MORE GLOBAL MEDIA HEADLINES

Dramatic images from Wednesday's deadly clashes between the red shirt anti-government protesters and the Thai army on the outskirts of Bangkok's city centre made the front pages of newspapers around the world yesterday.
For the first time the front page coverage extended to South Africa, the Czech Republic and regional newspapers in the United States of America.
If anyone was under the impression that the global media is becoming tired of Thailand then I think you'll agree that's simply not the case. Somehow Thailand has a penchant for delivering iconic images that media around the world is simply lapping up.
I've asked this question before, but I wonder how much (in comparative advertising column inches and air time) it would take to deliver the same levels of positive coverage about Thailand around the world?

Read more...

GREAT VALUE EVENT SPONSORSHIP

Companies that were involved in the French Cultural Festival can surely have no complaints about the exposure they've received. An advert for the event is sill prominently on display outside The Emporium shopping centre in Bangkok - almost three years after the event which happened in June 2007!
Now that's great value event sponsorship.

Read more...

DO JOURNALISTS DO ANY RESEARCH?

I often wonder whether some of the stories that appear in newspapers and magazine are researched. I think more often than not the reporters rely on what the company or service being featured tells them.
Take a story today about the MagPal service in The Bangkok Post's Guru magazine. (I wrote about new service this more than six weeks ago). It reads just like a press release and extols the virtues of using the magazine rental service. In many ways it should be labelled as an advertorial.
The story claims that "imported magazines can cost up to THB 900 per issue". Wrong. A significant number of specialist magazine actually cost more. And while the story adds "the most you'll ever pay [from MagPal] is THB 499.." it fails to note that with this service is merely rental; when you buy a magazine from the shops its yours.
Strangely it also says the service will be of benefit to small and medium-sized businesses, in particular cafes, spas, salons, etc, that have magazines laying around. Ummm .. correct me if I'm wrong here but most publishers give free copies to these particular establishments, meaning there's no cost to these businesses. Are they really going to pay for something they're already getting for free?
I've got nothing against MagPal and I wish them success but I really cannot see how it's going to work.

Read more...

BUSINESS (ALMOST) AS USUAL IN BANGKOK

News reports would have you believe that the entire centre of Bangkok is one no go area, and while it's correct to say that red shirt anti-government protesters control a part of the centre of the Thai capital it's also correct to say that business, for some, continues as normal - even within the red zone.
I've just come back from a meeting that took place within that red-controlled zone. Advertising still needs to be sold and companies still need to market themselves. Perhaps I should be getting danger money, especially as my taxi driver declined to pass the makeshift red shirt barricade - leaving me a five-minute walk to reach my meeting. That wasn't a problem though, and I even got a friendly "Sawasdee krub" from one of the red shirt guards manning the checkpoint as I strolled through, no questions, no searches and no problems.
Okay, so this wasn't in the heart of red country but it was in one of the areas where wearing the wrong coloured shirt might get you into trouble. And as for the meeting, I'll let you know but it will hopefully have turned out to be lucrative and worthwhile.

Read more...

THE ECONOMIST: IT DID APPEAR

The latest edition of The Economist, dated April 24-30 has appeared on the shelves in Thailand.
In the magazine columnist Banyan has, once again, taken a critical view of the kingdom's current problems.
I have to say that in my four years in Thailand I think what Banyan has written is about the most critical to be published. I've seen editions of The Economist not appear here for far less.
I doubt it's the case that what's deemed acceptable to print in Thailand has changed in the last few weeks, so I can only assume those involved in the distribution of this edition are not aware of what has actually been published?

Read more...

IT MUST BE BAD ..

.. when a globally respected and influential newspaper such as The New York Times chose to give prominence to Thursday night's clashes in central Bangkok on its front page yesterday.
Although Thailand's troubles have been mentioned on the cover as 'briefs' several times in recent months, even during the Songkran clashes of 2008 Thailand didn't receive this much front page exposure.
Elsewhere yesterday, newspapers throughout the region, and as far afield as Canada and Norway, featured graphic images on their front page from the clashes on Silom.

Read more...

