JALIL: STRATEGISE TO STAY RELEVANT

There must be a sense of urgency, says newly elected MNPA chairman

FACED with challenges on multiple fronts, newspaper publishers need to work together and strategise to promote and safeguard the industry, Malaysian Newspaper Publishers Association (MNPA) chairman Datuk Abdul Jalil Hamid says.

“MNPA must get its act together and contribute as much as possible to stay relevant in the media industry.

“Although competition among members is healthy, there must be a sense of urgency among the print fraternity as the industry is fighting for its survival,” he said.

Jalil, the chief executive officer of New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd, was unanimously elected chairman at the recent 45th annual general meeting of MNPA. Other members of the MNPA executive committee comprised Makkal Osai, Nanyang Siang Pau, See Hua, Sin Chew Jit Poh, Sinar Karangkraf, The Star, The Sun and Utusan Melayu.

With print newspaper circulation on the decline, the evolution of media business models worldwide pointed to an increasingly digital and diverse future, Jalil said.

“The identities of some published media brand owners are no longer simply defined by their print publications, but have now evolved into wider media brands with multiple products such as websites, events, seminars, conferences, apps, videos and more,” he said.

Jalil said MNPA members must help ensure that the print share of voice continued to be heard.

“The transparency and measurement issues with digital and the existence of fake news will work as an advantage to print. Content creation has always been our forte,” he added.

At the same time, consumer behaviour is changing as digital devices and online presence have expanded the audience for news brands.

Newspaper audience use multiple devices to access news and younger adults prefer Internet to print for news. Mobile is consuming more media time per day.

Mobile devices are an important daily news source. The threat from pure play digital news media and news aggregators is also to be reckoned with. Although digital edition revenue is growing from a low base, it is not replacing lost print revenues.

In 2016, print adex declined 13 per cent, but there is dramatic growth in digital advertising. Content marketing is diverting budgets from advertising, while digital video is taking ad revenue from TV. Mobile will drive digital ad revenue while squeezing print.

“While print circulation numbers used to define a media brand, now they are simply one measurement among many following the mass digitalisation and diversification of the media industry worldwide,” Jalil said.

Recapping some of the activities for 2016, the newly-elected MNPA chairman said the highlight of the year was obtaining personal tax relief for print newspaper subscriptions from the government.

“Members would have to leverage this advantage in their marketing for readers.

“This year we will request that the government extend the relief to digital replicas and publications,” Jalil said.

Other activities planned for this year include a Digital Marketing Course, a bowling tournament for members, and a futsal competition.

To encourage the entry of new talents into the industry, an Editors Forum was being planned to take place at various universities to promote journalism and reading.

Jalil said MNPA also continued to have good working relationships with the Malaysian Advertisers Association, the Media Specialists Association, the Association of Accredited Advertising Agents Malaysia, the Advertising Standards Advisory Malaysia and the Audit Bureau of Circulations Malaysia.

The transparency and measurement issues with digital and the existence of fake news will work as an advantage to print. DATUK ABDUL JALIL HAMID Malaysian Newspaper Publishers Association chairman