Major Australian newspapers are banning reference to www.obits.com.au from their classifieds death and funeral notices.
March 22, 2006 (Press Release) --
Some of Australia's biggest and most influential daily newspapers have banned new Australian website www.obits.com.au from the death and funeral notice section in their classifieds.
A spokesman for Obits Pty Ltd said today that Australian funeral directors who dare to mention the Obits.com.au site in their classified notice for a death or funeral are being told it is not acceptable and won't be published.
Since the launch of Obits.com.au in January 2006 many Australian families of deceased persons have taken advantage of the incredible service which the new website offers.
Rather than pay the going rate of the major daily's classified rates, many families are opting for a basic classified advertisement and then paying $49.50 to place a full page notice on Obits.com.au which will be on display for 28 days, instead of the one day classified, and then go into a searchable archive where it remains viewable indefinitely.
In an effort to save their families money, some switched on funeral directors have included the words “see further details at www.obits.com.au” at the end of the classified death or funeral notice, only to have the newspaper flatly reject the notice unless reference to the website is removed.
The legality of this practice by the newspapers is yet to be determined by the ACCC, Australia's consumer watch dog, but the day of reckoning is beckoning for these media giants who will use their bully boy tactics whenever and on whoever they choose to.
Watch this space!!!
A spokesman for Obits Pty Ltd said today that Australian funeral directors who dare to mention the Obits.com.au site in their classified notice for a death or funeral are being told it is not acceptable and won't be published.
Since the launch of Obits.com.au in January 2006 many Australian families of deceased persons have taken advantage of the incredible service which the new website offers.
Rather than pay the going rate of the major daily's classified rates, many families are opting for a basic classified advertisement and then paying $49.50 to place a full page notice on Obits.com.au which will be on display for 28 days, instead of the one day classified, and then go into a searchable archive where it remains viewable indefinitely.
In an effort to save their families money, some switched on funeral directors have included the words “see further details at www.obits.com.au” at the end of the classified death or funeral notice, only to have the newspaper flatly reject the notice unless reference to the website is removed.
The legality of this practice by the newspapers is yet to be determined by the ACCC, Australia's consumer watch dog, but the day of reckoning is beckoning for these media giants who will use their bully boy tactics whenever and on whoever they choose to.
Watch this space!!!
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