THE ECONOMIST: LIKELY NOT TO APPEAR

UPDATE: Much to my surprise, this edition of The Economist did appear in Thailand. The original post appears in the interests of balance, and has been updated with a subsequent story.

Although I do not have any official confirmation I am confident that Thailand readers and subscribers to The Economist magazine will not be getting their copy of the magazine this week.
I will made an educated guess that the publisher will take the decision not to distribute copies in Thailand. This week it's due to comments made in a column by Banyan.
An issue earlier this year in March did not make it to the shelves, and there were six occasions during 2009 where deliveries of print editions of The Economist were disrupted in Thailand were October 16, September 18, July 4, April 18, January 31 and January 24. The issue of December 5, 2009 was also withheld from delivery to Thailand.

Read more...

DON'T COME TO BANGKOK ..

.. unless it's essential.
That's the advice being given by foreign governments including the United Kingdom, the United States of American and Australia.
The UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office is also advising British citizens here to "exercise extreme caution throughout the country, an avoid demonstrations and large gatherings."
The sky train system will stop operating at 6pm this evening and the subway is only partially operational today. It really does seem as though things are getting worse, and as regular readers will know I've been regularly writing about how, for most people, it has been business as usual but today my company has made preparations that will enable us to continue to operate if members of staff are unable to reach the office next week.

Read more...

NOW IT'S THREE: ADFEST JOINS THE LIST

ADFEST has become the latest high profile media industry event to shun Thailand following the ongoing political unrest.
The advertising industry festival was set to take place in the seaside town of Pattaya next month but organisers have deemed the situation too dangerous to risk staging the event. It was originally set to take place in March but was postponed due to the political situation.
In an email statement the organisers said: "Due to the continuation of political demonstrations in Bangkok, it has taken the decision to cancel the three-day festival scheduled for 27-29 May in Pattaya, Thailand."
Vinit Suraphongchai, Chairman of the Adfest working committee, said: “Since the announcement of new dates for the festival, the political rallies have become increasingly unpredictable. With the safety of our delegates and guests of utmost importance, we have no choice but to take precautionary measures.”
Organisers of Publish Asia and the Asian Publishing Convention, both high profile media industry events that were set to take place in Bangkok over the coming months, have also opted to avoid Bangkok for safety reasons.

Read more...

2ND MAJOR PUBLISHING EVENT POSTPONED

Hot on the heals of last week's postponement of Publish Asia 2010, The Bangkok Bugle can reveal that the Asian Publishing Convention 2010, which was due to take place in the Thai capital in July, has also fallen victim to the ongoing political instability.
In an email organisers explained: "We have been discussing the situation in Thailand with our partners from The Magazine Association of Thailand (TMAT). Both TMAT and we, as organizers of the event, feel that Bangkok is still a very viable option. However, we have to be more prudent because of the many travel advisories against traveling to Thailand from various countries. Both TMAT and us agree that all told, perhaps we should look at Bangkok for next year."
Organisers are now looking at holding the event in Kuala Lumpur or Ho Chi Minh City instead.
As recent as the end of March the organisers and TMAT Chairman Thanachai Therapattanavong were expressing confidence the event would proceed as planned.

Disclosure: I am scheduled to be a speaker at this event.

Read more...

'OUR PHOTO IS GENUINE' - THE NATION

The Nation has printed a front page clarification today after claims emerged that it had doctored an image from the anti red shirt rally on Friday.
Claims that the image was fake and had been Photoshopped appeared on the Thai language forum Pantip and on CNN's user generated and unverified content website iReport. The 'story' on CNN's website now appears to have been removed.
It does appear that a doctored image, exaggerating the number of people at this protest, exists but no media outlets have so far published it.
In its clarification The Nation says: ".. When it comes to Thailand's political crisis, we have made extra efforts to ensure there is no distortion or misinformation about the fragile situation Nothing was doctored. There was no alteration whatsoever. We showed the photos as they had been taken."
As well as publishing the clarification in its newspaper and online, The Nation has also published the statement on its Facebook and Twitter pages.

Read more...

