A week after the publication of "Lighthouse Evening News", the originally raging war of words finally came to an end.
Occasionally, vitriolic words will appear in newspapers, but these are very rare.
The siege ended not only because Sean Dickinson said he would no longer respond to any criticism, but those almost crazy attackers finally discovered that the sharp and fierce criticism did not discredit the Evening Beacon and Dickinson. Sir, even gave them free advertising...
As a result, those who hated Sean, including Steve Ryan, finally realized their mistake and quickly covered their mouths.
Unfortunately, their awareness came too late.
"Evening News" won the first battle, and within a week, it created quite astonishing results.
First, annual subscriptions increased by 1,200 to 2,200 households.
The annual subscription fee per household is NZD 5. Just the new annual subscriptions of 1,200 households brought Sean NZD 6,000 in liquidity.
In addition, after the war of words ended and the bubble subsided, including annual subscriptions, the daily sales of "Lighthouse Evening News" stabilized at 10,000 copies.
This has exceeded Sean's previous goal of 8,400 copies. "Beacon Evening News" has squeezed into the "10,000 copies club" from a newspaper on the verge of bankruptcy to above the survival line.
If the sales volume can be maintained at about 10,000, the monthly income from retail sales will also reach about NZD 4,700 - the newspaper company has achieved breakeven by relying on daily sales.
break even. It sounds like a somewhat humble standard, and may be looked down upon by many entrepreneurs...
But for a newspaper on the verge of bankruptcy, reaching this goal is quite exciting.
As Sean and Moonlight predicted before, the newspaper industry is a "winner takes all" game because of the advertising industry.
For Sean and other newspaper staff, the improvement in sales and income is not the most exciting thing. What makes people most daydreaming and proud is the call from the "Advertising Department".
Everyone noticed that the phone in the advertising department, which had been deserted and silent all day, started ringing non-stop since the morning.
And Mr. Dupress, whose mental state was affected by his poor performance, spent the whole day in the office answering the phone.
His tone is no longer lifeless, and his voice is gradually filled with high morale and passion, and he has to go back and forth with the cunning advertising agencies...
After the advertising department was rejuvenated, it took about three days before Dupress finally knocked on the door of the president's office.
"Mr. Dickinson - reporting to you!" Sean found that the gloomy temperament surrounding Dupres had disappeared. The head of the advertising department in front of him no longer looked like he was yawning with dark circles under his eyes. He had a confident smile on his face, and the shirt on his body was so white that it seemed to glow slightly, "All the advertising space in the Evening News has been rented out!
“The current advertising income is 1,500 yuan a month.
"In the 10,000-copy club, this is a pretty high number!"
Sean shook his fist with satisfaction. He stood up, walked to Dupres' side, and patted his supervisor's arm vigorously: "Well done!"
Sean knew that the "Evening News", which seemed to have no hope before, was actually a sleeping giant.
The reason why this giant died was not because his body lost strength, but because of his heart——
His heart is rotten.
As long as its heart regains its strength, this giant will gradually wake up and create dazzling results!
However, for Sean, the monthly sales volume exceeding 10,000, the monthly profit of NZD 1,500, and the additional liquidity of NZD 6,000 did not give him much emotion.
What really excited and gratified him was the revitalization of the Evening News itself.
Mr. Dupres is like a small microcosm, and all the scattered members are beginning to work in one direction...
Although there is still a long, long way to go before "ZTE" or even "dominance", the small miracle created this week is already a pretty good start.
After Dupres left, John, who came to Sean's office to ask about the manuscript, asked Sean a question.
The young man did not immerse himself in the new atmosphere of the newspaper office as a matter of course, but did some thinking of his own.
However, limited by his experience, he had some doubts in his thinking, which made him unable to help but want to ask Sean for advice on some issues other than his own work.
"Mr. Dickinson..." John asked as he took the manuscript and was about to leave the office, "I have a question that I have been thinking about for several days with no result. I would like to ask you for advice."
Sean, who originally picked up his pen to sign the advertising agency contract, raised his eyes again: "Please tell me, John."
Little John took a few steps back: "Actually, I am very concerned about some of the criticisms of us from other newspapers.
“Many commentators have pointed out that our current concept of running a newspaper, whether it is a speedy edition or more refined and professional news, is obviously catering to the middle class, or elite, of New York City...
"Is this judgment correct?"
Sean also liked to discuss this kind of issue. He put down his pen and said in a relaxed tone: "That's right, John.
"Nowadays, any newspaper, unless it is a very targeted one, should regard the middle level as its main readers."
"That's why I have questions..." John frowned, "If we are targeting the middle-class people with stronger spending power, is the price reduction necessary?"
In John Jackson's understanding, the current quality of the "Evening News" is completely comparable to that of some 50,000 club newspapers.
And among those newspapers, there are still newspapers priced at 4 cents that are not "penny newspapers"
What if the Evening News doesn't cut its price?
It may take more time to reach current sales, but then wouldn't the revenue double and Mr. Dickinson be able to hire more people to make the newspaper more professional and comprehensive?
This is the question that John is struggling with.
Hearing John's question, Sean smiled: "John, it's good that you are willing to think about it. You must keep this habit.
"The question arises because you have made a simplistic error on this issue."
“An error in simplification?”
"That's right," Sean said slowly, "If you think that the middle-class elites are the main readers, then the people who buy the "Evening News" will be people in this category."
John's eyes widened in surprise: "Isn't it?"
Shaking his head slightly, Sean changed the topic: "John, what kind of country is Newland in your mind?"
John didn't pay attention to Sean's jump, and said sincerely while organizing his words: "Well...compared to other countries, our country has a lot of immigrants.
“Many people came here with the dream of starting a new life in a new world.
“There are a lot of dreamers in Newland, in that sense.
"This is a country where dreams are pursued..."
"That's right," Sean nodded repeatedly, "a country where dreams are pursued.
"This country has powerful people, rich people, elites, and a vast class of civilians who dream of a better life...
"Their lives may be very difficult," Sean thought of little Lyon, Mrs. Garcia, and those people with shabby clothes but bright eyes under the protection of his faith-Henry Hart, Carman...
"However, each of them dreams of living a better life tomorrow than today, and they continue to work hard for this."
"So..." Sean paused.
He smiled and continued: "So, in order to be closer to their ideal life, in order that one day, oneself or one's descendants can become the elite and middle class of this society...
"They will imitate and learn from the lives of those who are privileged."
John understood something, and his eyes widened slightly.
"Maybe they can't live in a clean and spacious apartment for the time being, maybe they are doing manual labor...
“But they can afford a newspaper.
"That way they can read the same newspaper as the gentlemen in respectable clothes walking hurriedly down Wall Street.
"They can learn the lifestyle and habits they want by reading newspapers."
John suddenly understood why Mr. Dickinson insisted on including articles on refined lifestyles in the newspaper—he had known the newspaper's significance from the beginning.
"Remember, John—
“With middle-level readers as the main readers, readers will not be limited to middle-level people.
"And the reason why this happens is because of a magic called 'dream'."
Under Sean's words, John suddenly felt enlightened.
His eyes were empty, and he felt as if he had become an eagle flying high in the city.
He saw people walking in a hurry in this modern city.
Some of them were well-dressed, and some were wearing old leather shoes, but all of them had the same direction, pace, and expressions on their faces...
Their faces were all illuminated by the same sunlight.
"I understand, Mr. Dickinson," John murmured.
He never knew what it meant to run a newspaper.
Now he understood.
"thank you."
The young man's eyes were red, he clenched his fists, and when he turned to leave, tears fell down his cheeks.
