In the USA circulations emulate the housing market; not much interest and no one's doing much buying. However Rupert Murdoch is about to launch a newspaper for the iPad. Let's see if he can monetise digital journalism.
When we are in the USA we take the New York Times (much to the chagrin of our neighbours who consider it rather liberal!) and the Wall Street Journal. We gave up on the local papers and USA Today a long time ago.
In Hong Kong the "gow chai" (Hong Kong's answer to investigative journalism) have been besieging gambling kingpin Stanley Ho's homes to get the latest scoop on the tug-of-war that has his 1.3 billion or so fortune as its prize.
As I pass one of his homes on my way in and out, I get a sense of the prevailing amount of activity by the number of vehicles, journalists and paparazzi camped outside the gate.
There was some added excitement two days in a row when some hapless journo got his or her foot run over by one of the Ho fleet (you'd think they would have learnt that you cannot stop a vehicle with a planted foot).
There was a flock of them (not half the world's press as his lawyer claimed in one of the videos) until the weekend when less people were hanging around. And then normality returned this morning. Everyone and everything was gone, including the litter and cigarette butts.
But this evening his lawyer issued a statement saying "game on" again and posted three videos on YOUTUBE. This means I can expect to see a mass of shivering people as I go down the hill and head for the golf course early tomorrow morning - or maybe not as he's sought refuge in a hospital.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uwz0nTeKyjo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JT6Wth-v5kE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1yZxB4RUus
They're repetitious and not particularly riveting. However, I enjoyed the part when his lawyer remarked that it would be on his bill, a clue to the amount of money that might be spent on legal fees if this saga continues and 16 children and three wives gird themselves with legal representation.
That should feed many Hong Kong lawyers for years - and it's not as if they don't have other juicy fare to feast upon.
Other legal actions that are keeping the legal fraternity well fed: the Nina Wang will, the Kwoks of Sun Hung Kai (eldest son Walter versus mother and brothers), and the Kams of Yung Kee (better known for their goose). There are probably more as I am not au fait with all the Hong Kong goings-on and certainly not up to date with the court calendar.
While it's pretty sad that this man is not getting much peace and happiness in his old age, his days surrounded by warring family, one could say that it was of his own doing - not just the family but the pickle he now finds himself in.
In the meantime, until this gets into the courts, imagine being pestered and nagged several times a day - as and when he makes his rounds of his homes and wives!
If this had happened in Singapore the Straits Times would not have needed to spend the money, ink and paper running a huge subscription promotion like they did towards the end of 2010!
Unfortunately, they should have started by fixing the product - I have to wash my hands after turning the pages of my morning newspaper because the ink comes off on my fingers.
You'd think a newspaper that spends so much on other stuff would get some decent paper and ink. Maybe that's why readers prefer to watch or listen to the news; there's no ink transfer from the computer keyboard, Starhub or MIO remote controls or radio buttons.
The South China Morning Post was given invaluable free plugs in Stanley Ho's YouTube appearances. It was the newspaper of choice for Stanley Ho and his English lawyer when it came to declaring war on his dissident family members.
Maybe he did not know that in Hong Kong, the Chinese papers have far bigger circulations than the English language newspapers. On the other hand, the SCMP has a long established reputation and still enjoys being considered the premier English language newspaper.
However it is far from the fat cash cow that it used to be when Rupert Murdoch owned it. It was a real door stopper especially, I think, Saturdays when it carried sections upon section of recruitment advertising.
When the economy tanked during the SARS crisis, advertising revenue fell steeply especially recruitment advertisements. The Asian economic crisis which followed didn't help either.
But a revolving door of management, editorial and marketing people has not resuscitated its fortunes.
Some days I wonder if it could get any slimmer, but thanks to Mr Ho there's more to read in the mornings while I enjoy my cuppa.
Alas, there aren't that many in predominantly Chinese Hong Kong who read the SCMP as their main paper. Mind you, it does have a franchise that could be revived. Time will tell and - just to mix metaphors - time waits for no man.
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