]]> By: Mike Hack http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2012/news/union-hits-out-over-northcliffes-freesheet-takeover/#comment-21121 Mike Hack Thu, 07 Jun 2012 11:06:04 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1629664#comment-21121 As I have said on my @anmedianews twitter feed I will give it 3-6 months before the sharks at London close it. The likelihood is that this decision has already been made. Associated don't understand regional newspapers but they now control them. They intend to stifle all regional competition whilst at the same time decimating Northcliffe with a healthy dose of management incompetence and lack of knowledge. As I have said on my @anmedianews twitter feed I will give it 3-6 months before the sharks at London close it. The likelihood is that this decision has already been made. Associated don’t understand regional newspapers but they now control them. They intend to stifle all regional competition whilst at the same time decimating Northcliffe with a healthy dose of management incompetence and lack of knowledge.

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