Category Archives: News

As we move towards 2012, it seems fitting to look back at the past 12 months and review and evaluate our performance as VANA.

Have we

• supported our members,
• shown leadership to protect our members investments,
• worked with Industry Partners to make sure the Newsagency Industry is giving them value
• Made sure that all of us, Associations, Industry Partners and Newsagents have protected our brand “Newsagent” to make sure it has a strong and profitable future.

The start of a New Year is always a good time to reflect.

In 2011, VANA has done its best to:-

• Successfully negotiated a fee increase with both Publishers in relation to distribution. Despite not receiving what VANA believes is the true cost of distribution of both Publishers’ products, these increases showed us all that Publishers are acknowledging that this issue needs to be addressed, thus granting the increase they did. VANA will never stop fighting for newsagents to get Publishers to understand this true cost.

• Love your Newsagent was launched in 2011, supplying all Victorian Newsagents with material to help them dress up their stores and engage with their customers to ….feel the love. This campaign was a huge success with almost 700 newsagents actively participating in the program, and over 220,000 customers going to the Love your Newsagent web site to find out what their local Newsagent was up to.

• 2011 has seen VANA sit down with GNS and work together for the sake of all Newsagents. VANA’s involvement in the GNS Fair was a great sign to the industry that the time had come to put our differences behind us. VANA looks forward to the 2012 GNS Fair, in working closely with GNS to make it a truly industry event again. While VANA and GNS still have plenty of work to do, it’s great that barriers have been broken down and replaced with trust and respect.

• VANA has seen the retirement of Peter Cowley, along with some other members of the VANA staff. The timing of this has allowed the VANA Board to address the way it operates VANA on a day to day basis, with a number of changes being made. Opportunities to look at the way we operate our retailer and distribution trade organisation is always welcome to make sure our members are getting the very best value for their membership.

• Publisher’s reviews of our distribution system have dominated 2011. VANA worked with all Newsagency Associations to encourage Publishers to work together to come up with a system that will be successful for all players into the future. A major consultation process took place in October with all members, followed by a major presentation made to both News Limited and Fairfax as to how Victorian Newsagents make sure there is a future for both Retail and Distribution. VANA continues to make sure Publishers are aware that a decision is needed to see our industry move forward.

• 2011 saw the establishment of a fully United Newsagency Industry, led by the ANF, with NANA and the QNF signing agreements to work together will all Newsagent Associations. In November, ALL Associations met for two days in Sydney to put together strategic plans to make sure UNITY is not wasted and maximum benefit for newsagents is gained. 2012 will see all Associations meeting quarterly to make sure plans and goals are achieved.

• In December VANA re-located to Clayton. This moved was all part of the review the VANA Board did of its operation. With Nicholson Street now fully leased and with the purchase of our Clayton office, VANA’s strong asset base it manages on behalf of all its members has been strengthened allowing for Victorian Newsagents to have a strong, financially responsible Association meeting all its member’s needs.

• VANA was pleased to be able to announce that Publishers would not be printing on Christmas day. With Christmas falling on a Sunday this year, NOT PRINTING was not ever a presumed position for the Publishers. VANA reminded both Publishers of the huge cost of staff on this day and was happy the decision not to print was made. So please enjoy your annual day off …. Even if it’s only one sleep in !!

The VANA offices will be closing over the Christmas New Year period, from 1pm Friday 23^rd December 2011 and re-opening on Tuesday 3^rd January 2012.

VANA’s staff is on call if needed anytime over this break. They can be contacted on:-

Sel Ozyurek – Operations Manager -  0448 703 575

Oliver Stankovski – Members Services Manager -  0438 938 423

I would like to thank the VANA Board and the VANA Staff for all their efforts in 2011. In these challenging times, the efforts of all, has helped VANA show itself as being there for the future of the Newsagency Brand.

I would also like to thank every VANA member for their membership and faith in their Association. We hope this support can be rewarded in 2012 with news of an industry ready to face whatever challenges are thrown at it, allowing the Newsagent Industry to continue to be an important part of every Victorian community.

I wish all members of the Newsagency family a Merry Christmas and a Successful and profitable New Year. I hope that in 2012 we can all work together to continue our efforts to make sure our Brand … Newsagents,  remains strong and viable for all.

Regards,

Gerard Munday

VANA Chairman