Survey of Newspaper Publishers Reveals Antipathy Toward Wal-Mart
Corporation seeks free publicity for charitable contributions, but spends its advertising dollars with national media
Survey by the National Newspaper Association
Editor's note: Below are selected questions and comments from a 2005 survey by the National Newspaper Association. The full survey and all comments can be viewed here (5 pp pdf) on the NNA website.
Describe how Wal-Mart has affected your community.
Positive 13%
Neutral 25%
Negative 62%
Describe how the Wal-Mart has affected your newspaper.
Positive 4%
Neutral 28%
Negative 67%
Comments (Open-ended response)
“We received two pages of advertising when our Supercenter opened two and a half years ago. Since then, not an inch.”
“This week, for the first time in eight years here, we received an insert from Wal-Mart. But that is the extent of their advertising with us. One insert in eight years.”
“They call for a photographer almost weekly to receive free PR for a check presentation.”
“We received two pages of advertising when our Supercenter opened two and a half years ago. Since then, not an inch.”
Wal-Mart came into our community in 1978 and was our biggest advertiser for many years. The store ran out competition with its aggressive newspaper ad campaigns. Now the local manager says he cannot spend more than $50 a month on newspaper advertising.”
“Within 2 years of WalMart's arrival, many regular advertisers left town. Closed: Pennys, WhiteMart, Thrifty, Pamide, Coast to Coast Hardware, Lad n Lassie (children's clothing), 2 women's dress shops and one men's clothing store.”
“The local Wal-Mart refuses to give money to local charities unless they secure a PR photo from us, yet for years ran nothing in the way of advertisements and spends next to nothing now with us. It's nothing short of PR extortion.”
“We are forever getting demands from the store, directly or through civic groups, to publicize their 'generosity'-generally a paltry financial contribution or some merchandise that was being closed out. Ads? Forget it--they won't even sponsor the biographies of the seniors who work there or support the playoff sections…”
“Walmart does not even have the courtesy to contact us. Instead, they give the press release to the school to 'publish in their local paper.' We are then put in the position of having to say no to people we respect and work with on a daily basis or to just publish the article to prevent hard feelings with our locals.”
“We have an insert running this week but since they opened ten years ago we have only had a handful of ads/inserts.”
“They will not advertise in our local paper, but expect it/us to run promos for every little check they do write to the community.”
“Wal-Mart often lures a local service group into the store with the promise of an 'award' of cash, then demands that the newspaper photographer show up to shoot a photograph with the huge Wal-Mart sign filling the background.”
© 2006 National Newspaper Association
Related feature: Community Newspapers Send a Message to Wal-Mart CEO
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