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Home My WebLink AboutCOD-001-08 Cl![il1glOn REPORT CORPORATE SERVICES DEPARTMENT Meeting: Special General Purpose and Administration Committee January 18, 2008 Resolution #: ef~-oJ.go 'J Date: Report #: COD-001-08 File#: By-law #: Subject: CORPORATE NEWSPAPER ADVERTISING 2007 REVIEW Recommendations: It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration Committee recommend to Council the following: 1. THAT Report COD-001-08 be received for information. Submitted by: Ie Marano, H.B.Sc., C.M.O. irector of Corporate Services U""'" 'C \ 17 "\7 ,,,"--( ,K,--, L{ Reviewed by: I-- ' -' Franklin Wu Chief Administrative Officer MMIJC/gj CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON 40 TEMPERANCE STREET, BOWMANVILLE, ONTARIO L 1C 3A6 T (905)623-3379 F (905)623-5506 REPORT NO.: COD-001-08 PAGE 2 1.0 BACKGROUND The intent of this report is to provide Members of Council with information relative to the effective use of the corporate advertising program as implemented by the Communications & Tourism Office. The corporate advertising program deals, specifically, with the municipal information published in the Canadian Statesman and the Orono Weekly Times. Should Council elect to change the current corporate advertising newspaper practice, related policies will be amended accordingly. 2.0 CANADIAN STATESMAN PAGE 2 At the conclusion of the 2007 budget deliberations the policy and budget for corporate advertising was changed to publish only required municipal notices and events in the Municipality's corporate newspaper advertising program. In addition, the Municipality did not reserve a specific page size for its use. Instead, space was reserved weekly based on the amount of information that was to be published at that time. The budgetary impact of the amended advertising policy is illustrated by the table below: Canadian Statesman Orono Weekl Times OTHER' EXPENDITURE as of December 31,2007 $105,511.14 24,488.50 71,847.00 $ 201,846.64 _I 2006 ACTUAL 1- ADVERTISEMENT EmmiIIl!iIr1l'!'mI~c Despite a ten cent increase in agate line rate (from $0.87 in 2006 to $0.97 in 2007), the Municipality achieved a significant cost savings within the newspaper advertising program. The reduction in cost for this program in the Orono Weekly Times (approximately $4,645) is directly attributable to the size of the advertisement published as the flat rate charged to the Municipality did not change significantly during 2007. As of January 1, 2008, the Canadian Statesman is no longer being published in the current broadsheet format. The potential budgetary impact of this change in layout - from broadsheet (Statesman) to tabloid (This Week) - is not expected to have a significant budgetary impact on what has been requested for 2008 although there is an increase the Municipality's 2008 line rate ( from $0.97 to $1.00 per agate line). 3.0 CORPORATE ADVERTISING - OTHER MUNICIPALITIES In reviewing current trends/activities in municipal advertising/marketing, some other municipalities were surveyed on whether or not they participate in a dedicated community/corporate advertising page. The Town of Ajax has a dedicated community page in the News Advertiser (Metroland) as well as placing spot (periodic) advertisements in the SNAP Ajax publication. The City of Oshawa also has a dedicated community page in the Oshawa This Week (Metroland) as well as placing spot advertising in the SNAP Oshawa and Oshawa Express publications. Port Hope maintains 2 half-page community pages in both the Northumberland News (Metroland) and the Port Hope Evening Guide. The Municipality of , OTHER ADVERTISING - encompasses tourism promotion, tenders/quotes/RFPs; career opportunities. Canadian TaOS signage on Highway 401 & 115/35 REPORT NO.: COD-001-08 PAGE 3 Clarington corporate advertising page was cited as the model these municipalities used in establishing their own community program. 4.0 COMMUNICATING WITH THE PUBLIC - CORPORATE NEWSLETTERS Communications is an integral part of the relationship between the Municipality of Clarington and the residents and businesses of Clarington. Keeping stakeholders informed as to municipal activities and events ensures that they are engaged and aware of issues and activities that may have an effect or impact on their day to day life. From 1996 to 1998 the Municipality of Clarington published its own tabloid-style (slightly larger than 11" x 17") newsletter - The Clarington Today. This publication, whose design and print preparation was completed externally, was a 12-page, full-colour production that was printed on offset grade paper which is a little higher quality than newsprint (so the colour would not bleed through the pages). The Clarington Today was printed 3 times per year and was published for 3 years prior to being discontinued. The publication relied heavily on the input of municipal departments for content (text and images). If Council wishes to consider a corporate newsletter it can be accomplished by learning from the previous production (Clarington Today). Instead of 12 pages, it is likely that a 4 page publication would be appropriate. To print a 4-page, tabloid publication on 50 pound offset paper (one paper grade above newsprint) the cost per edition (based on a single quote received by Communications in time for this report) would cost $ 