Newspaper publishes told to innovate, diversify

KUALA LUMPUR: Print is not dead and will continue to be relevant but newspaper publishers need to change, diversify and grow in a multichannel media ecosystem today.
The Malaysian Newspaper Publishers Association (MNPA) chairman Datuk Mohammad Azlan Abdullah said publishers have a challenging term ahead and that newspaper publishers must be better geared to mine the revenue streams that by-pass traditional media.
"We (publishers) need to maximise our revenue. It's about how to sustain and grow our business and not strictly from the growth of newspapers.
Moving forward it's about how we can increase total revenue be it from the sale of newspaper, sale of advertising, sale of news content via smart devices and more. That's how we should look at it," he told reporters at the 2015 MNPA Forum "Print 2020: Challenges and Opportunities" here yesterday.
Azlan, who is also News Straits Times Press (M) Bhd CEO, added that growth can be created though exploring new content channels and platforms, developing new business models and innovating the news making process and delivery.
He said publishers have to continue to strengthen their position as the pre-eminent provider of traditional media.
Malaysia's newspaper readership reach is at 57% of the population from 2010 to 2014, compared with Hong Kong (70%), Singapore (62%) and Thailand (19%).
Although print revenue makes up the bulk of global newspaper revenue at 93% and digital revenue is still in its infancy, the Malaysian digital landscape has a huge market potential.
Azlan also urged all media owners and publishers to play a more prominent role and have greater engagement with MNPA, as there is a need for a united voice to promote, protect and represent the interests and welfare of the industry.
Established since 1971, MNPA represents most of the mainstream newspaper publishers throughout Malaysia, including Sun Media Corp Sdn Bhd, which publishes theSun.
MNPA has 17 members with 31 publications.