First magazine, Singapore's Empire wannabe, is taking steps to realise its regional ambitions to launch in three markets, months before its first anniversary.
Launched in November last year, First is currently applying for a licence to publish in Malaysia and Indonesia. It is also in talks with a potential partner in Taiwan for a franchised Greater China edition, according to First publisher Royston Loh of Stearne and Lears Publishing. As far as its target advertisers are concerned, the expansion makes sense. Nicholas Yong, United International Pictures managing director for Singapore and Malaysia, points to a shortage of English-language entertainment titles in both markets.
Aside from helping it tap far bigger markets than its tiny home base, the expansion also provides First with an opportunity to realign its editorial focus. Modelled after the international movie title Empire, First's coverage is split 70 per cent on Hollywood movies and the rest on Asian films.
But Loh wants to reverse this focus to give greater weight to Asian movies.
This may well provide First with a point of differentiation, while meeting the needs of its movie distributor advertisers.
"First has to find its advantage over international movie magazines such as Empire and Premier, perhaps by providing stronger content and coverage on regional films," notes UIP's Yong. "Its editorial has improved since its launch but there is still room for improvement and injection of local and regional flavours."
That may be so, but it also presents First with a delicate balancing act of staying credible with readers while spinning for the movie industry.
Loh, a former airline steward who launched First on the back of the family's printing business, is adamant he has the formula to satisfy both readers and advertisers. "No matter how bad a movie is, there's always something good. We can choose to talk about the good side," Loh points out.
The monthly title carries an average of 120 pages, with advertising making up about 30 per cent of the total. Its readership is profiled at between 18 and 35, covering school leavers with a monthly income of S$2,000 to professionals earning $6,000. Reflecting its niche positioning, First claims an unaudited circulation of 30,000 and a subscriber base of 1,000.
Less than 5,000 copies are distributed in Hong Kong. UIP's Yong however emphasised the need for First to audit its circulation figures if it is serious about building its appeal with advertisers.
