DAILY XPRESS CELEBRATES FIRST BIRTHDAY
This week marks the first anniversary of the launch of Daily Xpress, Thailand's first free daily English language tabloid.
In its first 12 months Daily Xpress has undergone some significant changes. Pre-launch promises of 72 pages quickly disappeared with an initial offering of 48 pages. Since August it's been running just 28 pages.
In the beginning Daily Xpress was a 7-days-a-week title. Weekend editions soon stopped, only to reappear briefly and then stop again. Now the publishers seem to have settled on a weekday-only effort.
Promises of 100,000 copies per day distributed through 4,000 locations in Bangkok have evaporated too. Although there's no way of knowing how many copies are printed it's interesting to note a 'certified print run statement' which appeared in earlier editions has long since disappeared.
In recent months the only time I've seen Daily Xpress outside The Nation is very occasionally alongside BK Magazine at Asia Books. Has anyone else seen copies widely distributed in the city?
On the plus side I have to admit that the amount of news has improved (it now occasionally strays onto the fifth page) as have the levels of advertising - most of which is Thai and supports my initial thoughts that a free Thai language daily would have been a better option.
But I am happy to say I was wrong with my prediction's that Daily Xpress would not survive 12 months. Credit to those involved, but what is worrying is that I believe there's no realistic way The Nation can survive without Daily Xpress.
Take Daily Xpress out of The Nation and you are left with a business newspaper - and recent history shows there's not a big enough market for a dedicated English language business newspaper in Thailand.
8 comments:
I almost never see The Nation in Bangkok, except when sold with The Nation. There were some half-hearted efforts to distribute it at BTS/MRT stations last year, but they didn't last long and didn't apply to all stations.
The success of The Metro in London (and now expanded to other major UK cities) has come from its distribution at tube and train stations, which is a strategy the Xpress should reconsider if it wants to expand its distribution.
As you say, without the Xpress, The Nation is just a business paper, which has limited appeal. I'm surprised that The Nation is still going, because their rebranding last year seemed almost suicidal. Also, without the Xpress, The Nation is wafer-thin, hardly justifying it as a paid-for title. If you pay for The Nation you get the Xpress free, but the Xpress has a higher pagination. Plus, the target audience for the Xpress and The Nation are surely very different, so it makes no sense (to me) to bundle them together.
With The Nation apparently stopping its Sunday edition next month, and the Xpress not publishing any regular weekend editions since last year, the company will have no Sunday title at all, in sharp contrast to the thick Sunday edition of the Bangkok Post. (The Sunday Nation's magazine, ACE, has improved, though, with more original Thai editorial content.)
Matthew - thanks as always.
The Nation plans to stop its Sunday edition? Really? Can you elaborate? If that is happens I feel it's another suicidal decision.
Oh! I thought I read it somewhere in the past few weeks. But I can't remember where, and searching on Google hasn't helped. Maybe I dreamed it. But I'm pretty sure I didn't.
Mat.
I was not dreaming! After more Googling, I've found it: 2bangkok.com on 19th February.
Mat.
In the past I had someone commenting on Nation Group related issues called 'Nation Insider". I wonder where he or she is right now?
And for those who are interested the comment (there is no actual story) on 2bangkok.com just says: "A source informs us: Starting in April: No more Sunday edition of The Nation. the Daily Xpress will be reduced in circulation even further."
If anyone is able to confirm this news (and naturally I will respect any requests for confidentiality) please let me know. Email: bkkandy AT myway.com
I thought the Daily Xpress had been discontinued months ago! I used to pick up a copy outside Villa at Ari station, but haven't seen it for quite a while.
Maybe Thai Airways staff could arrange to distribute copies to Jatujak market - through their established distribution network, more timely than The Economist - so there could be one reliable collection point? Instead of the promised 100,000 copies per day distributed through 4,000 locations in Bangkok at least we could have maybe 10 copies at one location (facetious remark of course).
Leosia - great comment !!!
I can't stop smiling about your 'Thai Airways .. established distribution network' comment. Very funny, and very true too.
Just another thought ....
If Nation is planning to halt its Sunday edition it needs to be careful. Right now it's still selling subscriptions that offer the Sunday edition and ACE as part of the package.
I'm certain subscribers would rightly demand a partial refund if only part of their contractual offer is being delivered.
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