The future of the Birmingham Post - your views
Yesterday Birmingham Post editor Marc Reeves outlined the challenges facing the newspaper and called for readers to send in their views on the options being considered for survival. Here are some of the responses.
Dear Editor, While sad to learn of the financial difficulties of the Trinity Group I hope the difficulties will not affect the excellent professional staff, but, support staff who play an important part in the production of our favourite daily newspaper. I am of the opinion that if push comes to shove then the Post should be published weekly on a Thursday.
I confess to still missing my The Birmingham Weekly Post, which I took for years and indeed my wife sent me when I served in the Army.
Our unit consisted of about 40 per cent Brummies and 60 per cent Yorkshiremen and when I passed on my Post and it was widely read.
Clearly I would wish for a return to a broadsheet Post published on six days per week with plenty of letters to which I have been known to contribute over many years, but needs must I imagine!
Tom Wareing, Redditch
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Dear Editor, I read your article in today’s paper with sadness. I fully understand the difficulties you are facing and your desire to keep the Post as an important local and regional voice within the national press.
I have read the Post regularly, for my work role, for the last 20 years or more. I worked for the senior partner at Coopers & Lybrand (before the Pricewaterhouse merger) and then Digby Jones at Edge & Ellison. Since then I have had a number of roles in the Birmingham conurbation with my most recent role for the past five years here at I.M. Group. For the last ten years I have also had a role supporting various people in their political activities so keeping abreast of political news in the region is very important for me.
All of these various roles have meant I needed to be fully up to speed on local issues. Unfortunately the national media and press do not cover closely such issues at LDV, Mike Whitby and the council, etc. News that’s a week old (with a weekly edition) would be pretty pointless for me and would be more akin to reading a magazine.
In summary, I prefer a daily paper but would accept a weekly edition as long is it is supplemented with regular regional and local news updates on a website.
Cynthia Bayliss, I.M. Group Limited, Coleshill
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Dear Marc, I was both saddened and heartened to read your statement in to-days paper regarding it’s very future.
Sad because like many readers I have relied on the Post for reliable balanced reporting for decades (I even subscribed to the paper whilst away at school over 30 years ago); but heartened that you are taking such an enlightened approach to the newspaper’s future with your consultation.
In truth I now glean most daily news from media such as the BBC’s “radio five live” and the internet. However there will be a void in what I would term as “regional high brow reporting”. That may sound somewhat pompous and trite but is none the less the truth of the matter. The post will be needed to assist in deciphering the report on the demise of Rover, when it is finally released. No other regional paper has the expertise/experience in these areas.
In concluding I reluctantly agree with your own considered view that a “quality” weekly paper is probably the way forward. Although I would recommend more of a magazine format (as the lifestyle magazine) in order to attract a younger audience (i.e. lots of colour/pictures!). A regional version of the Economist perhaps?!
In any event I wish you and your fellow staff all the best for an uncertain future.
Richard Harper, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire
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Nicholas Newman said: "A good piece of analysis, but I do not think it goes far enough. There is a third option. It is time for your owners to return the paper to local ownership, as is being currently proposed with The Scotsman. In order to relieve The Post from the fiscal burdens of being part of the Trinity Mirror empire.
A new local owner is likely to be as with football clubs a local businessman, such as an estate agent or developer, who is anxious to promote the interests of Birmingham, as was the case in the 19th Century for many local papers."
Gary Cousins said: "I am very sorry to read that things have got as bad as this. However, as you say, the advertising spend in property and recruitment is at a real low at the moment. There is also the fact that more and more people are looking to the internet to get their news.
Is there more you can do online? For one thing, I would be prepared to pay a subscription for a good (improved) online regional newspaper. Would a subscription service be feasible, coupled with the online advertising income?"
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Anonymous said: "Simply can’t imagine a world without the Post in printed form - so whatever shape it takes and Marc Reeves is in the best place to know what that needs to be - then so be it.
But the mention of subscriptions by Gary above sparked a thought. Can’t we (businesses in the West Midlands region) help save the Post ourselves - maths never was a good point so don’t know how the sums would add up but wouldn’t we all be more than willing to pay 2-3 times the current daily cost of the paper to see it survive (and in printed form too) via a subscription.
It’s a nationally respected paper. Getting any mention in there has always been the holy grail of regional coverage for businesses and has been instrumental in the launch of many successful companies I’ve no doubt over the years.
Quite simply businesses in the West Midlands region need the Post. We must fight to see it survive."
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Blair Kesseler said: The truth is the world moves on. Even me, as a near pensioner, get my news feed from the internet maybe five times a day, never mind radio and TV. What I want from the Post is local depth, good business coverage, connection with the life of the region (including the charitable sector - don’t let Thrive go!)
I have no doubt that you can provide that on a weekly basis - and get a few more readers on the way.
Having been through downsizing in previous careers I can feel for the staff who will be worried about their futures. However, Birmingham needs a serious paper and if the model that works is weekly - then best of luck."
