APN Newspapers: spot the fast disappearing news content

The Northern Star newspaper must have a death wish, because wall-to-wall advertorials replacing news content on "Local News" pages in its issues is not a good look and won't encourage readers to handover their money for a copy of this 138 year-old paper.

It's 155 year-old stablemate, The Daily Examiner appears to have a similar urge to alienate readers by filling pages with thinly disguised advertising. However, at least this newspaper placed this particular example in the business section.

* Thanks to Clarrie Rivers for supplying these e-paper snaphots

News, opinion or advertisement?

I wonder if the businesses involved in this type of advertising fudge realise the badwill they create in the hearts of quite a few newspaper readers?

Dressing the family up in white won't undo any negative opinions formed.

Snapshot from Page 7 of The Daily Examiner, 12 February 2014

Click on image to enlarge

UPDATE

The identical advertorial and photograph was published in a rival newspaper, The Clarence Valley Review, on the same day - again it was being passed off as a news article on Page 6.

It didn't take long for advertorials to rear their ugly heads in The Daily Examiner again

A local resident complained to me about what he described as a return to "the Chapman ways" with The Daily Examiner indulging select businesses with free advertorials.

Chapman being an editor who briefly graced Grafton with his presence and left once he realised that the social temperature was dropping in his vicinity.

There are no two ways about this print and online article in The Daily Examiner on 31 December 2013 - it is an advertorial pure and simple masquerading as local news on Page Three:

Just as the online real estate advertisement in the same issue also attempted to pass itself off as news.

Not that there are likely to be too many letters to the editor or online comments on the subject which see the light of day, as APN News & Media has recently issued a blanket warning that any criticisms of its journalistic efforts must be written in the mildest of terms or they won't be published or posted.

Apparently, when faced with paying for a print newspaper containing faux news APN would like its readers to be "positive". Oh dear........

Less than four months to global doomsday - head for them thar hills!

Now I don’t know who NSW refrigeration mechanic Simon Young is or why he apparently chose Tenterfield for humanity’s last stand in Australia, but I’m willing to bet that he won’t have his $5,000-a-bed bunker finished and stocked before 21st December 2012 - just about when the Apocalypse is supposed to occur.
Being a bit of a natural cynic has me wondering if Simon is not just a piece of advertising fluff News Ltd is using to promote a TV show due to air on the Murdoch Group’s part-owned National Geographic Channel next Thursday evening.

Anybody else smell a whiff of McDonalds 'greasy PR?

 

This was up on The Daily Examiner website on 13^th July 2012:

“Can Maccas come back?

IT WAS a Whopper of an argument that may have been solved by a Big Mac.

Police have responded to a call about a dispute over the price of a Whopper burger at a Hungry Jacks store in Rockhampton.

Initial reports indicate the issue was resolved by the aggrieved customer going to a nearby McDonald's store.”

The one thing I smell is APN head office doing a transfat-laden Clayton’s advertising deal with Maccas Australia.

 

Attention: Avon reps and Tupperware agents

ADVERTORIAL

Are you sick and tired of the long hours you have to put in to make a few lousy dollars from your part time job?

Yes? Then here's just the opportunity you've been looking for.

A Lower Clarence resident reckons he's on a winner - he's an agent for forsalebyowner.com.au

The local rep has an ad on gumtree.com.au showing home owners how they can side step real estate agents and sell their properties via forsalebyowner.com.au for just $599.

Remember, caveat emptor.