So What Do We Think Of 'citylife'?

[Flatouthruthefog]

We're getting a mixed bag of comments on CM Mail, so how about bouquets or brickbats for the big glossy? Nothing else has any real news for expats in the north, after all.

To kick off I'd say it's all a bit young and breathless, but maybe that says more about me?

The features are varied and sometimes brave (this month about victimisation of hilltribe men) and sometimes (!) well written. The Ed draws attention to a hilarious new humour column in December, but I can't find it. Humour is very hard to write indeed. Hope she doesn't mean that tasteless piece about some old fogey playing with his catheter in public.........

The very brief news stories seem inconsistent and treated as a nuisance compared with the rest, and all the editorial pages look a bit drab to me, by which I mean the paper itself and the layout.

And who the heck is/was Khara? There's an odd cartoon colour ad on page 50 showing 3 farang dames "very sad to say Good-Bye!". First time I've ever seen an ad for a business closing down - and after only a year it seems. They were at 4/3 soi 5, Nimmanhemin. Don't even say what they did! Maybe if they'd had sensible ads they might still be alive?

But - whither goeth 'Citylife'? Not the same way, I hope.

[Ulysses G.]

Pim does a great job.

I enjoy Citylife and think that it is the best magazine of its type in Thailand. I also feel that advertisers get more than their money's worth because at the first of every month all the expats are looking for it.

[Ricardo]

Always worth a read, and I also like that the 'advertorials' for new advertisers/services are not disguised, but given their own page. But it is not the same as a weekly newspaper.

[Crow Boy]

I think that as a magazine it is ok - not something I search for but if I see it there I will pick up a copy. Wouldn't even consider taking out a subscription but for a free mag it does it's job.

I think part of the problem with both the City and CM Mail is that they are inconsistent in content and quality of journalism. I purchase three magazines direct delivered from overseas and read them cover to cover plus keep all the back copies - the City Life I toss as soon as I have read it. It is bubble gum journalism but could be much better. It set itself a low standard and then tries but fails to meet that. I disagree with UG sentiments that it is a good mag for advertisers. It is generally picked up by tourists not residents and the most popular page is the map of the city.

CB

[kash]

the articles ain't consistent, there is no profile throughout the magazine and I fail to understand much of the humor which people claim are to be found between the lines....its more like a varsity magazine, and when compared with others in that genre, its a great piece - maybe a bit over the top in regards of the AD's, but a pleasant read after all.

[CLASBYCLAN]

I LOVE Citylife magazine!

I was really pleased when I found the magazine when I first arrived in Chiang Mai! I have subscribed and I keep all of the issues for reference. I think the magazine looks good and tells me every event taking place in the city as well as special promotions.

I also use the website regularly for restaurant reviews and outing suggestions. It's also been a great networking tool for me through the classified section, so on.

I think the articles are interesting and relevant to whats happening in the city and in expat life. If you want serious news updates I think you should read the Bangkok Post.

Merry Chistmas x

[kash]

I think the magazine looks good and tells me every event taking place....

leally? rofl

[earlofwindermere]

Citylife is a good magazine. While they claim to target expats living here, my impression is that they are used far more by tourists or perhaps newer residents. The longer I live here, the less I read the magazine...primarily because I find 80% of it to be the same every month. The same ads are in the same location every month.

I also find the magazine to emphasize night-life type topics quite a lot too. (ie issues like prostitution to bars to Katoeys). I'd guess that a large percentage of their farang writers would be in their mid-20's due to choice of the topics. At the same time, I've enjoyed a lot of their longer articles like Sumo or even on the environmental state of Doi Suthep.

While both Citylife and CM Mail have their weaknesses, they do provide a service that many of us use. I wish both of them success.

[CLASBYCLAN]

I think the magazine looks good and tells me every event taking place....

leally? rofl

All the events worth going to..

[theateratthegate]

CityNow, the bi-weekly is great also.

[Ulysses G.]

I disagree with UG sentiments that it is a good mag for advertisers. It is generally picked up by tourists not residents and the most popular page is the map of the city.

Perhaps it depends on who the advertisor wants to target.

I know that my shops have a parade of residents coming in the first few days of every month looking for a copy of Citylife (Now that Good Morning Chiang Mai is gone, they NEVER ask for any of the other free publications) and since a lot of tourists are also my customers, I'm happy no matter who picks one up!

Edited December 23, 2007 by Ulysses G.

[SwaziBird]

Citylife is a good magazine. While they claim to target expats living here, my impression is that they are used far more by tourists or perhaps newer residents. The longer I live here, the less I read the magazine...primarily because I find 80% of it to be the same every month. The same ads are in the same location every month.

I also find the magazine to emphasize night-life type topics quite a lot too. (ie issues like prostitution to bars to Katoeys). I'd guess that a large percentage of their farang writers would be in their mid-20's due to choice of the topics. At the same time, I've enjoyed a lot of their longer articles like Sumo or even on the environmental state of Doi Suthep.

While both Citylife and CM Mail have their weaknesses, they do provide a service that many of us use. I wish both of them success.

I have to agree that CityLife presents very well as a "glossy" magazine - really a credit to Chiang Mai publishers and the printer.

It is bursting with the same predictable adverts and in my particular case ( and I feel fairly confident in saying that in the case of most CM resident expats ) very few of the adverts receive my attention since they pertain to establishments and for services that I am unlikey to use or patronise. There is a preponderance of up-market hotel accommodation - dont need it. Any amount of fine ( and so-claimed ) restaurants - rather check out Thaivisa for reliable information. Spas and health resorts by the dozen, massage and escort services etc., etc. - in fact everything that the visitor to Chiang Mai might want. Very little that this resident farang can use here - nor can readily afford.

But where is the current news ?

Now, as a source of information and reference for CM residents - you'll be very hard-pressed to find a better resource than the free monthly publication called "WELCOME TO CHIANG MAI.CHIANG RAI.MAE HONG SON".

Also fairly elusive, but also available by subscription (480 baht) ,this magazine is packed with really useful maps, time-tables, schedules, events calenders etc., etc and IMO should not be overlooked. I personally find it exceptionally useful, as a resident.

Not many articles and not much news - true. But then, this is what CityLife and Chiangmai Mail is also being condemned for.

Give me Chiangmai Mail every week, thank you.

Good luck and prosperity and improvement to all three.

Cheers

[mcgriffith]

I have a very high regard for CityLife. They have had a few feature articles which absolutely blew me away; things you would never read in the usual tourist oriented glossy mag.

One was a hard-hitting article on crime, specifically handgun violence in Thailand.

Another was an investigative reporter's article about Burmese sex workers in CM.

These were not puff pieces.

They were very well researched and written, and I was very impressed.

I look for it every month.

[anonymouse]

I have a very high regard for CityLife. They have had a few feature articles which absolutely blew me away; things you would never read in the usual tourist oriented glossy mag.

One was a hard-hitting article on crime, specifically handgun violence in Thailand.

Another was an investigative reporter's article about Burmese sex workers in CM.

These were not puff pieces.

They were very well researched and written, and I was very impressed.

I look for it every month.

I agree with Mcgriffith, they do have some great articles on occassion such as the two he mentioned above.

Most of the topics are relevant to Chiang Mai and the North - not full of international news or other fillers.

If they put a price on the cover I'd still buy it.

[uptheos]

Do try to read the article 'Something Rotten' in the latest edition of City Life.

This is an extremely brave article and I commend City Life highly for being brave enough to publish it.

I couldn't imagine Chiangmai Mail even coming close to writing such an article.

[miltonbentley]

Citylife is an excellent publication. Many towns and cities in the UK and I am sure in many other parts of the world do not have a local publication of this standard.

[WaiWai]

I always like Pim's writing, too; she is very talented and honest.

[ollylama]

I don't think any local English Language magazine for a medium-sized city in Thailand, or South East Asia for that matter comes close to Citylife for quality and enjoyment-of-reading. Compare apples with apples. The fact that I've written for them shouldn't be seen as a bias, but rather support for my opinion - I've written for lots of magazines both of higher and lower profile/circulation and I think Citylife is top notch in its category.

James is maturing greatly as a writer and a muckraking investigator; Cindy Tilney is superb at penning activist outrage; and Pim not only has insight into the city and both sides of the Farang-Thai divide that few others have, but writes with a very readable and entertaining style. And I totally enjoyed the new humor column which is obviously a thinly-disguised wedgie meant for the writer's club crowd. I needed a catheter myself after reading it.

I wish it were economically feasible for Citylife to print more copies and make the entire magazine full-colour (and pay freelance writers more!) but that's the way it is.

One of the problems with publishing in Thailand (and I know this first hand) is that publicity departments of most establishments generally have no idea what's going on and make their decisions at the last minute (witness this new World Festival that's supposed to happen all of a sudden in February); they don't give periodicals enough heads-up about events and information. Consequently, a totally reliable, comprehensive and accurate journal is virtually impossible to put out.

However, for getting up to the minute info, however, I think Thaivisa.com is unbeatable. I don't know how I lived without it for so many years.

Man, I haven't given out this many compliments since the time i worked in the porn industry. Good thing the year's almost over or I might have gone over my annual quota.

Edited December 24, 2007 by ollylama

[p1p]

I enjoy it, when I can get it. Unfortunately I seem to get it only about one issue in four....

[Crow Boy]

I disagree with UG sentiments that it is a good mag for advertisers. It is generally picked up by tourists not residents and the most popular page is the map of the city.

Perhaps it depends on who the advertisor wants to target.

I know that my shops have a parade of residents coming in the first few days of every month looking for a copy of Citylife (Now that Good Morning Chiang Mai is gone, they NEVER ask for any of the other free publications) and since a lot of tourists are also my customers, I'm happy no matter who picks one up!

Generally speaking when they come in do they buy any books or just pick up the magazine?

CB

[Ulysses G.]

They are generally regular customers who might or might not buy something when they come in for Citylife at the first of the month, but who come here often to shop.

[Rasseru]

I've never really paid any attention to it. Having read this thread to this point, I will now.

[Ajarn]

Pim does a great job.

I enjoy Citylife and think that it is the best magazine of its type in Thailand. I also feel that advertisers get more than their money's worth because at the first of every month all the expats are looking for it.

I used to look for it every month, but I realized that most of the writing isn't interesting to me, and the ads and such are the same each month... But it is the best magazine in Chiang Mai, in my opinion.

[Ulysses G.]

Ajarn used to pull up to the front of my shop, beep his horn loudly and yell out, "bring me a Citylife, proprietor". I'd quickly trot one out, he'd grab it - asking how I was doing - gun his engine and take off leaving me in a cloud of smoke!

Hasn't been around lately though.

[richard10365]

I enjoy reading Citylife. I paid 500 baht annual subscription to have Citylife mailed to my house every month. I think it's worth it.

[ThaiPauly]

IMHO Citylife is a very good magazine.

I look forward to receiving my copy every month and put down whatever I was reading to look at it.

Having spent the majority of my working life producing free magazines I was impressed with Citylife from day one

Those of you who complain about the "Same predictable advertisers" have to realise that these companies MUST be getting a good response otherwise they would not advertise. The other point is that Citylife can only be free because of the advertising revenue they generate, so don't compalin about the amount of ads, if you are not interested in them then don't look at 'em and pass on to the interesting stories that are written.

Producing "Free" magazines is hard work I can tell you, but compare it to "The Big Chili" in Bangkok which will cost you 100 Baht...still comes with loads of adverts, is thinner and has only as many stories as Citylife.

The problem with circulation numbers is a very common one in this industry, I had the same poblem, you can only print so many to be viable, if you printed double the amount it makes a very big hole in your profit margin, but 500 baht to guarantee a copy each month does not seem outrageous, I used to charge 25 quid for a years subscription !!

Good luck to them I say

[Sao Jiang Mai]

Thank you all so very much for the feedback: positive or negative, it is all food for thought and I will certainly take it all under consideration. As ThaiPauly kindly pointed out, being a free magazine, we can only afford to print a finite number of copies (each copy costs more than 40 baht just to print, let alone production cost and overheads) this is why we rely completely on our advertisers. They in turn, I believe, receive benefit from the readers' support. As a matter of fact we have some advertisers who have been with us for 16 years, not missing one month, so I believe they are benefiting from this (Neramit tailor, Better Homes real estate and AUA language school.) So it is a big happy circle. As to the journalism, we, I must admit, make our mistakes. Having such a vast readership from every walk of life, nationality and especially pocket, we try to be as diverse as possible. As some of you mentioned the new humour column is seen as hilarious by some and completely out of order by others. This is inevitable with humour I believe, which is hit and miss. However, I shall try to focus more on our local news, I will try to constantly bring new things to your attention (because many of our advertisers are upmarket and benefit from clients with spending power, we have to cater to their needs too, that is why we have independent columns like Gourmet Guide which is not at all influenced by advertising and which tends to introduce readers to the more interesting if less wealthy restaurants). I try my best to seperate advertising and editorial and that is why I have Citylife Review page for advertising promo and some Talk of the Town pages for promo, but otherwise no other content is allowed by be influenced by the sales department. Next month we will have nearly ten original features and we generally have over twenty regular columns, so hopefully the variety will mean that there is a little something for everyone. Anyway, I am not making excuses, I learnt my trade on the job, having had no previous experience, so make my mistakes along the way. However, it is feedback such as this which helps me to improve. So thank you. Thai Visa is always a good place for me to hear feedback and for that I am grateful. Happy holidays. Pim

[Dustoff]

Excellent posts TP & Pim.

Voices of reason are always refreshing...

[Crow Boy]

Thank you all so very much for the feedback: positive or negative, it is all food for thought and I will certainly take it all under consideration. <snip> Happy holidays. Pim

Interesting reply Pim - thanks for taking the time and effort. I think that for any given subject the Chiang Mai forum can be guaranteed to voice their opinions. Sometimes we are informed and other times not, sometimes it is good and other times should be taken with a large handful of salt. I think that we all hope you do well and that the magazine is successful. Having read the opinions of others plus your reply I think I will have to make sure, that on the first of the month I am out front of UG's bookshop and call for him to bring me my copy.

CB

[Sao Jiang Mai]

Happy Holidays