YEAR-END REVIEW: Global slump blows ill wind for print titles

<p>It was a year of closures, downsizing and reduced ad pages for </p><p>Asia's print media players, buffeted by the twin disasters of a global </p><p>slowdown and the terrorist attacks on the US. But then, few expected to </p><p>match last year's outrageous performance after the bottom fell out of </p><p>the dotcom and telecom industries. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The closure of AOL Time Warner's weekly news and business title, </p><p>Asiaweek, following a high profile relaunch earlier this year, caps what </p><p>has been a tumultuous year for the region's print media. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Coming off the outrageously inflated 2000, few expected to match last </p><p>year's performance. Indeed, titles had expected to see earnings moderate </p><p>this year, but the terrorist attacks on the US jolted the world like </p><p>never before, resulting in adspend coming to a virtual standstill in the </p><p>weeks after September 11. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The demise of Asiaweek closely followed rumours about the magazine being </p><p>folded into its sister title, Time Asia. Only weeks prior to that, rival </p><p>publication Far Eastern Economic Review (FEER) - now hailed as the last </p><p>bastion of locally-produced English language weekly news in Asia - had </p><p>seen its editorial team merged with the Asian Wall Street Journal (AWSJ) </p><p>and 25 per cent of the combined staff laid off. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>If magazines across the region had not implemented a hiring freeze prior </p><p>to September 11, they certainly did immediately afterwards. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The budget cuts and lay-offs have raised concerns over whether magazines </p><p>will be able to maintain the quality of editorial going forward, and to </p><p>continue to develop the editorial product, introduce new content </p><p>elements and supplements - items that are likely to attract advertisers. </p><p>The Economist's regional advertising manager Tim Pinnegar wonders if </p><p>certain titles are going to be able to maintain editorial quality in a </p><p>region where resources are already stretched. "A lot of companies have </p><p>been giving away free copies of their publications to push circulation. </p><p>But without subscription fees and now ad revenue, they are going to get </p><p>into trouble." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Media buyers voiced other concerns. "One of the issues we are going to </p><p>put a watch on is the combining of editorial departments," comments </p><p>CIA's general manager Tess Caven in Singapore. "We're a bit concerned </p><p>that this could potentially lead to a lack of variety in the stories </p><p>covered and points of view expressed." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Still, some magazines have managed to keep their editorial fresh, </p><p>despite the market downturn. The Economist introduced a quarterly </p><p>technology section at the end of last year and underwent a redesign in </p><p>May and then saw its circulation hit a million for the first time in </p><p>September; both the AWSJ and FEER had their own facelifts and redesigns </p><p>earlier in the year with the former also introducing a technology </p><p>section and the latter increasing its coverage of China. Reader's Digest </p><p>updated its cover look and format, launching a practical advice </p><p>section. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Despite improvements, the numbers show just how tough the year has been </p><p>for most, with very few exceptions. Eventhough the latest CMR </p><p>International figures, tracking January to September, did not fully </p><p>factor in the full impact on ad revenue of the US tragedies, it still </p><p>paints a pretty gloomy picture for the region's print media. Asiaweek's </p><p>fall in revenue for the January to September 2001 period against last </p><p>year of just over 22 per cent, was by no means the greatest revenue </p><p>slump, going by the performance of its regional competitors. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The handful of titles that had a very good year, at least up until </p><p>September 11, included Fortune China,which banked just over 50 per cent </p><p>more in revenues compared to last year, and Reader's Digest scored a win </p><p>with a 35.7 per cent increase. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Indeed, Reader's Digest has been remarkably resilient. Despite </p><p>aggressive targets based on an extraordinary year in 2000, the title </p><p>expects to surpass budgets, according to associate publisher Peter </p><p>Jeffery. Now in its third quarter, based on a financial year that closes </p><p>in June, the publication had its best-ever performance in December after </p><p>38 years of operating in Asia. Asia's biggest-selling title, with a </p><p>combined circulation of 1.2 million was 18 per cent up on revenue </p><p>compared with any previous edition, with its three regional editions </p><p>closing the year at record levels. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>For others, there were also silver linings in the cloud. Despite </p><p>Fortune's low revenue figures, its marketing director, Stan Stalnaker, </p><p>said 2001 still turned out as the magazine's "second best year ever". </p><p>The magazine doubled ad revenue from three or four years ago. "We're </p><p>pretty much on target," says Stalnaker. "From an ad page standpoint you </p><p>see a drop, but we're on target - 2000 was just outrageous so we knew </p><p>that this year was going to be different." