POST PUBLISHING: RECORDS 23MB LOSS
Post Publishing Public Company Limited recorded a 23.20 million baht loss for the three months ending September 2009. In the same period last year it reported a 11.06 million baht profit.
Executives cited the global economic crisis and local political uncertainty for the results which were released to the Stock Exchange of Thailand late yesterday afternoon. Despite seeing increased revenues from book publishing and event organisation, there were sharply decreased sales and services income (from 445.5 million baht to 376.61 million baht).
Cost of sales had also decreased due to lower print-runs of newspapers, reductions in the number of pages and other production costs, however these cuts were unable to compensate for what executives describe as "very weak sales".
I am speculating these "very weak sales" could well behind the non-appearance of the Audit Bureau of Circulation's latest statement for sales of copies of The Bangkok Post. Historically the statement has always appeared on or close to September 30th and March 30th each year. The most recent audited figures cover the last six months of 2008 although they will cease to be valid only after March 30th next year. A further or substantial decline in sales of the newspaper will likely do more damage than the benefits from being the only newspaper with an independent audited circulation in Thailand.
3 comments:
Maybe they should start charging for online publications as other newspapers have done, after all who needs to get their fingers all dirty when you can read it on your pc?
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Charlie. Thanks for your comment.
So how much per day or per month would you be willing to pay for your copy? I would suggest a monthly fee because payment per day or per article will be so small and costly to administer.
So, let's say 300 baht per month - roughly one third of what you are paying the the print edition now. If that is appealing then you already have something available for that sort of price in Press Display.
The biggest question, as I have discussed often, is how much are people realistically prepared to pay to read their professionally produced product online?
And incidentally - not all content from The Bangkok Post and The Nation is appearing on the Internet. I've seen stories for several months that are only appearing in print. Don't assume everything will eventually make it online. The only way to e sure right now is to buy the print product.
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