Abstract:

In 1977 we had in Denmark a labour dispute giving stoppages in the publishing of dailies for a period of 3 weeks and irregularities in the publishing of weeklies. This happens every second year, but in 1977 it was a special situation as the greatest publishing house in Denmark had a close down for 141 days, from the end of January to the end of June, when the summer holidays are starting. The publishing house in question, Det Berlingske Hus, was publishing the greatest popular dally, the greatest quality daily, the greatest Sunday paper and the greatest weekly (a programme magazine) together with a smaller weekly. Through different investigations we have found that the loyalty of the Danish readers is very big. In the 1977 the loyalty of the readers of the publications from the house in question was put to the test as they could not get their daily for more than 4 months, and this was the case for the readers of the greatest weekly too. We found a very great loyalty. As soon as the quality paper was printed again nearly all the readers were subscribing or buying it again, and they renewed their subscription the first time after the conflict.