THE ECONOMIST: ON SALE THIS WEEK

Given its recent track record of not appearing in Thailand, I felt there was a reasonable chance this week's edition of The Economist would not make an appearance here. I was wrong. Copies are on sale in Bangkok today.
The two words that could have caused a problem, in my opinion, were "deeply unpopular" in the story Angels with Bloody Hands. That story can be seen here. In the past the magazine's circulation in Thailand has been disrupted for similar phrases within stories.
Perhaps things are now changing in Thailand? Or perhaps because this isn't a cover story none of those involved in the distribution of the magazine in Thailand have actually read this piece?

Read more...

VACANCY FOR BANGKOK-BASED EDITOR

Bangkok-based Veritas Graphics is seeking a semi-full-time editor for one of Bangkok's best known English language business magazines.
The Brief is the monthly magazine of the British Chamber of Commerce Thailand and is mailed to 5,000 senior managers (60 per cent of the readers are outside the British chamber membership). Each issue includes 4-5 feature stories plus Chamber news and events. Plans for significant content expansion are underway.
The position requires a strong entrepreneurial editor with both writing and editing experience. Knowledge of and experience working with layout and design artists is a plus. This is an ideal position for a retired or semi-retired journalist/editor whose interests run toward business topics and whose local news sources are well developed.
Send CV and supporting materials to info@veritasgraphics.com

Read more...

PUBLISH ASIA POSTPONED - AGAIN

EXCLUSIVE: By The Bangkok Bugle

The Publish Asia 2010 Conference and Expo, which was scheduled to take place in Bangkok next month, has been postponed.
This is the second year in succession that the high profile event, which was due to attract more than 500 media industry professionals, has fallen victim to political instability in the Thai capital. In 2009 the event was set to take place in Bangkok, but it was subsequently cancelled and moved to India. The Asia Media Awards are also part of two-day event.
The 2010 event, organised by the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA), was due to include printing plant visits to Thairath, the biggest newspaper in Thailand, and The Bangkok Post printing and distribution centre. Attendees were expected from around the world, including the United States, United Kingdom, as well as from across Asia.
In a short statement on its website the organisers said: "Due to the current political turmoil in Bangkok, Publish Asia 2020 is postponed. New dates will be announced soon."
The Asia Pacific Advertising Festival (Adfest) was postponed earlier this year and is set to take place on May 27-29 in Pattaya. The Asia Publishing Convention is also scheduled to take place in Bangkok in July. Both events are still currently expected to proceed.

Read more...

SONGKRAN WITH THE REDS IN BANGKOK

Bangkok remains under a State of Emergency, and the Rajaprasong intersection in the heart of the Thai capital has been a thorn in the side of the government for 10 days. It's where the anti-government red shirts have set up camp, and it's also where I took these pictures this afternoon.
Songkran is the Thai New Year and it's a three-day public holiday throughout the kingdom. Although many holiday events have been cancelled because of the ongoing political instability, nothing was going to stop the red shirts and their families from having fun - and splashing anyone in sight.
The current situation in Bangkok, at least today, is fun-filled and far from the dramatic scenes which were flashed around the world after Saturday's deadly clashes. Bangkok's image was tarnished again and many tourists have opted to cancel their travel plans. One shopping mall - Central World - remains closed.
It's a shame that images like these will not get the same global exposure, but working in the media for 18+ years I understand that normality just doesn't make news. And everything was normal, if somewhat surreal, this afternoon.

Read more...

BANGKOK CLASHES ON THE FRONT PAGES

Monday's newspapers were playing catch-up after the weekend clashes in Thailand which saw 21 people dead and more than 800 injured.
From China and Australia to the United Kingdom and the United States, words and pictures portraying Saturday's events on the streets of Bangkok were featuring prominently on front pages around the world.
The big question now for Thailand is what happens next? But perhaps equally important is how much damage has been done to the Kingdom, especially to the all-important tourism sector. The impact will certainly be as bad as the Songkran clashes of last year and could even be on a par with the airport closures of late 2008.
No one knows and only time will tell.

Read more...

