Inish Times v Inishowen Independent

Posted Friday, February 5, 2010

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Winner Takes All

The Inish Times has decided to move from Wednesday to Tuesday.

That means that it will be coming out on the same day as the Inishowen Independent.

It's now a head on battle for survival in these difficult times when advertising revenues must be slumping.

Whereas people would buy the Inny Inny on a Tuesday and the Inish Times on a Wednesday it is doubtful if too many people are going to buy both newspapers on the same day - especially with Tuesday's Journal out also.

So basically the Inish Times has decided to slog it out with the Inny Inny in a fight to the death.

It's unlikely that both will survive.

Tuesday

In some respects this was something that was always going to happen when the Inny decided that they would come out on a Tuesday - the day before the Inish Times came out.

That was throwing down the gauntlet.

If they had chosen to come out on, say, a Friday or even Saturday, then this battle might not have been fought and there might have been room for two newspapers.

However, when they brought it out on the day before the Inish Times that was both clever but an in-your-face we're-taking-you-on message to the Inish Times.

Survival

So, who will win?

Who will survive?

Up to a month or two ago I would have put my money on the Inish Times.

In fact if the Inish Times had made this move any time in the last few years I think that there would not now be an Inishowen Independent.

However, the Inny has upped its game in the last month or so.

New boy Caoimhinn Barr has swept in like a tidal wave and has plastered the newspaper with lots of stories - getting four front pages in his first five weeks in the job.

Best

I remember my father saying last summer that the Inish Times was the best of the local newspapers.

That was certainly true then.

However people are saying that it has slipped a bit over the last month or two - certainly as far as Moville news is concerned.

If I had to gamble I would put my money on the Inish Times.

This is because

1. they have a big organisation behind them who can afford to take a loss for a while in order to win the end game,

2. because until recently they have been the best local newspaper and can come back to form

3. and because they currently are still the leader of the two in terms of sales from what I can make out.

However, if the Inny can keep up its recent performance and the Inish Times doesn't recover its previous form then it is going to be very interesting.

The Spectator

Meanwhile the Derry Journal is an interested spectator in all of this.

Most people are people of habit and that means buying the Journal - especially the Friday one.

In fact what the Journal may lose on a Tuesday they will definitely gain on a Friday as they will be the first local newspaper for three days then.

The Friday Journal could be the big winner.

So, let battle commence!

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