Sydney newsagents will no longer offer home delivery services of newspapers across the metro market from 2020 after both news Corp and Nine cut ties with its current distributors.
In a bid to have full control over customer data, Nine contacted newsagents last week letting them know it was ending its existing agreements covering home delivery and retail distribution from March 2020.
Nine also said it would be further discussing newsagents about selling newspapers in store.
Following News Corp decision to consolidate the distribution of its newspapers across the Sydney metro market using just one distributor, Nine decided to follow suit.
The move will see newsagent home delivery services replaced by one delivery company that would make the whole process more efficient, but also ramp up pressure on newsagent to pass on customer data.
Currently, newspapers are delivered by arrangement between newsagents and their customers or by the publisher contracting with a newsagent to deliver the paper to its subscriber base.
A News Corp Australia spokesperson said: “We’re moving to a new distribution model to better engage with and improve our customers’ experience. This followed an extensive 18-month industry consultation with newsagencies across NSW.”
Responsibility for distribution of Nine-owned papers across the Sydney metro market, not including the CBD or regional areas, will be handed to National Distribution Services as of 18 March 2020.
