Re: Island Weekly

Island Weekly is a strange 'Tizer rip-off of the Mid-Week concept (http://www.pacifichistory.net/NEWSFILE/NEWSMAY2001.HTML - this is interesting). Except it rehashes 'Tizer articles, in an attempt at making it look like something else. It's been around for a while. Probably a freak-out reaction to the Bulletin's relationship with Mid-Week. It has very little value to 'Tizer readers, as most of it has already run in the 'Tizer, the ad stack is small, and the design is laughable. More Gannett retardation for you (But hey, they're Hawaii's Newspaper -- don't even get me started on that one). And yes, you can request that it not be sent to you (it is, after all, junk mail).

Re: Island Weekly

I've been getting Island Weeklyfor a while, and even without an explanation I knew it was an "answer" to Midweek. But while Midweekhas a distinct and different editorial voice and focus (one that's not my cup of tea, but what the heck), Island Weeklystruck me as merely a clipping service gone bad -- here are some columns, articles, and photos you would have seen if you read the Advertiser, plus a few ads. Yay.

The thing was, since Island Weeklywas so thin and flimsy, it often ended up insideour mailbox instead of in a box (we live in an apartment building), and that annoyed me. In the box, I could ignore either publication, but shoved in with my mail? I complained to the unseen and unknowable "Postmaster" and they started going back in the box where they belonged.

I still pick them up when I have something that needs wrapping/padding, of course.

I really wonder how the Island Weeklyexperiment is going. I know that Midweek has its hardcore fans and readers, and it definitely carries and covers things you don't see anywhere else. Who on earth likes the Island Weekly's "1/10th of an Advertiser issue" concept? Except perhaps people that don't read the Advertiser at all looking for a free sample of sorts?

What I figure is, the Island Weeklymailings - which easily go to many more households than the Advertiser (since they're cheap to make and free to readers) - are nothing more than a way for the Advertiser to inflate various readership figures or something. Columnist X or Reporter Y can say, "500,000 people saw this Advertiser piece!" despite the Advertiser'smuch smaller paid subscription base, since they can count the times the material was put before a resident by virtue of simply being reprinted and given away for free.

Re: Island Weekly

You make references to 'Tizer. Is this a person or this a short hand version of the Advertiser?

Re: Island Weekly

Definitely a shorthand version of "Advertiser", Helen.
Kinda like calling the Star-Bulletin the "Star Bull".

Re: Island Weekly

Ooh yikes, Lika ...

Given the rather negative connotation to the word "Bull," (as in, bovine scatology), I personally prefer use of "The Bulletin," as a shortened version.

It seems I've heard that reference more than "Star-Bull," thankfully!

Re: Island Weekly

My bad, Erika! I meant to put a wave and a wink to ya into my earlier reply.
By the by, if you ever want to live dangerously go to San Francisco and refer to it as "Frisco" when talking to the locals...

Re: Island Weekly

"Island Weekly is a strange 'Tizer rip-off of the Mid-Week concept"

It should be noted that in its early years MW bought most of its following through grocery shopping and cash give-aways in random drawings. It was $500.00 a week in either case. It surprises me that the 'tizer has not tried this yet. While Gannett did woo former MW publisher Ken Berry away it appears the magic didn't follow him. As a matter of fact Berry has been shunted off to one of the many weaklies they bought during their shopping spree of a couple of years ago.

Re: Island Weekly

As Rick Hamada puts it, "Honolulu's two daily rags", each have a certain style that makes them both good newspapers. I prefer SB's editorials while I like the Advertisers sunday edition.

Erika, I know the advertisers gotta pay for the inserts, however to me that's what makes the Sunday paper, the inserts, as well as the Home section. When I was job hunting for positions on the Big Island, there is no comparison between the two rags. The Advertiser lists more jobs than the Star Bulletin and has my two favorite inserts, CompUSA and Circuit City (neither on the Big Island)

SB's Sunday edition really lacks, but makes up in their Friday edition. Plus SB's afternoon run makes it better for me since I haven't the time in the morning to read yesterday's news. At least the Star Bulletin covers what happened while I was working all morning long.

Give and take, I prefer Monday thru Saturday with the Star Bulletin, but on Sunday...it's all Advertiser at least until the inserts become available to SB.

Re: Island Weekly

Opps what I meant to say was the those who advertise with inserts have to pay the Advertiser to have them placed in their newspaper.

Someone should just sell the inserts on a Friday since everyone who has delivered the Sunday Advertiser (and has a sore back to prove it) knows the inserts arrive on a Wednesday and the carrier must hold on to them until early Sunday morning and "insert" them with the paper.

Re: Island Weekly

geez it's Oops not Opps. Kea'au's getting to me already, too laid back of a life here.

Re: Island Weekly

I have to get both of them online, since I'm not home anymore. Am trying to decide which one I like better. I usually read them both everyday... when I can. Sometimes just the main local news stories, photos, etc. I get the headlines in my inbox. Coverage is mostly the same, but enough different that I like to check them both out.

Would much prefer home delivery in the 'aina though.

Re: Island Weekly

Island Weekly has a distinct advantage over Mid-Week: It flips much more easily into my trash can on my way from the mailbox to the front door. Mid-Week requires me to walk nearer the can and sometimes drops stuff in my carport.

I do read M-W if the personality on the cover looks interesting or if I've heard ahead of time that Michelle Malkin has something interesting to say. I have a little crush on Michelle, which drives me crazy since her ideology drives me nutso sometimes. Still, if it works for Mary Matalin and James Carville, it could work for me and Michelle, if she weren't already married.

But I digress.

My point is that at least Mid-Week has content unavailable anywhere else in Hawaii print. Tapping local "writers" and less-visible national columnists was a brilliant idea, and even the publication's editing has gotten (slightly) better in recent years. I like the idea of having guest-celebs doing film reviews, but whoever writes the prompting questions is phoning it in.

Any Mid-Week editors listening in? Let ME interview the guest-reviewers! I'm totally serious. I'll do it for free, and I'll do a kick-butt job.

Re: Island Weekly

That's why I plan to subscribe to Midweek eventually. Also because the Midweek website has very little from the paper. I've never been to New York, but I think the relationship between Honolulu and the rest of Oahu is like that of Manhattan and the other four boroughs and Long Island. And Midweek is a paper for and about Oahu, the way the New York Daily News or Newsday is more for New York. (Would any current or former New Yorkers care to attest to this?)

Re: Island Weekly

"And Midweek is a paper for and about Oahu, the way the New York Daily News or Newsday is more for New York. (Would any current or former New Yorkers care to attest to this?)"

Errrr, what happened to the Village Voice in that arrangement?