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Fortune's Business Life and Most Powerful Women in Business special </p><p>editions were key factors which contributed to the bottom line. The </p><p>former attracted ad dollars from the luxury goods and lifestyle market, </p><p>and the editorial pulling power of the latter brought a wider base of </p><p>advertisers on board. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"It had extreme local relevance; it was an eagerly anticipated issue and </p><p>advertisers were keen to come in," Stalnaker says. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Regional finance magazine, CFO Asia has also had a comparatively good </p><p>year, so much so that it has been able to invest in a spin-off title in </p><p>China, CFO China, which launches next March and which marks the first </p><p>time ever that an Economist publication has launched a non-English </p><p>language title. "We've had a good year," says CFO Asia ad director Simon </p><p>Cholmeley. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"We're up on pages year-on-year; it's been a tough market but we've </p><p>managed to do well." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>At Newsweek, its two special editions of the year helped the title pull </p><p>in ad dollars in what has also been a difficult year for the </p><p>magazine. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Advertising director, Theresa Yeung, said the plan was to build up its </p><p>Issues Asia and the year-end Issues 2002 as brand extensions under the </p><p>Newsweek umbrella given their strong advertising pull. The former is the </p><p>second and the latter the third in a series of annual reviews of Asian </p><p>and global issues. Issues 2002 hit newsstands this month and will remain </p><p>on sale through to February 2002. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>In all, Yeung said 670,000 copies will be distributed worldwide. The </p><p>issue was supported by 42 advertisers, bringing in US$2 million </p><p>in revenues. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Had the US attacks not occured, Yeung said the magazine was on track to </p><p>hitting 2000's revenue levels, which would have been a respectable </p><p>performance considering market conditions this year. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"What really affected us was September 11. Before that, the numbers </p><p>weren't looking too bad. We were at about 2000 levels, which was one of </p><p>our best years in the past four to five years," says Yeung. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Since the attacks, Yeung said the market has been on a slow mend. </p><p>November turned out to be surprisingly strong and she expected to end </p><p>the year marginally off on last year. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Business Week described the year as a challenge but it moved to offset </p><p>the technology slump by focusing on new categories of advertisers - </p><p>including lifestyle consumer products and investment companies - and </p><p>enhancing the cooperation with its conference partners in order to </p><p>produce more special sections and advertorials. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Alan Lammin, the publication's vice-president and managing director of </p><p>Asian operations, said he would be building on this strategy for next </p><p>year. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"We have to be more creative and adaptive because we're not getting a </p><p>clear visibility on clients' marketing plans. I believe that there is a </p><p>lot of pent-up demand out there but the watchword for the moment is </p><p>caution," he said. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>But while Business Week is digging into a holding pattern in Asia, </p><p>Business Week China is going from strength to strength. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Lammin says the rate base will be increased from 74,000 to 80,000 next </p><p>month and the magazine has recently introduced a limited amount of local </p><p>content, penned by scholars and opinion leaders. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>It goes without saying that magazines are eager to put 2001 behind them </p><p>and to try to get through the first half of next year. "In January, </p><p>no-one would have predicted September 11," says The Economist's </p><p>Pinnegar. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The Economist itself lost just under 20 per cent in ad revenue this </p><p>year. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"Anyone who set budgets in January for 2001 won't be near them." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The biggest advertisers this year across the board for regional players </p><p>have fallen into the following categories (the order of importance </p><p>varying from one magazine to another); computers, online and internet, </p><p>telecommunications, financials and corporate. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>But the sectors that the publications are bracing themselves for - in </p><p>fact, banking on if they are going to survive the next year - are the </p><p>ones that have stayed away post-September 11, the travel and hospitality </p><p>industry and, to a greater extent than now, the financial </p><p>institutions. