by Tatiana Repkova

As part of a large process of modernizing its local daily network Dení­k in the Czech Republic, German-owned publishing house Vltava-Labe-Press (VLP) kicked off a massive marketing campaign April 2 aimed at consolidating the daily's position in the country's towns.

Called Den s Dení­kem (A day with Dení­k, the campaign is the first of a series of marketing efforts planned for 2007. During this campaign, which runs to the end of June, VLP's team is meeting with readers from more than 500 Czech towns.

“In each of these towns we live with the citizens the entire day,” said Roman Gallo, editorial director and editor-in-chief of Dení­k's network. In every town, the newspaper organises debates on topics of local interest such as an insufficient number of shops, unsafe traffic lights or the lack of bank ATMs. Before the meetings, the readers are told about the topic in the local edition of Dení­k. The move is aimed not only at attracting more readers, but also at showing that the newspaper wants to help people solve their problems, Gallo said. These meetings will also include concerts with local bands and programs for children. http://www.cbw.cz/phprs/2007041025.html; April 10, 2007