THE RED SHIRT COFFIN CONVOY

The red shirt anti-government protesters symbolically paraded coffins throughout Bangkok yesterday.
One thing that struck me, as my taxi passed through the convoy, was the number of "normal" people who came onto the streets to cheer the red shirts. Although it wasn't only red shirts who died as a result of Saturday's clashes, perhaps one consequences of what happened is that ordinary Bangkokians may be more sympathetic towards them, even if not entirely sympathetic to their cause.
This picture was taken from the back of my taxi outside The Emporium on Sukhumvit Road.

Read more...

RED CLAPPER FAILS TO FIND A HOME

It had to happen sooner or later.
The red shirt anti-government protesters have been using heart and foot clappers at their recent gatherings. One made its was onto eBay last week - and failed to sell for even US$0.01.
These plastic clappers are sold at the red shirt gatherings for between 10 baht and 20 baht. This one is in the shape of a foot with an imprinted heart; another I've seen is in the shape of a heart with the Democracy Monument imprinted on it.

Read more...

DANGERS OF TWEETING AS A JOURNALIST

Journalists that tweet are pretty common (I'm one) and for many it's part of the job. but it's also a form of publishing and, as such, a journalist should abide by the same rules of reporting when publishing their 140-word tweets.
One example of when things can go wrong happening with @Tulsathit, Managing Editor of The Nation. On Thursday afternoon he tweeted: "We are checking reported grenade attack at Empire Tower". For those who don't know, Empire Tower is a 55+ storey building in the Sathorn area of Bangkok. Tulsathit has almost 2,500 followers and his words were re-tweeted several times before, some 45 minutes after his first message, he tweeted: "Oh, we have just received confirmation that there's no bomb at Empire Tower."
Tulsathit's tweets also are linked to the front page of his newspaper's website, but even without that fact should a journalist, and a respected one at that, be reporting unverified and unsubstantiated news through Twitter?
I wonder if Nation Multimedia has a code of standards for its reporters that tweet?

Read more...

SATURDAY'S GLOBAL FRONT PAGES

The ongoing red shirt anti-government protests in Bangkok were once again featuring prominently on the front pages of newspapers around the world.
This small selection features newspapers from Austria, Dubai, Germany, Macao and The United States of America - where the news from Bangkok made the bottom of the front page of the influential The New York Times.
It's common practice for PR agencies to keep a measure of how much media coverage their clients receive, and convert it to a cash value based on the equivalent advertising space. I wonder what the value of the negative coverage of Bangkok this week would be?

Read more...

NOW IT'S CHAOS ON BANGKOK'S STREETS

Saturday has seen Bangkok descending further into chaos. The sensible advice right now is to avoid central parts of the city (even if you can get there) however sporadic clashes between the red shirt anti-government protesters and the Royal Thai Police are happening in other parts of the city. The BTS (sky train) network is currently closed, as are several bridges between the Bangkok and Thonburi sides of the city.
This is the situation at 4.30pm on Saturday afternoon (Bangkok time) and is changing moment by moment.

Read more...

REDS MAKE NEWS AROUND THE WORLD

Images from Wednesday's red shirt anti-government demonstrations made the front pages of newspapers around the world yesterday.
The graphic images of protesters' attempts to enter parliament made newspaper front pages in Austria, Belgium, Germany and Italy, as well as closer to home in Malaysia and Singapore. And these are just front pages; there was more coverage inside many publications.
Many stories include what can only be described as over zealous reporting, and in some cases what's been reported is simply not true. Take The Star in Malaysia as one example. It's headline 'Thai Curfew' reported Bangkok was under a midnight until 6am curfew. Simply amazing, and simply not true.

Read more...

