POST TO LAUNCH NEW FREE PAPER

Post Publishing, the publishers of the Bangkok Post and Post Today, is to launch a free newspaper next month.
The new Thai language title, named M2F (short for Monday to Friday) will be distributed throughout Bangkok. The publishers are claiming it will have a 400,000 copies per day circulation.
Interestingly the story in today's Bangkok Post includes quotes from Pauline Yu from the Hong Kong Audit Bureau of Circulation. I wonder if this means the publishers intend to have the circulation of this new newspaper independently audited?
I wrote several years ago, following the launch and subsequent demise of the English language free tabloid Daily Xpress, how the Bangkok newspaper market held opportunities for a mass, freely distributed Thai language newspaper. It seems as though this gap will now be filled.

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ROGER CRUTCHLEY: WORTH READING

The September edition of Big Chilli magazine has a very good interview with Roger Crutchley, the Bangkok Post's longest serving writer who is due to retire this month.
Roger began working at the Post in 1969 - and has obviously seen many changes. He's very much and 'old school' journalist and, like me, hails from Berkshire in the United Kingdom.
The interview isn't available online but I'd strongly suggest anyone with an interest in journalism in Thailand invests 120 baht to read this story.

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MORE NEW MAGAZINES ON THE WAY

The Bangkok Bugle understands Thailand could see at least three new licensed Thai language editions of overseas titles within the next six months.
Trusted industry sources have revealed to me that discussions are at advanced stages for a food and science title, and a deal is understood to have already been completed for a recently launched English title focusing on tablet apps.
Home grown titles are still appearing on the shelves at the rate of three or four each month, but only around 20 per cent seem to make it beyond six months.

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MOVING ON; NEW CHALLENGES

This week is my last as Publishing Director for Ensign Media in Bangkok.
Starting next week I will in taking a new role with All Property Media, best known for its Property Guru, Commercial Guru and Loan Guru (Singapore), Rumah (Indonesia), Home Guru and Full House (Malaysia) and DDProperty (Thailand) websites. Although I will be based in Singapore initially this doesn't mean the end of the Bangkok Bugle.
Obviously I have contacts that will continue to send me news and information about Thailand's magazine and publishing industry, plus I will be able to comment with a regional perspective, and with far more authority. I will be back in Thailand very often as well.
My new role will be a challenging one, but one I am really looking forward to. I'll be able to write more about it over the coming days and weeks, but for sure it's going to add more pages to my personal story.

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THE OTHER SIDE OF FREE GIFTS

Magazines generate a lot of positive sentiment through the use of cover gifts and premiums, but those good feelings are wasted when the gifts are no longer available.
Take September's Singapore edition of Cleo magazine. The gift was "fully redeemed" at one bookstore chain in the city state - and this was just five days into Spetember.
One of the issues here is that, unlike Thailand, magazines start to appear well before their cover date. This edition was on sale as early as August 9th but, with only a limited number of gifts available, those who waited will be disappointed.
Some magazines offer bagged gifts with every copy of their magazine, but from a publishers' perspective there's a lot of sense in creating the demand to buy the magazine with a limited number of premiums. I just wonder how much damage is done to the brand when that gift is gone?

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BAGGING AND SELLING OLD MAGAZINES

The Relay bookshop chain in Singapore currently has a "3 for S$10" offer for old editions of imported magazines.
These magazines didn't sell the first time around and are now being offered for sale again at substantially reduced rates. Gossip and lifestyle titles appear to make up the majority of the titles which are part of the bundle packs, with most dating from late last year until around three months ago.
Some of these titles will have been priced at upwards of S$15 when they were current, so it does represent a good deal for readers who don't mind buying non-current editions.
My feeling is these titles shouldn't be taking up valuable shelf space, especially in the prime 'front-of-shelf' position as pictured here. I'm not against giving these editions a second chance, and in fact I'm surprised it doesn't happen more, however perhaps newsagents should create and develop a separate section for these kinds of non-current sales?

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BOOSTING CIRCULATION: SO FUNNY

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THE SECOND MOST IMPORTANT STORY ..

.. according to the Straits Times in Singapore on Tuesday was "Just $2 more a month for all-in-one ST deal".
The front page story revealed a new price for an all-in-one print, iPad, iPhone and online subscription. Starting tomorrow the package will cost S$26.95 per month.
The Straits Times had an average daily circulation of 359,989 during 2009 according to the latest available data from Singapore's Audit Bureau of Circulations.
Does this 'news' deserve front page coverage? That's for you to decide, but it's certainly subscriptions marketing to the max.

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VACANCY: FEATURES SUB EDITOR

The Bangkok Post, Thailand's leading English-language daily, is looking for self-motivated, energetic people for the position of Features Sub Editor.

Necessary Qualifications are:

• A minimum of five years editing, sub-editing or reporting experience with a national daily newspaper, magazine, local or international wire service, preferably with an emphasis on lifestyle features.
• English fluency.
• University graduate.
• Outgoing personality and inquisitive mind.
• Ability to work under deadline and time pressure.
• Willingness to work weekends and odd hours.
• Prior experience in web design, online news production is a plus.
• Newspaper design experience, including knowledge of Photshop, InDesign and pagination systems a plus.

The features sub-editor assists the features chief sub-editor in editing, rewriting and fact-checking stories for the features pages of the newspaper. The company offers a competitive salary and benefits to the suitable candidate. Submit applications with a cover letter, detailed resume and a recent photograph to chiratasn AT bangkokpost.co.th or by post to: Editorial Manager (ref: features sub-editor), Post Class. No 5000, Bangkok Post, 136 Na Ranong Road, Klong Toey, Bangkok 10110.

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WORRYING NEW CHAPTER FOR ASIA BOOKS?

Asia Books, the number one English Language book and magazine retailer in Thailand, wants to base its future on the business model on online retailer Amazon.
In an interview with the Bangkok Post late last week, Managing Director Sirote Jiraprayoon said: "From now on, our mindset in doing business will change. More products like iPads, smart phones, educational toys and lifestyle items will be available in our bookshops. We've reached a turning point."
Forgive me, but that's exactly what the ill-fated Borders bookshop chain tried to do - and look what happened there.
Asia Books dominates the 2 billion baht a year English books and magazine market in Thailand. That's its strength. It cannot and should not even try to compete with electronic and lifestyle product retailers. It should stick to what it knows and what it does best.
The picture used to illustrate the story in the newspaper was quite ironic. The caption: "A student browses at an Asia Books store .." highlights a problem that many publishers face - too much browsing and not enough buying.

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NEWSPAPER TO END PRINT PUBLICATION

Pattaya One, the bi-weekly one-year-old newspaper, has revealed it is to become an exclusively online publication from October 1.
In a story on the front page of its September 1-15 edition, the newspaper says: "One thing we always wanted to do was become more topical, but for a newspaper printing only once every two weeks this was virtually impossible."
The publication had recently expanded its distribution to Bangkok with copies available at a number of outlets, including at Suvarnabhumi airport. At just 20 baht it was one of the cheapest paid-for English language titles in the Kingdom.

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FINANCE EDITOR VACANCY

The Bangkok Post is looking for a Finance Editor, who must hold Thai nationality and have at least seven years' reporting/editing experience with a daily newspaper or international news service based in Bangkok.
The successful applicant for this mid-level management position MUST be fluent in Thai and English, be a university graduate, be able to work under deadlines and be willing to travel, and work weekends and odd hours.
Application letters with a detailed resume, recent photograph and work examples should be sent to chiratasn AT bangkokpost.co.th.

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