‘Sun’s’ axing may hit Games sponsorship

Press, 11 July 1988, Page 1

‘Sun’s’ axing may hit Games sponsorship

PA Auckland The organisers of the Auckland Commonwealth Games are unsure about the effects of the news media reshuffle on a key sponsorship package. N.Z. News, Ltd, which on Friday sold the “Auckland Star” and “Sunday Star” newspapers in a deal with Independent Newspapers, Ltd, that also saw the axing of the “Auckland Sun,” became a big Games sponsor in August. The cash sponsorship is believed to exceed $1 million. Mr Michael Forbes, managing director of N.Z. News, said the Commonwealth Games agreement was with N.Z. News, as distinct from the "Sun” or the "Auckland Star.” There were still a number of details to be settled between his company and I.N.L. “There is probably any number of things that need to be discussed between the two com-

panies which are not part of the agreement but are codicils, and that would be one of them,” Mr Forbes said. Mr Forbes, who opposed the closing of the “Sun,” says the turn of events has been a “hell of a kick in the guts.” The “Sun” was abruptly closed on Friday with the loss of about 270 jobs. At the same time it was announced I.N.L. had bought Auckland’s evening and Sunday newspapers and N.Z. News’ community newpaper interests in Auckland.

Mr Forbes describes what his company has endured in the last few days as “crossed between a rape and a death — rape in the way it has happened and the death being the ‘Sun.’ “It is fairly traumatic. People are going through a grieving process, of shock, anger and depression. Most people come out of it; some people don’t.”

Mr Forbes said his company would make the most of its remaining assets. He said he was not bitter about the closing of the “Sun” but it would not have been his decision.

“The ‘Sun’ was a high risk, but I would have kept on with it. I guess the answer to that is, it isn’t my money.” But he says N.Z. News is still a large, viable company Mr Forbes had not heard of the decision to close the “Sun” until the day before it happened. “We’d been looking at the ‘Star’ for a long time and identifying its problems,” he said. “In the next 24 to 48 hours, instead of focusing on the ‘Star’ we were doing the same thing with the ‘Sun.’

“It was a question of courage or stupidity. I’m not sure which. Brierley decided to give it away.”

Sad times, page 4