Yesterday, I read the news that Hearst Corp was increasing subscription prices and considering reducing the number of days it delivers newspaper to homes each week.
According to my coworker back home, the opposite thing is happening in Korea. The JoonAng daily, the second largest newspaper, is trying to cut its subscription price from 12,000won ($12) to 7,000 won($7). I think it is possible because JoonAng is (secretly) owned by Samsung. For a long time, Samsung has attempted to get No.1 status by pouring money into marketing.
In Korea, due to the cutthroat competition, I've seen somewhat aggressive and unfair marketing practices in the newspaper business. The distributors are giving a fancy bicycle equipped with up-to-date devices once you promise to subscribe to the paper for about a year.
I don't remember who started first, but it was picked up by other distributors very quickly. The gifts are various from rice cooker to telephone handset. Given the monthly subscription fee($12), the value of gift is way too expensive. Of course they are subject to punishment, but the amount of fine is negligible.
And now the war is entering a new phase. I have no idea how this is going to roll out, but seems like it will be very ugly.
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