STAY INDOORS, IT'S HAVOC IN BANGKOK

Misleading headlines about the current situation in Bangkok are yet again painting a false picture of what's happening in the vast majority of the Thai capital right now. If you believe some of what's been published you'd think the streets of Bangkok are a no-go zone. Sadly the truth for most people is a lot less exciting.
Fact: Bangkok is indeed under a State of Emergency , and not martial law as suggested by Bloomberg BusinessWeek. I've lost count but I've been here coming up for four years and I think this is the fourth I've been through.
Fact: It's not going to make headlines, but my journey to work this morning was extremely uneventful - the same as it is every day.
Fact: It's business as normal for most people in Bangkok, including me.
Fact: I work in central Bangkok about four miles from the Rajaprasong intersection where the red shirts have camped out. I've not been affected in any way.
Fact: On the way to a meeting this morning (as I said, it's business as usual) my taxi drove past the Prime Minister's home. No security checks, no army, and barely a policeman in sight.
The situation in Thailand is not getting any better but it's not chaotic as some media headlines would lead you to believe. And as for the U.K.'s Daily Express, which claims "British tourists were told to stay indoors" ... oh really? Who told them?

Read more...

THE LATEST BATCH OF NEW MAGAZINES

It's safe to say the number of new magazine launches in Thailand has slowed somewhat over the last couple of months. Late last year new titles were appearing at the rate of ten a month, but in the last few weeks I've only noticed a handful of new titles on the shelves.
Be Chic magazine appeared for the first time in March. It's a style and fashion titles that's copying a recent trend for strange cover prices. It's 69 baht - and it's other claim to fame is that the first issue - which contains 100 pages - features what appears to be just a single advertisement.
RC Core magazine, which also made its debut in March, is priced at a more conventional 70 baht. This magazine is also following the trend of having two front covers - one which appeals to air enthusiasts and another which caters to four-wheel fans.
Esteem is the only new English language title that I've seen in the last couple of months. The debut edition appeared in February and is priced at 70 baht. The magazine's strapline is "The complete well being of women" and, although I hate to be critical, this isn't the best produced magazine I've ever seen. The publisher has used low-resolution images in a number of features and the front cover image isn't sharp. That said it's managed to attract at least 12 pages of ads in its 64-page debut edition.

Read more...

REDS BRING BANGKOK TO A STANDSTILL

The red shirt anti-government protesters were out in force in Bangkok today, blocking many roads and forcing several high profile shopping centres - including Siam Paragon and Central Chitdlom - to close early in the afternoon.
Police have estimated the number at 30,000, and organisers of the protest have said they plan to stay in the area overnight and possibly move elsewhere tomorrow. My pictures were taken earlier this afternoon close to Siam Discovery and MBK. I spent some time in the latter shopping centre which was open and busy, no doubt as a result of others in the area being closed.
This is the fourth time I've taken pictures at red shirt gathering in the past couple of months and at no time have I felt threatened or in danger. On the contrary, I normally get smiles as soon as I raise my camera to my eye.
Today's ventures into the heart of the city will have caused many people lots of problems, and I'm not sure whether the government will tolerate such high profile demonstrations and the associated disruptions for too long.
The latest red shirt demonstrations are already making news around the world. People will once again be asked 'What's going on in Bangkok?' I wonder if anyone is able to devise a mathematical equation that will predict the amount of damage done to Thailand for every second of negative coverage in newspapers, on websites and on televisions around the world?

Read more...

SMART SPEAKING IN SINGAPORE

Last weekend I was in Singapore for the Smart Investment and International Property Exhibition.
Through my magazine, Property Report, I'd been asked to act as MC in one of the two seminar areas, and this gave me a great opportunity to network and meet real estate investment professionals from throughout Asia, and from as far away as Australia, the United States and Canada.
The next Smart exhibition takes place in Hong Kong in June, and I guess I must be doing something right as I've been asked to MC there too.

Read more...

FROM BI-MONTHLY TO QUARTERLY

Inbound Asia magazine is to move from a bi-monthly frequency to quarterly from June.
The magazine, which recently became the official magazine of the The Luxury Network Asia, made its debut on the bookshelves in early 2009 as a monthly title. The publishers, in an email newsletter, are promising "four bigger and better issues per year as the magazine continues to grow in size and style".
Surely the natural progression for a successful magazine is to increase frequency and not to reduce it? By cutting the number of issues from six per year to four, the publisher will likely save 20 per cent on its printing costs, even taking into account the promised extra pagination. But cutting the number of issues of any magazine remains an extremely hard sell to advertisers.

Read more...