News of the World has problems, but opportunity too

by Jonathan Durden, Media Week 12-Sep-06

I believe the News of the World has been neglected by its owners.

It seems that, like God, Rupert Murdoch rests on the seventh day after
expending so much effort and investment upon the six-day Sun. I ask
whether a cash injection or sale were not preferable to willful

abandonment and relentless profit taking from the News of the World

brand.

And now the N0W has this alleged royal mobile phone-hacking scandal. I
do not seek to comment about what, if any, illegal actions may have
occurred or to get all born-again moralistic either. That is for the law
to decide. I limit myself to the potential effects on the brand
alone.

I believe a silver lining exists within this dark cloud; a lining that
was neither sought nor expected, but nonetheless is of considerable
value.

It is ironic justice that the red-top title which has always been
synonymous with disclosure and exclusive scoops, mixed with spicy
naughtiness, should be the first in recent memory to be accused of such
doubtful tactics. I do not believe the accuracy of the stories produced
is in any doubt, just the alleged methods of acquiring them. From a
readers' point of view, the trust and credibility of the news is
therefore still intact.

So, once the dust has settled and their fellow competitive "whiter than
white" journalists have finished picking over the corpse, the positives
may begin to emerge. That is that people are looking at them in a new
light. Not just a liberty-taking rag or boring old war horse, but
perhaps a rascal that goes the extra mile for a story.

Perhaps this new twist could lead to a rebirth, demonstrating that it is
far from death by comfortable predictability. Consider that it is often
bought alongside its sister title, The Sunday Times, by the same
audience each and every Sunday. Approximately 278,000 adults buy both
News International titles (NRS Jan-Mar 2006). Surprisingly, the NoW
boasts as many up-market readers as The Sunday Times itself (3,320,000
versus 3,346,000 ABC1s).

With this new notoriety and attention, whatever the trial's outcome, its
role as an outspoken, rollicking good read can only be further
enhanced.

Perhaps it's a bit like Kate Moss' exploits. She is now a far more
interesting celebrity as a result of her drug transgressions and will
consequently enjoy an elongated career beyond that of an ageing
supermodel.

The News of the Screws may rise like a phoenix using notoriety and this
dangerous spotlight to reassert its alternative maverick nature. I, for
one, hope so.

- Jonathan Durden is president and co-founder of PHD,
jonathan.durden@haynet.com.