IT"S A WONDER ANYONE MAKES MONEY
It's truly a wonder that anyone makes money from the media business in Thailand. Take the process of single copy sales - that means the copy that you buy today from the bookshop or news stand. Let's say that paper costs you 25 baht (in the case of both The Bangkok Post and The Nation). The revenue the publisher gets, less the commission for the distributor and shop, will leave the publisher pocketing around 16 baht. But, because of the very dis-jointed distribution system here they won't get that revenue for anything up to four months.
Advertising is supposed to be the main source of revenue for publishers, but with credit terms of anything up to 90 days and a preference for barter ads then genuine and swift revenue is often difficult to generate.
4 comments:
Hi Andrew,
Terrific blog, love the newsy style of it. Anyway, scuse my general business ignorance, but what exactly is a barter ad?
Obviously I think I can work it out in my own mind, but I'd like to hear a proper definition. I used to think that the sign reading WET PAINT was an instruction, but I now know that it's always best to ask first.
Thanks for your post Gary, and I'm happy to like my blog.
As for 'barter ads', I'll write a post about them today so you (and others) get a better understanding. They can be good, if you use them well, but sometimes they're just an excuse for free advertising.
I'm continually amazed that ANY business in Thailand makes money. Their sense of business is just so vastly different from my own that I find myself just shaking my head... mai pen rai, mai pen rai... Yesterday I asked a hotel staff manager - how much if I stay for the month?
"We don't have a room for a month."
Huh?
"We don't rent for a whole month."
hahahhahaha! What? Say it again, because I've heard this about 19 times since arriving 3 years ago and I don't quite get it.
So -that's part of it - a very small part. I've written a little bit about the Thai style of business on my site because it's fascinating to me. Frustrating as all hell, but fascinating. I know they didn't learn what they do from the Chinese. Where did their idea of business come from? Not sure... mai pen rai...
Hello :) and thanks for your post. There does seem to be just a general lack of both urgency and business understanding, but when you do find a company with those qualities they stand out a mile.
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