Blurred Keys

In another of his media prediction Adam Maguire, he says he believes the Irish Times will make "all but the oldest printed content" available online for free.

The problem is the Times would lose the university and other larger group accounts, or companies which handle such accounts. How much are these bring in, I don't know. But the central problem is it could be a good deal more than what would be made up in ad revenue in the short-mid term. Or indeed, the Times could have deals with agents who off this content that the paper can't break without further cost.

Students and other researchers already have access to other databases containing the Times' content? That's should not be a concern of the newspaper unless there's signs of the bulk users are going to pull their subscriptions.

The Irish Independent does not offer much of its old content. Its free archives online only currently go back to 1997. Like the Times, that's a paid service, it's just on a different site. And the Cork, or Irish Examiner still doesn't publish all of its content online.

I would make a more measured guess and say the Irish Times may look at opening more of their archive for free use, such as still limited time frames of five or ten years. They may also look at decreasing the price tag for individual users. Although could both possible measures have an affect on agreements with bulk users?

Click on the image above to see a larger version.

These charts were on Associated Newspapers
Ireland's rate card site, mediapack.ie. If first shows 58%, how can the second show 53% and the third show 52%?

The Sunday Business Post reported yesterday that after a 45 percent fall in the Independent News & Media share price the company is "planning to raise at least €100 million from the sale of non-core assets" (INM to sell off assets to raise €100m),

While after an announcement from IN&M today, the Press Gazette reported that "Independent News and Media has said it expects its 2009 profits to be
down about 10 per cent on last year - and is not predicting any
improvement in advertising revenues this year" (INM: 'No improvement in advertising conditions this year'), and Media Guardian reports that "the group said it had given up on finding a buyer for its stake in Australian and New Zealand media business APN" (Independent News & Media unveils cost-cutting plan to reduce debt).

FinFacts.ie leads with the headline: "Independent
News & Media notes unwarranted decline in share price; Irish and UK
staff accepted 'comprehensive' series of pay reductions".

Meanwhile, Adam Maguire thinks the Sunday Tribune will cease printing – the paper is controlled by IN&M via part ownership and large loans.

In cost cutting measures, it was reported late last year that Tribune staff will be moving into the Independent's offices on Talbot Street in Dublin, while, in London, Indy staff are to move into Associated Newspapers' headquarters. 

Adrian Weckler, of the Sunday Business Post, blogs on how to increase the chance of getting newspaper coverage by writing a competent press release, and supplying of a competent picture.

Sunday World crime editor Paul Williams was among journalist, editors and Williams' book publishers who were fined for criminal contempt of court orders restricting reporting of proceedings brought by the Criminal Assets Bureau, reports the Irish Times. The article goes on to say: