Print Media Fading Away In Thailand

[george]

Print media fading away in Thailand

BANGKOK: -- Print media, including newspapers and magazines, are expected to fade away in Thailand in keeping with the global trend to be replaced by e-news and e-magazines, and news personalised tools such as Twitter, a media specialist said yesterday.

Kanokkarn Prachongsaengsri, deputy director for research and information analysis department, IPG Mediabrands, said that print ad spending in the US dropped significantly by 9 per cent in 2007 compared to the previous year. The drop was even steeper at 18 per cent last year and down to 24 per cent in the first nine months of this year.

Speaking at a seminar on '2009 Media Scene', Kanokkarn said that in Thailand, print ad spending dropped by 8 per cent last year compared to 2007. The drop was 21 per cent in the first nine months of this year.

"We found paper media fading away among all segments of consumers, among teenagers aged between 12 and 24, working people aged 25 to 39, and adults aged 40 and above. The has been found in both Bangkok urban, and rural cities," said Kanokkarn.

She said that about 105 newspapers in US have ceased publication since 2007.

Kanokkarn said that in Thailand a higher number of readers of newspapers were accessing e-news and even more if there were heated political developments, and the trend is quite the same for e-magazines.

"In Thailand , many newspapers are trimming their size and appearing less frequently, while some have moved online to survive in the business," she said.

Kanokkarn gave the example of men's magazine Maxim, which recently launched its e-magazine in Thailand and expected 150,000 downloads a month.

She said that mobile short message service (SMS) was also another source of news and revenue.

In Thailand , the number of news SMS subscribers increased significantly from 2 million in 2007 to 3 million last year and up to 3.5 million in the first half of this year.

Similar to print media, radio, which is one of the biggest media platforms, is also fading away as radio listeners grow old.

There were about 20.3 million local people listening radio yesterday, according to its survey. While there are about 3.5 million people listening to online music while about 11.8 million people today listen to radio and music on mobile.

Thailand's overall ad spending dropped 3 per cent last year to Bt99 billion. The ad spending is expected to decline further by 5 per cent this year compared to 2008.

"However, with economic recovery and greater consumer confidence, we expect to foresee a growth in ad spending next year, which will be come back to Bt99 billion, the same level posted in 2008," said Kanokkarn.

She said that TV consumption was declining gradually both among urban and rural viewers. They continued to lose viewers in the daytime as cable TV became another source for content.

There are 6.3 million households watching cable and satellite TV channels so far this year, a growth of 58 per cent over the same period last year.

-- The Nation 2009-11-10

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[seaeagle]

Looks as if the computer will be going in the hong nam, then!

[Golf]

Looks as if the computer will be going in the hong nam, then!

I second that!

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Looks as if the computer will be going in the hong nam, then!

That's what iPhones and iPods are for.

[lannarebirth]

Technology does away with history. A few keystrokes and the reality changes. It's happening slower than Orwell thought, but faster than Bradbury and Huxley imagined.

"All media exist to invest our lives with artificial perceptions and arbitrary values. "

"As technology advances, it reverses the characteristics of every situation again and again. The age of automation is going to be the age of 'do it yourself."

"It is the framework which changes with each new technology and not just the picture within the frame. "

"One of the effects of living with electric information is that we live habitually in a state of information overload. There's always more than you can cope with. "

Marshall McLuhan

[Cuban]

That's what iPhones and iPods are for.

But you can not light fires with an iPod - but maybe.....

PS

One point in favor of Twiters etc. is that it is the word of the common people (OK - computer aware people that are able to express themselves via blogs, forums etc.), I feel that the powers that exist by controlling what is published and therefore the ideas and feelings felt should fear the speed and focus that a popular cause can enstill in people.

Edited November 10, 2009 by Cuban

[quiksilva]

I gave up on advertising on printed media about three years ago, maintaining a presence only for PR purposes, the web has truly taken over.

[Camelot]

Thai-language newspapers such as Thai Rath still have huge market penetration in the provinces and I think that will continue for a while yet. Not so much for the news as for their columnists and all-round entertainment value.

I don't see too many farmers or rural villagers buying laptops or PCs. The daily newspaper is still an affordable part of everyday life and will probably remain so for at least another generation. Traditions die hard.

[robsamui]

Well most people in England can't adequately express themselves in their own language (just check the way the Common Person writes info on EBay) and in America everybody RAPS and TEXTS.

Sot no sprizin dat topnob KunTai mk msg n cht in thr own way but fmrs in N hve no inet or SMS n cnt r or w so it means 0 4 thm, bo!

[bkkjames]

For Hard News, I tend to agree that the days are numbered for print.

Not interested in reading yesterday's news today - especially the politics.

A good weekly newspaper / magazine with decent editorial and actual analysis will survive. Something that could combine business, lifestyle, travel, tech in the same issue would be worth buying.

[Xangsamhua]

A good weekly newspaper / magazine with decent editorial and actual analysis will survive. Something that could combine business, lifestyle, travel, tech in the same issue would be worth buying.

Yes, weekly digest and review magazines have been a better option than dailies for many years (IMHO ). They save a lot of time spent reading dailies that could be used more fruitfully (unless you're retired perhaps ).

[Camelot]

I enjoy reading a newspaper over breakfast or when in a taxi or a doctor or dentist's waiting room. I just can't see that being replaced by a computer anytime soon. Not in Thailand.

[grim]

Media consumption patterns and trends in the USA and Europe are way different to Thailand - the crux of this argument is very very wrong.

Online advertising spent in the UK recent overtook TV and radio, a sure sign that people are reading more news online.

In Thailand, however, online ad revenue, as a percentage of the total spent on advertising per year, is no more than 2.5%. Clearly there the reader numbers simply don't stack up.

Yes print advertising is down, as with many things, due principally to the global economic slump more than media consumption trend.

Thailand needs to sort out its broadband penetration rate and get 3G mobile technology, before online has a chance of overtaking print. Then there is the language barrier.

You are wrong TV (and The Nation) there is a long way to go before print media fades away in Thailand, if it ever happens at all.

Edited November 12, 2009 by grim

[bkkjames]

Agreed with the last poster. While the Nation may publish 65000? copies a day, Thai papers in print like Thai Rath 1 million + and Matichon 550,000+, Khao Sod 850,000+ daily along with about a dozen more that reach the majority of the non online Thai reading population.

[zzaa09]

Thai-language newspapers such as Thai Rath still have huge market penetration in the provinces and I think that will continue for a while yet. Not so much for the news as for their columnists and all-round entertainment value.

I don't see too many farmers or rural villagers buying laptops or PCs. The daily newspaper is still an affordable part of everyday life and will probably remain so for at least another generation. Traditions die hard.

We do forget the local newspapers, which still seem to have secured readership. I believethe greatest asset that the rural person might have to their advantage - not having to imbibe into the forced upon Information Stimulation Industrial Complex. They're probably better people for it. Chances are the average country bumpkin doesn't really find happenings and events that has nothing to do with them of little interests. Traditions. We still witness this everyday.......neighbors, friends, and family members gather casually to discuss and gossip. Real commincation.