Wednesday 6 August 2008

Translating Guardian Press Release on Rate Increases

I just received this Press Release

"From August 18 2008, the recruitment and courses print advertising rates for Guardian Jobs will be increasing in line with salary inflation. In real terms this means most of our print rates are staying the same. Some of our online advertising rates are also changing but we are offering you more value than ever:"

A couple of comments
- the rates are going up 3.5% - they are not staying the same. To use the phrase "in real terms" reminds me of a trade union negotiating a deal for its workers
- That bit is probably inserted as the author is struggling with the audacity/cheek of putting ones press rates up - when the print market is disintegrating - or soon will be - in its core markets
- "some of our online rates are also changing..." i am going to make a huge leap of logic and presume they mean by changing - they actually wanted to use the not often heard word "increasing". They may have covered themselves by reducing a keyword banner on Cornwall Jobs or something equally popular.

I love the Guardian and the people we deal with and have no problem necessarily with them increasing rates - but plainspeaking please....

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