Why Free Newspaper in Malaysia Doesn't Work

There's one good thing about working night shift, is that I can get my hand on The Sun newspaper. I have to get it fast though because it will be gone in half an hour after it arrives in the building's lobby at around 6.45 a.m.

You'll think, wah Malaysian are all so keen reader now. Sapu all The Sun newspaper in half an hour time. At first I think I was proud of my fellow Malaysian too, until just now when I saw the stalls worker of the cafeteria taking a stack (20-30) of The Sun newspaper to her stall. I don't think she's gonna read any of it. Most obvious reason is to use it to pack nasi lemak.

Then another man from the Indian stall took yet another stack of The Sun and walk sheepishly towards his stall. I was looking at him, that's why he is a bit embarassed. I mean, WTF? Come on, this newspaper is meant to be read. If you want to pack your nasi lemak or roti canai use la old newspaper. If each stall took a stack then there won't be much left for those that really read the newspaper.

Let's say The Sun deliver about 300 circulation to the office building I worked in, half of the 300 being used to pack nasi lemak, pack mee hoon goreng and to start the stove. The real readership the got was 150 readers in the office building I worked in. Ah, The Sun is not really reaching to it's target audience, what will the advertiser say about this if they find out that half of the new circulation went to nasi lemak packaging.

No wonder we don't have a newspaper vending machine like those in the USA, where you put in some coin, open the cabinet and take a newspaper. If it is used here, one of the mamak stall worker will put in a coin, take all the newspaper in the cabinet. There goes our Vision 2020.