*for lack of a better title*
At some point a year or so back I was engaged in rigorous process of coming up with a budget that would have seen a hard-copy magazine published and distributed all over the world. After several days of dicing and slicing I came to a simple conclusion that it couldn’t happen. Unless it was purely for humanitarian purpose, sponsored by a very deep pocketed donor, it wasn’t going to be viable.
The recent folding of Media24/EAM magazines in Kenya is just a good example of how hard it is to make head way in this magazines industry. However, I still find the blatant blaming of their collapse on an ‘imported model’ half baked.
Generally, SA firms find it hard to adapt to the Kenyan market. What with peculiarly behaving customers as Michael Joseph once put it. That was before he became a darling of the masses we know today. A long list of firms that have gone the Media24 way include Supreme furniture, retail chain Cash and Carry, cinema company Nu Metro, fast foods giant Nandos and beverage giant SAB Miller (who’s planning a Ksh.1.2 billion ‘EABL-hostile’ come back soon). An in-depth research on why this trend is so would be quite interesting.
There are several other magazines, published by Kenyan media outlets that have gone down the same path – (Business Post?). At the end of the day it is all about content and understanding your target client, both of which True Love, Drum and Twende lacked. Most Kenyans would only buy a magazine for its good-unique content, not just anything they can get freely on Google search. And our appetite for magazines, or any reading for that sake, is at a historic low.
Despite dwindling trends in the developing world, Kenyan newspapers seem to be fairing well (for the time being). They too have been feeling the heat as internet penetration in the country increases with the landing of faster (not cheap yet) fibre optic. Loss of advertisement revenue to other media sources has also had them think hard, with a shift towards providing online content by most of them albeit slow and uncoordinated for some.
The recent folding of Media24/EAM magazines in Kenya is just a good example of how hard it is to make head way in this magazines industry. However, I still find the blatant blaming of their collapse on an ‘imported model’ half baked.
Generally, SA firms find it hard to adapt to the Kenyan market. What with peculiarly behaving customers as Michael Joseph once put it. That was before he became a darling of the masses we know today. A long list of firms that have gone the Media24 way include Supreme furniture, retail chain Cash and Carry, cinema company Nu Metro, fast foods giant Nandos and beverage giant SAB Miller (who’s planning a Ksh.1.2 billion ‘EABL-hostile’ come back soon). An in-depth research on why this trend is so would be quite interesting.
There are several other magazines, published by Kenyan media outlets that have gone down the same path – (Business Post?). At the end of the day it is all about content and understanding your target client, both of which True Love, Drum and Twende lacked. Most Kenyans would only buy a magazine for its good-unique content, not just anything they can get freely on Google search. And our appetite for magazines, or any reading for that sake, is at a historic low.
Despite dwindling trends in the developing world, Kenyan newspapers seem to be fairing well (for the time being). They too have been feeling the heat as internet penetration in the country increases with the landing of faster (not cheap yet) fibre optic. Loss of advertisement revenue to other media sources has also had them think hard, with a shift towards providing online content by most of them albeit slow and uncoordinated for some.
6 comments
I blame True love's collapse on:
Mon Apr 05, 10:20:00 PM EAT1- a lack of understanding the local content a la Parents magazine
2-Magazines are too expensive for the avg consumer plus advertisers are shifting to radio and TV.
By the way no one noticed that AUTOZINE magazine died in January?
This article is quite interesting as well as an eye opener.It is true these magazines lack well thought content. Actually some just copy stuff from the internet. I think they should publish with 'Reader in mind' rather than 'Profit in mind'. Check my other thoughts @ http://www.changeyourt.com
Wed Apr 07, 03:50:00 PM EAT@pesa: I concur with your points. Never even noticed AUTOZINE was phased-out.
Thu Apr 08, 09:21:00 PM EAT@CYT: they simply use the 'million-cabbages-millionaire' philosophy. Welcome to my blog.
I subscribe to Business Post and have always received my copy. It is one of the few ones that have managed to survive. The March issue had a story on Westcon Africa's William Oduol. It is indeed a pity that EAM have gone under although I never read any of their titles.
Sat Apr 10, 06:39:00 PM EATAdam folded too I think? Too sad.
Mon Apr 12, 08:24:00 AM EATKainvestor,
Wed Apr 28, 12:21:00 PM EATThis was a great post that I had not read but always wanted to know more of.
I also think they wanted more sales to come in depending on who appeared on the cover page and maybe Kenya has very few celebs that can be on covers and attract readers. I also noticed that the writers were just the same folks from NMG,that we are used to.
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