Hot rumour doing the rounds that the News Limited metropolitan tabloids - Herald Sun, Daily Telegraph, Adelaide Advertiser and Courier Mail - might be about to become free giveaways.

Print journalism is suffering. Circulation is falling as more people get their information fix online. As a result advertising revenue is under pressure.

Newspapers have almost universally failed to handle the impact of the Internet. They all defended their old model and technology, but in doing so have allowed new entrants, and new models to dominate.

Print media is in desperate need of a major shift that could bring readers back, and free is a serious option. Desperate is the word. As the advertising dollars crumble, desperate measures are called for as newspapers begin to hear the death rattle.   Free would have massive implications for the retail news agency sector.

Many newsagents believe they make dollars from selling papers in their shops. In reality, the average profit is around $25 per day. The cash cow is distribution, currently heavily subsidised by the newspapers and dominated by the tabloids. A new pricing model may see this income stream damaged for newsagents.

People coming in for papers and smokes should drive store traffic and hence other sales. But a free model may involve increased use of non news agency outlets, and thus newsagents have something to fear.