The Dominion Post recently made changes to its Saturday newspaper, generally the most popular day for readership. The decision to move from four sections to two sections of 32 pages each was aimed at providing more value for readers.

However, it seems the best intentions of newspapers chiefs was not appreciated by the people that matter most – the readers.

While the greater news content was welcomed, the decision to include the best read sections in Section A made it impossible for households to share the paper.

No doubt an all-out war erupted in the capital as families fought for the bounty that was Section A and discarded the less popular section on the floor.

When confronted with such vociferous feedback, the Dominion Post was forced to make a critical decision.

Would it stand strong in the face of readership resistance or perform a rapid u-turn more typical of politicians – ironically an act often criticised in newspaper editorials.

Ultimately, the Dominion Post accepted that in these difficult times, it could ill afford to lose readers. A face-saving u-turn was the only viable option and the directive was issued- the Saturday paper was to be printed so that multiple sections could once again be shared.

The Dominion Post rightly recognised the golden rule – ignore your readers at your peril.