Thursday 7 May 2009

Sun fronts WTF

Updated
Speaking of freedoms in Sun Media newsrooms, we wonder how editors at the Toronto, Calgary and Edmonton Suns feel about today's incredulous front page sellout to an advertiser. We are speechless. Kudos to the Ottawa Sun and Winnipeg Sun for opting out of full false fronts with the RBC ad.

Sun Media dabbled with half-page slipover ad fronts last year. They were pulled after wide-scale negative reaction. Now this. The iconic Sun fronts should not be dominated by ads. It is grade school thinking.











































Posted by Toronto Sun Family at 13:41

16 comments:

  1. Anonymous7 May 2009 at 14:55

    The Toronto Star had the same ad, but it's a removal (slipcover?) piece of broadsheet.

    One would hope the cost of the ad in Sun papers was worth it.

    I have to agree, it's a sell out!

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  2. Anonymous7 May 2009 at 16:24

    Is the Sun supposed to turn down money?
    The Star ran essentially the same ad.
    Any advertising in that industry has to be seen as a good thing

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous7 May 2009 at 16:45

    Strapped for cash, they'll do anything for a buck these days.

    I' sure PKP likes it...

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous7 May 2009 at 16:50

    Former Osprey paper The Trentonian (in Trenton, ON) is calling subscribers outside of the city and offering digital subs or complete refunds, because they will no longer be delivering to areas like Brighton (15 km away).

    So now it's better to lose readers forever than to pay someone to deliver the product to them? I'm sure the advertisers will be thrilled.

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  5. Anonymous7 May 2009 at 17:02

    You think Winnipeg and Ottawa "opted out" of this ad? Most likely the bank declined to pay for ads on these little-read papers. Waste of advertising money. Do you think the Winnipeg and Ottawa Suns would have said no to the ads had they been offered? Come on! They're both big money losers.

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  6. Anonymous7 May 2009 at 17:39

    24 Hours (Toronto) has run full-page ads on its front.

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  7. Anonymous7 May 2009 at 17:55

    Are you kidding me? It's a fantastic advertising campaign!

    It completely caught my eye this morning!! It's effective and I'm sure, brought decent revenue into the Sun.

    The last time I checked the newspaper was still a BUSINESS. What business is going to turn down advertising revenue especially in these times?

    Sheesh.

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  8. Toronto Sun Family7 May 2009 at 18:01

    To Anonymous 5:55 PM: Is that you, Pierre?

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  9. Anonymous7 May 2009 at 19:10

    This is one of the reasons why newspapers should be publicly funded.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous7 May 2009 at 19:11

    In the 19th century, having ads on the front page was par for the course. The main news stories would be on page two. Still it seems like kind of a bad idea for a paper that depends on newsstand pickup. Not such a big deal in that regard for Star with all its subscribers

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  11. Anonymous7 May 2009 at 21:15

    I think this sets a bad example. When the LA Times ran a fake story on their front page there was outrage. A newspapers front page is supposed to create interest in what is inside. It represents a major sell out and makes me wonder what is next. I know about all the "business reasons" necessary to create revenue but readers and journalists also have expectations that their newspaper's front page is not reduced to a billboard for a bank.

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  12. Anonymous8 May 2009 at 10:55

    Dear Newspapers: I use Firefox, with a kick-butt"ad killing" ap. I rarely see any on-line ads.

    I PVR most of my television now, so I zip by the ads.

    I listen to satellite radio. No ads.

    Getting the picture?

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anonymous8 May 2009 at 22:12

    Uh huh. So, why are you taking the time to lurk on a forum dedicated to print newspapers?

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous9 May 2009 at 13:14

    I like the part where the Calgary Sun and Edmonton Sun are almost indistinguishable from one another.

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  15. Anonymous9 May 2009 at 15:03

    JA Goneaux's comment illustrates how news on the web will never be a success and print newspapers are the future.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous11 May 2009 at 10:13

    The first time the false covers were done, every Sun paper jumped at the opportunity to participate in a $1 million dollar plus spend and for the record the concept was never pulled; the campaign ended. Kudos to the rep who sold the RBC program by convincing a client that the paper can still reach consumers

    ReplyDelete

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