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The campaigns that have stood out the most in the industry's eyes have </p><p>been those that have intelligently and cost effectively exploited as </p><p>many available media as possible. The key word this year was undoubtedly </p><p>integration. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Singapore Airlines' campaign with AOL Time Warner, which saw it run a </p><p>multimedia promotion that included a large viral component for its new </p><p>Chicago route, was cited as making a very smart use of money and </p><p>media. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Liquor companies also aggressively pushed two key brands, Martell and </p><p>Chivas Regal, across the mainstream media, again using print as just one </p><p>component of a wider, integrated campaign. Sponsorship opportunities </p><p>were also crucial in getting the brand message out, with Chivas Regal </p><p>running bar and club guides in The Economist as well as advertorials </p><p>that tied in with its other promotions in Newsweek. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Time Asia staged a coup for Sony in its special double edition on Asia, </p><p>by allowing Sony product placement and accompanying advertorial content </p><p>that effectively positioned the Japanese electronics giant as the </p><p>corporate sponsor, without actually having to pay a premium for it. The </p><p>media agency was CIA. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"We did an ambush sponsorship by placing some advertorial pages </p><p>welcoming readers to the special - it made it look as if Sony was </p><p>sponsoring it," remarks CIA's Caven. "Sony was thrilled with it." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>She adds that the publications that will win out next year will be those </p><p>allowing for more unconventional creative executions. They will be </p><p>flexible to new ideas and are willing to go beyond the 'norm'. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Time and Reader's Digest are two publications that spring to mind as </p><p>both already fit the bill, according to Caven. Of Reader's Digest, Caven </p><p>says: "They are proactive, very flexible, very creative -they've got </p><p>more to bring to the party like DM, online - and they offer more than </p><p>just cheap rates." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Reader's Digest's Jeffery said the title invested in sales, marketing </p><p>and research and played up its strengths as a direct marketing </p><p>organisation to pull in a range of new advertisers. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"Certainly our consistent message to clients is that we have a </p><p>responsible audience and can deliver more of their customers. It's not </p><p>just about delivering the numbers though as we have been putting </p><p>together some terrific integrated programmes and creative ideas," says </p><p>Jeffery. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>As far as rates go, depending on who you talk to, they have either been </p><p>slashed all over the place by "weaker" magazines or have been </p><p>steadfastly kept at rate card -or standard discount - levels by the </p><p>likes of The Economist and AWSJ. But The Economist's Pinnegar admits </p><p>that this adherence to rate card prices may have lost it some </p><p>business. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"There are always magazines that discount and those that don't," </p><p>counters Karin Galley Dick, general manager MindShare Singapore. "But </p><p>what everybody is looking for is added value, cover wraps, sponsorship </p><p>programmes and so on. I don't think we're seeing any great creative </p><p>executions though in regional print." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Looking ahead, publications are positive, but prudent, predicting single </p><p>digit growth figures at best. "We've been up and down," says Phil </p><p>Revzin, vice-president international at Dow Jones. "But the bottom line </p><p>for us is we're here to stay. We're not at all spooked by this </p><p>market." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Next year will be tough for Asia's print media, the first half in </p><p>particular. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>But while publications are bracing themselves for more tough times ahead </p><p>in the next six months, with further consolidation and a tighter rein on </p><p>adspend, there does appear to be a light at the end of the tunnel, </p><p>namely when absentee advertisers get back in the game. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"Next year will be a really challenging year, but there are still key </p><p>opportunities out there," muses Fortune's Stalnaker, concluding: "The </p><p>world doesn't end in a day." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>FEELING THE PINCH: HOW PRINT FARED BETWEEN JAN - SEPT '01 </p><p> USdollars USdollars 2001 vs </p><p> Jan- Jan- 2000 % </p><p> Sep 2000 Sep 2001 USdollars </p><p>ASIAN WALL STREET JOURNAL 44,609,387 36,587,037 (8,022,350) -18.0 </p><p>TIME ASIA 41,206,030 34,891,847 (6,314,183) -15.3 </p><p>NEWSWEEK ASIA 28,242,006 24,732,803 (3,509,203) -12.4 </p><p>ASIAWEEK 19,778,228 15,382,540 (4,395,688) -22.2 </p><p>BUSINESS WEEK 15,226,948 10,644,163 (4,582,785) -30.1 </p><p>FAR EASTERN ECONOMIC REVIEW 13,928,784 10,984,722 (2,944,062) -21.1 </p><p>FORTUNE 13,274,266 10,098,165 (3,176,101) -23.9 </p><p>THE ECONOMIST 11,481,850 9,191,750 (2,290,100) -19.9 </p><p><BR><BR> </p>