Apostol unlikely to repeat Inquirer feat

<p>Philippine tabloid Pinoy Times saw its distribution climb from 60,000 to </p><p>100,000 copies a day during the recent presidential crisis, but few </p><p>believe its publisher has another Philippine Daily Inquirer in the </p><p>making. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The tabloid's founder Eugenia Apostol was once the single biggest </p><p>stockholder of the Inquirer, the country's leading daily. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Pinoy Times came to public notice in October last year, when it </p><p>published its first Saturday special edition, featuring pictures and </p><p>details of deposed President Joseph Estrada's mistresses. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The opinion-laden publication sells at six pesos and is reportedly </p><p>earning 7.2 million pesos a year. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Written in the native Tagalog has allowed the paper to reach the </p><p>masses. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>But with the impeachment over, few believe Pinoy Times will grow to </p><p>challenge the established dailies. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"Its readership may have grown slightly during the impeachment period, </p><p>but that is true for most newspapers as well as other news and public </p><p>affairs programmes on TV and radio," said McCann-Erickson head of media </p><p>Venus Navalta. "The market as it is - newspaper readership is on a </p><p>decline and advertisers usually use just two or three publications in </p><p>their campaigns - can barely support the current offerrings. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"Advertisers also tend to support what is perceived as balanced news </p><p>reporting." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Pinoy Times advertising associate Blanca Abata said it was not competing </p><p>with the major dailies, but it was definitely claiming a significant </p><p>portion of the reading public. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>