MAGAZINES: EASY COME, EASY GO

A reader emailed me yesterday following my post about English media in Thailand. She said: "In Phuket alone there are seemingly dozens of new mags coming out every year, few of which last more than a year or two."
The same can be said for Bangkok. I can think of three magazines that have come and gone during the last two years. Given that fact you can understand why many advertising agencies in Thailand have a policy that prohibits advertising with any new publications for at least the first 12 months.
Magazines fail because of lack of advertising revenue, and each one that fails makes it harder for those that follow. Advertisers want to be associated with a successful magazine brand and you can understand why they would be reluctant to commit to 'The Latest Bangkok' magazine without knowing how long it will be around.
I cannot see things getting any easier during 2009. There are a lot of magazines chasing declining advertising revenue. Only the strong and established magazines will survive, and even they will need to innovate and focus to maintain their existing business.