Gripping content can sell newspapers - whether it's online or not

There has been interesting debate here and elsewhere on the web about the print-online treatment of gripping content.

At times, we've trialled with print exclusives, instant online uploads, etc, and this balancing act will continue to evolve as we manage relationships and revenues with our readers and advertisers.

Sometimes, though, it's refreshing to see that print readers' attentions are just grabbed by great content in the newspaper... whether it's online as well or not.

Last Wednesday morning saw the release of football fixtures for 2009/10, embargoed until 10am.

Good timing for us, although this was also on BBC, Sky, etc, broadcast and online, with their main stories for the rest of that day and evening discussing the various clashes in detail.

So did this weaken the attractiveness of the Birmingham Mail?

Not on your nelly! There was still huge interest on seeing the fixtures in print, and in reading our reporters' views on what the schedules meant for each local club.

The result was a week-on-week lift of nearly 6,500 sales for Wednesday's print editions.

Regular 'Editor's Chair' readers will have noted our recent pleasure at the Barry saga sales lift of two weeks before. Well, this fixtures lift was 2,000+ higher than that week's sale.

Indeed, the best Wednesday for five months, and within touching distance of last year's sale.

The moral of this tale? Some content is so important that readers just cannot get enough of it, and all mediums can fill their boots.

I'll blog the online hits fixtures surge later.