Something for nothing?

All sorts of rubbish comes through the letterbox these days - advertising flyers and free newspapers, which are often put straight into the bin, or are used to light the fire.

However, just because they arrive in through the letterbox unsolicited does not mean that free newspapers, or freesheets as they are sometimes called, are, in fact, rubbish. The old adage that you get nothing for nothing may no longer be entirely true in the case of some free newspapers.

At first glance, free newspapers may seem full of advertising - full-page ads, classifieds, advertising features and little boxes dotted around the pages. A thorough examination of any provincial or national paper will reveal the same thing - newspapers rely on advertising for money. And despite relying solely on advertising as a means of revenue, a second glance at a free newspaper will reveal news and features sandwiched between the ads.

There are nearly 30 free-distribution newspaper titles listed on media information website www.medialive.ie. The circulation figures range from 120,000 for Dublin's Citywide News, 70,000 for the Commuting Times, 40,000 for the Galway Advertiser, 15,500 for the Drogheda Leader, right down to 5,000 for the Killarney Advertiser.

Of this extensive list of free newspapers, independent media industry watchdog, the Audit Bureau of Circulations, audits just three. According to ABC's latest verified free distribution (VFD) figures, the north-east edition of Citywide News had an average total net distribution per issue of 31,574 between December 1999 and June 2000. Waterford Today had a VFD of 17,923 between June and December 2000, while the Galway Advertiser had a VFD of 17,185 in the same period.

Free-distribution newspapers are not all the same: most are distributed door to door, but an increasing number is available in public places. Some college newspapers are text-heavy and depend on a mix of sponsorship, hand-outs and advertising to survive. Staff are often unpaid. At the other end of the scale, there are publications such as free magazine City Ads that are all advertising with no editorial content.

Somewhere in the middle are free newspapers that serve the same purpose as provincial newspapers, except they are delivered door to door, are free and have less editorial content than their paid-for counterparts.

In addition, there are niche-market free newspapers such as the Event Guide or SAOL, which target a specific audience. The Event Guide has a fortnightly circulation of 24,000 and an optimal ratio of one third advertising to two thirds editorial content, with an emphasis on advertising from the arts/events/cultural sector.

According to a spokesperson for the Event Guide: "there is a worldwide tradition of good free entertainment papers. The disadvantage of not having income from a cover price is balanced by the ability to dictate our own circulation and target a specific readership. Being free also means that the paper meshes neatly with our web editions (at www.eventguide.ie)."

In Dublin, with the exception of a few "paid-for" local provincial newspapers, free newspapers are the local newspapers. And across the country they are starting to give established paid-for local newspapers a run for their money, competing for advertising and readers.

The ratio between advertising and editorial content is important if a newspaper is to keep its credibility. The Dublin People Group finds that keeping its four titles as editorially driven as possible gets better results for advertisers and brings in repeat business.

"We believe that the editorial content of our four editions sets us apart from what would be perceived as a typical freesheet. We try to offer readers and advertisers the same diverse content you would find in a provincial newspaper, from local news coverage and court reports to sport, fashion and entertainment," says Tony McCullagh, group managing editor. It strives for 40 per cent editorial content in each edition.

Noel Baker, a journalist with Inside Cork, which has a circulation of 20,000 in Cork city and its environs, says the emphasis is definitely on "edit" or editorial content. In a 40-page newspaper, he counts out six pages of advertising features and a few pages of full-page ads. "Pages where there is no editorial content at all are definitely in the minority," he says. "It is definitely not your classic advertising throwaway."

Dermot Williams, managing director of Dublin free distribution newspapers Lifetimes and Citywide News, believes that the market here is underdeveloped. He says British freesheets have a larger slice of the advertising market than Irish freesheets.

"If you look at freesheet newspapers in the UK, some of them are actually quoted on the stock exchange. They are on the FTSE and there have been chains of freesheet newspaper groups that have exchanged hands for in excess of £200 million, in the last 10 years.

"If you look back at the UK market, say 15 years ago, it would have been very similar to Ireland now. So I would feel there's a lot of potential for growth."