1,850.00 (including trimming it to Canada Post specifications for mailing). The annual cost of such a publication would depend on the frequency and method of distribution. FREQUENCY OF PRINTING COST POSTAGE COST* TOTAL PUBLICATION (Undiscounted COST oversized rate) (ANNUAL) B1-WEEKL Y $ 40,l00.00 $ 67,100.00 $ 107,800.00 (22 issues) MONTHLY $ 22,200.00 $ 36,600.00 $ 58,800.00 (12 issues) B1 -MONTH L Y $ 11,100.00 $ 18,300.00 $ 29,400.00 (6 issues) QUARTERLY $ 7,400.00 $ 9,150.00 $ 16,550.00 (4 issues) 'Based on the 12.2cents/item unaddressed admail rate as published at www.canadaoost.ca/rates/ odf / aa oricesheet-e. odf Canada Post has provided information that, should the Municipality distribute 100,000+ copies per year, the unaddressed admail rate would decrease from $0.122 per item to $0.106 per item. A formal agreement may be required for this purpose. For delivery, Canada Post will require the newsletter 5 days in advance of the mailing date. This would have to be built into the production schedule. A transportation fee will be charged as some of Clarington receives mail from other facilities than Bowmanville. All costs indicated would have to be confirmed subsequent to Council's decision particularly as it relates to frequency of publication. Within Durham Region, the Town of Ajax (Ajax Today), the Town of Whitby (The Whitby REPORT NO.: COD-001-08 PAGE 4 Perspective), the City of Oshawa (Inside Oshawa) all produce corporate newsletters. Ajax and Whitby publish their newsletters twice per year while Oshawa issues theirs once per year. It appears that only the Town of Whitby distributes their corporate newsletter via Canada Post. They are also available online as pdffile downloads: Town of Ajax (Winter 2008) http://www.townofaiax.com/AssetFactorv.aspx?did=4137; Town of Whitby (Fall 2007)http://www.whitbv.ca/assetlcm-communitv whitbvperspective-faIl2007.pdf; and, City of Oshawa http://www.oshawa.ca/whatsnew/lnside Oshawa 2007 FINAL.pdf. 5.0 CORPORATE ADVERTISING/CORORATE NEWSLETTERS POINTS OF DISCUSSION A combination of newspaper and newsletter advertising program could produce some efficiencies and may incorporate some of the following. CORPORATE ADVERTISING CORPORATE NEWSLETTER . Notices which are required by . Ability to manage the message being legislation to be placed in a newspaper communicated; (List is not exhaustive - indicates those that were published in 2007 only) . Promotion of community events and - Expropriation notices festivals in accordance with objectives - Planning Act notices of Corporate Strategic Business Plan; - Heritage Designation notices - Pound Keeper notices . Tenders, careers and program - Development Charge notices announcements could be included - Cemetery By-law notices provided the departments prepare this - Tax Sale notices information in advance (how far in - Audited Financial Statements advance would depend on frequency of newsletter); . Layout of advertisement done outside of Communications based on content . Opportunity to amalgamate all provided; departmental newsletters (e.g. Planning E-Update) into publication; . Public can be educated to look for information about tenders, career . If tendered at 4 pages, costs could vary opportunities, program announcements if less or more space is required; in the communique; . Information from other municipal . No "penalty" for varying space partners (library, visual arts centre, requirements; museums, older adult centre, Clarington Board of Trade could be . Corporate advertising pages are included. posted on municipal website; . Potential to move newsletter to electronic version is possible; Non-essential (e.g. recreation programs) could be a significant part of this program - reducing requirement to create and distribute separate flyers (e.g. camp proarams, etc.) REPORT NO.: COD-001-08 PAGE 5 6.0 CONCLUSION If Council wishes to consider incorporating the blended advertising program into the 2008 budget it is recommended that communique begin as a quarterly publication as there will be considerable input required of existing staff, particularly during the start up. There will be an impact on workflow of municipal departments in producing content for the corporate newsletter. The 2008 budget of $175,000 ideally would not be reduced to accommodate the communique as 2008 advertising budget is estimated to accommodate required notices based on 2007 actual expenditures, in addition to a higher line rate ($1.14 per line) with reduced frequency. It is recommended that a separate accounting of the communique could be tracked with a budget of $20,000 allocated during the 2008 deliberations. Should there be savings at the end of the budget year with the blended program this can be accommodated in future budget proposals. It is respectfully requested should Council endorse the production of the communique on a bi-weekly schedule, that consideration be given in the 2008 budget, to add an additional staff member on a 24 hour basis, (estimated impact of $30,000) to assist with production. Staff will amend the policy to reflect any approved changes by Council, and report in future budget years on the effectiveness of the change in communication strategy from feedback received on the program. CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON 40 TEMPERANCE STREET, BOWMANVILLE, ONTARIO L 1C 3A6 T (905)623-3379 F (905)623-6506