Paradigm shift in newspaper
Published on Sunday, 28 April 2013 20:09
Written by Win Htut
The CTP room at Thai Rath newspaper publishing house. (Photo-EMG)
I am right in thinking that Myanmar people are increasingly interested in the news after weekly journals appeared since 2005 when more and more people are using the Internet. Internet users share information they like by creating blogs and G-mails. Blogs became more important in the 2007 Saffron Revolution. The prominent journal publishing houses managed to provide right news on Saffron Revolution to the people through their own websites in a synchronized way.
The private publishing houses also reported news on the 2008 cyclone Nargis and the referendum of the 2008 Constitution. Facebook has been widely used since 2009. The journals' Facebook pages carried chronological news to the people. People not only from outside Yangon but also from abroad easily knew about fire at Mingalar Market 2010 minute by minute through Facebook pages. Despite the flow of news on Internet pages was not limited, the local media were not allowed to report news as much as they wanted as a result of the tight control of the Press Scrutiny Board. It is known to all that those who don't have access to the Internet felt hungry for news.
The local media tried one way to another to present the news to the people. The presentation of news by journals became more independent than the past when the Press Scrutiny Board was revoked in 2012.
The government permitted the publishing of 16 daily newspapers. Four daily newspapers started on April 1 in 2013. The permission for newspaper publishing is the highest goal of the news journal publishers.
The further information has shown that more newspapers would be applied in the near future. For the time being, Kyehmon, Myanma Alin and the New Light of Myanmar dailies which run at loss by the Ministry of Information has already gained the largest market share. The long stance of a newspaper depends upon a lot of reasons.
Newspaper paradigm shift
Since 1962, private newspapers in Myanmar had seen their press freedom restricted and then totally shut down by the government. Now again, private newspapers are expected to enjoy press freedom as the country's newspaper paradigm has shifted following the government's announcement to allow daily newspaper publications. However, publishers on their part have felt compelled to watch the government's impending moves as it has attempted to encroach upon press freedom by submitting a information ministry-drafted printing and publishing bill to Parliament amid media criticisms.
Editorial and reporting staff
To be able to publish a newspaper of about 30 pages daily, we need 50 local and about 30 international news pieces. But all media people have known that it is very difficult to cover 50 pieces of local news a day in Myanmar although getting international news is easy. In Thailand, its newspapers such as Thai Rath and The Nation have about 400 reporters each to cover news. International newspaper experts have estimated that a newspaper in Myanmar will be able to stand firm and strong only if it can recruit about 200 reporters and editors in Yangon, Mandalay, Nay Pyi Taw and other major towns.
Moreover, that editorial and reporting staffs need to have skills and experience in their work such as news photography and editing. News editors on their part must be skilled in editing as well as applying a template in publishing newspapers.
Printing Press
It is obvious that a newspaper's circulation is based on its readers as well as the capability of printing machines. Sheet feed offset publishers are not able to print 60,000 copies even using with many sheet feed printers because it needs to be fed individual sheets of paper or paperboard into a press and comes with manual folding. Because of its manual functions, the latest news form must be closed early for publishing a newspaper by 5 am in the morning. Even supplement pages are added for latest news that could be in a flurry and it is not good for long run. Web-fed offset printing is the use of rolls of paper supplied to the printing machine and it can print at a speed of 30,000 feet per hour, so a publishing house is not able to print 100,000 copies or more than 150,000 copies with one Web-fed. Even using two Web-fed offsets, a publishing house can print about 250,000 copies. To print 500,000 copies to 1 million copies in an hour, a publishing house must spend million dollars worth printing equipment. Computer to plate (CTP) machine is also important in printing.
Distribution in Yangon
Publishing houses will be aware of the fact that newspaper distribution and weekly news journal distribution will not be the same. New journals are distributed at major locations like Shwegondine and 46th street. Hawkers, vendors and door to door deliverymen are picking up the newspapers from those areas for many years. International publishing houses are now using Modern Trade instead of General Trade for paper distribution. They only hire 10 to 15 major distribution representatives. The distribution representatives generate as wholesale dealers for agents. Those agents manage to deliver airports, hotels, restaurants, companies, supermarkets and stores on time. Newspaper sales are targeted to monthly subscribers through home delivery. It should not be counted on selling by hawkers or vendors. Novels and magazines are now distributed to supermarkets.
Nationwide distribution
Circulation channels in Yangon area will not be a major difficulty since trucks or vans can be used to reach the designated areas for distribution. However, proper logistics is going to play an important role in delivering newspapers to other towns. Most newspapers in Thailand use trucks, vans, trains or airplanes. They don't usually have branch offices or sub-printing houses in other towns.
Newspaper paradigm shift and market competition
Private-run news journals in Myanmar competed against each other, but not with ones run by government ministries. State-owned newspapers led the newspaper market in the country for many years without any competitors. Doubtlessly, private newspapers will gain the upper hand in news and information given to the public compared to state-run newspapers. Notwithstanding, there may be obstacles to pricing strategy since state owned newspapers are sold at a loss, using public budget for subsidy.
That is why private newspapers currently in the market are discounting their prices in order to gain market shares. Since carrying state news released by the government is one of the newspaper characteristics, getting news and information from the government is another hindrance. In fact, the Ministry of Information has already announced that it would sell the news to the private media.
I do not agree with the fact that people prefer the state owned newspapers for the obituary columns. There is no obituary column in Thai Rath, Bangkok Post and The Nation in Thailand, Jakarta Post in Indonesia, nor New York Times and International Herald Tribune.
In my opinion, the nature of bereavement can be informed by giving a ring each other or verbal contacts. During the era of information blackout, people had to read the newspapers starting from the back most page to the front. They deceptively assumed the obituary columns as the news.
To my surprise, obituary notices are seen in the Strait Times newspaper of Singapore.
Advertisements and Private Daily Papers
Private daily newspapers are now waging a price war to gain market shares. They set their wholesale prices at 100 kyats apiece in order to compete with the state-owned newspapers sold at 50 kyats a paper. As all the printing and publishing businessmen know, those dailies will obviously make loss at that price. Then, they will have to rely upon advertisements. In other words, daily publishers will need to make profits mainly from advertising. At the same time, the state-owned papers are cutting its advertisement fees to seize more market shares. It threatens the sustainability of the private papers. Their long term survival and ethics become at stake.
Sustainability of Private Daily Papers
There is no need to despair as the vital spirit of newspaper is news, but daily publishers will need to overcome those obstacles. In addition to these stumbling blocks, they will encounter those defending their current position and those willing to suppress freedom of expression or the soul of newspaper. Despite the capability and competence in operating the business, another barrier is the country's undeveloped banking and high-interest bank loans limiting the financing activities for growth. So, I hope with a heavy heart for the sustainability of existing private daily newspapers and upcoming ones.
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