The production of newspaper is not complete until the readers are able to pick it on the newsstands or other designated places. Agents and vendors are playing a major role in ensuring that the newspapers are available for sales. A research done by AbingMO3 Marketing Management Consultancy indicates that 95% sales of all newspapers are being achieved through agents and vendors. Commission that is meant for both agents and vendors is built into the cover price of the newspaper; it means commissions are earned on the sold copies.

photos by: Joe Nwankwo
In order to make the job easier for these newspapers’ carriers, salable news needs to be published on a continuous basis. In fact, media firms should device means of obtaining trade information from them. This can be achieved through opening a communication channels i.e dedicated phone number for feedback purposes. By so doing, sales trend and reports about one’s newspaper and those of other competitors can be easily obtained. What matters most is proper and promptly usage of such information.
In reality and to a reasonable extent, the major function of agents and vendors ends once the newspaper is available at the right place, time and with the right price. Buying the copies by the readers/buyers cannot be “enforced” by the newspapers’ carriers.
It amounts to arrogance whenever some agents and vendors promise to “make or mar the sales of a newspaper” because it is just quite not visible and possible. More so, no media house owns the agents and vendors. They can only “persuade” the readers to buy and this has limitations.
There was a time some newspapers’ agents assured Barrister (Dr) Jimoh Ibrahim, the publisher of the repackaged and rebranded defunct National Mirror newspaper that they will make the newspaper more popular and acceptable by the readers than The Punch being the reigning newspaper as at the time.
The publisher cum self acclaimed corporate surgeon was highly elated about this. Specifically, on Tuesday, December 14, 2010, executives (Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer) of the Newspapers Distributors Association of Nigeria (NDAN) in the seven zones (Kakawa, Ikeja, Oshodi, Ipaja, Mile 2/Festac, Jibowu/Ojuelegba and Maryland/Anthony/Ojota/Ketu/Ikorodu) within Lagos area were invited to a meeting at the head office with the publisher. They advised on the type of stories that will sell the newspaper.
The publisher was imbued by their assurance and he promised them the sum of N1,000,000.00 at the first instance. He gave them N500,000.00 on that day with a promise to give them the balance on their next General Meeting.
On Saturday, March 12, 2011, the sum of N500,000.00 was presented to Mazi Chinics Suzzy, the president during the monthly meeting of the union at the Champion Newspapers Conference Room. Keneth K. Ikediuba witnessed the cash presentation in the presence of other members that were present. I was part of the whole process as the National Sales and Distribution Manager.
Although, there were internal problems; the agents couldn’t fulfil their promises. The highest sales recorded by the company before it went under was 30% of the print run.
In a related development, newspapers’ agents promised Senator Ifeanyi Uba, publisher of The Authority newspaper that they will ensure that his newspaper becomes the toast of the readers. He was very happy; this made him to invite key members of Newspaper Distributors Association of Nigeria (NDAN) national executive to his country home in Nnewi, Anambra state. They were rewarded with few notes of dollars after the business discussion.
In furtherance to this, the publisher rewarded some agents and vendors with cars, motorcycles, refrigerators, generators, micro waves, etc through a raffle draw. This was done on a zonal basis: Northern zone in Abuja; Eastern zone in Anambra state and Western zone in Lagos state. That of Lagos state took place on November 30, 2015. All those that were present got between N3,000.00 and N5,000.00 as transport allowance. Also, they collected T-Shirt and apron as souvenirs.
To cap it all, all agents and vendors were promised membership of Ifeanyi Uba Foundation; all as a ploy to ensure that the newspapers’ carriers give prominence display to the newspapers. All the publisher’s expectations especially in the area of copy sales were not met. The paper made an in-road into the Eastern market because of its policy of carrying reports on ‘IPOB news” on the cover pages. However, the sales dropped based on persistent lateness coupled with reports on the publisher’s political activities that were appearing on the front pages.
From the foregoing, it can be deduced that newspapers’ agents can only do little in making or marring sales of newspapers. Their jobs would be made easier if the Editors have it at the back of their minds that newspaper’s contents drive the sales of newspaper while the reach leads into the influx of the much needed advertising revenue.
Media managers should know that readers and not newspapers’ carriers are the foundation of print media business and are the reasons why the business exists.
It will be recalled that The Punch still remains readers’ toast, especially in the South West in spite of some agents/vendors’ threats that they will “kill” the newspaper because of its “no unsold policy”.
In conclusion, media managers should create value contents, consistency in the newsstands and ensure that readers’ views count i.e right to be heard or feedback mechanism.
Ayankunbi is MD/CEO at AbingMO3 Marketing Management Consultancy.
0802 305 1315
abiolaayankunbi@yahoo.com
