After a number of requests and to further the opportunity for debate I am posting the presentation given to Council on November 2 by the Pass Herald regarding the issue of advertising in the local papers.
Pass Herald Presentation
Pg 1 History
1930 first issue
Celebrated 80th anniversary
3rd oldest business in the Crowsnest Pass
100% locally owned and operated
Designed and constructed entirely local
Printing alone is outside community
7 full time and 4 part time employees
Pg 2 Historic Costing
Date CJPR----Promot-- Herald----- Ext-- Ski Hill--- Billbo-Hospit-- Total
2007 $9719---$31,278-- $25,973--$0------ $2,328-- $0-----$205-- $69,503
2008 $13,158-$35,278-- $30,833- $6,630-- $973----$0-----$205-- $87,057
2009 $7,552-- $7,817--- $15,683--$7,808-- $930----$0-----$205-- $39,994
2010 $5,294-- $7,772--- $672-----$222---- $6,736--$3,439-$205-- $24,339
Pg 3 2008 Cost Detail
2008 advertising to Pass Herald $30,833
Notice of Public Hearing are paid by Development Fees
Then there is a pie chart that breaks that number down to:
True Advertising Cost $19,006, Notice of Public Hearings, $11,827
Pg 4 Development Permits
· Municipalities should strive to be revenue neutral
· Development Permit Fee $750 each
· Paid to municipality by developers
· Presently only advertising “Notices of public Hearings” in single paper
· ½ page advertising cost $80
· Must run in two issues $160
· Net Profit $590
Pg 5 Comparison with Alberta
7 communties
Similar Infrastructure and population
3 previous employers of current CAO
Communities listed with 2009 actuals and 2010 Budget
BarHead 2010 $17,700 Pincher Creek 2009 $32,800 2010 $52,050Community A 2010 $45,000 Okotoks 2010 $70,000 High Level 2010 $37,698 Peace River 2010 $61,679
Fort Macleod 2009 $39,545 2010 $40,800
Pg 6 Two Paper Comparison
Canmore Outlook/Leader
2009 $64,347
2010 $95,937
Majority goes to Outlook because:
“Majority of advertising goes to Outlook as they are considered the more reputable newspaper, with higher circulation and produced in community. Notice of Public Hearings specifically go to each newspaper… as is paid by developer”
Pg 7 Two Paper Comparison
· Banff Craig + Canyon/Outlook
· 2009 $51,000
· Craig + Canyon $42,000
· Outlook $9,000
· Vermilion Standard/Voice
· 2009 $39,000
· Majority in standard because local
· Both papers get Notices of Public Hearings
Pg 8 Two Paper Comparison
Is just a graph that reflects the numbers above and shows a 2009 average of $51,500 spent in each of the three communities
Pg 9 Value to Community
Annual Budget $18,000,000
Total advertising $40,000
Based on 2008 both papers equal
Public Hearings removed
Total % of budget 0.2%
Cost per voter $6.95
Pg 10 Government
Evan Burger MLA “when there are two newspapers serving a community such as Crowsnest Pass we try to give equal value to each… government musy be fiscally responsible while recognizing the impact on small business”
Ted Menzies MP “I choose to advertise in as many of the local papers in my riding as possible to ensure that the entire riding receives a copy of my adds”
Pg 11 Equality
Has administration required external advertising to bid?
Calgary Herald, Winnipeg Post, Lethbridge Herald
Has administration evaluated the circulation of the written vs verbal?
Radio is exclusive
More money spent on highway billboard and ski hill web page than local information
Pg 12 Present Proposal
2011 RFP is due Nov 26, 2010
Resolution is to be bid annually
“The opportunity to provide this service will be offered to any business that provides newsprint coverage in the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass, with the intent to tender from now to the end of the year. In the following year the service will be tendered on a calendar year basis.” M#3901-09
Administration asked for 3 year proposal
Why contradiction to resolution?
Pg 13 Conclusion
What is the value of an open and honest government?
Then there is a graph presented that review the dollars spent by all the communities listed above for 2009 and 2010
7 comments:
Well I guess it is only .2% of the budget it should not be that bad.I think I might start a little paper myself, get me a piece of that pie.I will call my paper the conspiricy theory and Prince will be my Editor.
Why don't they just bid on the contract low man gets it.
I do not read either paper I subscribe to the Lethbridge Herald.
Jake
Anyone in the community willing to talk about the River Run fiasco yet?... and the fact that toxic materials have been unearthed by BB for the community's taxpayers to pay for the cleanup?
Or is it still a big secret ? Talk about a major elephant in the room...WOW.
Dean
I hope this council is going to make decisions based on what is best for this community from a financial point of view.
I just hope this deal is not be decided over drinks at the Greenhill, or at a Halloween party over candy apples.
Phil
Phil
The first part of your statement I agree with 100%.
The second part I have no idea what you are referring to.
Thanks Dean
what the new council has done is in effect bought their silence. im sure if they want the business they will put a positive spin on things and the new council is smart enough to know that. not all the decisions made by the previous council were bad they just did a poor job of communicating their agenda. ironically some of the people that are promoting change in this community also think the municipality has a blank chueque when it comes to their own agenda. it will not take the public long to wake up, you cannot spend like a drunken sailor and not have a tax increase.
No one wants to face the wrath of the rag but it is council's duty to do so if that means not giving our hard-earned tax dollars away because someone says "dance my little puppets." How could they possible justify going back to advertising in both papers and still hold their head up in this community? Any moron can do the math. I too read the Lethbridge Herald—maybe we should take out a full page weekly add there also.
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