By Abiola Ayankunbi
The level of insecurity in the country is becoming worrisome; it has affected virtually all aspects of economic activities. The insecurity is not limited to a particular section of the country. Boko haram and banditry are major problems in the Northern states while the Southern region is battling with kidnapping and ritual activities.
The media industry is not exempted from effects of the insecurity because it has abbreviated the reach of the newspapers not minding that majority is involved in simultaneous printing in order to be closer to their markets i.e being on the newsstands as early as possible. What made a genuine business idea (in relation to a simultaneous printing) few years ago has become a bad management decision; all the media firms engaging in satellite printing are currently labouring to recoup their investments on the printing presses.
The roads are not safe; they are constantly being barricaded and the residents are abandoning their ancestral homes for safer places. This has contributed in no small measure to the depletion of the circulation figures.
It may be argued that the readers or buyers can be reached online but this would have been a better consideration had it been the readers are paying premium before accessing the news. Even, at that, the number of visitors to these websites is not enough to command online adverts. Again, the question is that how many of the target audience have access to the internet. Besides, virtually all the media houses are making their contents available to the reading public freely as any attempt to place a premium will lead to a massive migration to the sites that have no form of barricade.
It must be noted that there are still readers who relish every moment spent flipping the pages of a newspaper because newspaper unfolds almost like a well planned story. The hard hitting news is always on the front page, bold and right in a reader’s face. The impact is softened by indepth, often moving and featured stories that shape social lives. This continues with business, politics, sports, arts, entertainment etc, in the spirit of providing something for everyone. The papers have few pages of opinions, giving readers the chance to reflect upon everything they have just been told and consider their own feelings about the issues presented. All these provoke various thoughts.
Meanwhile, the level of insecurity has made some media houses to close down their offices and staff relieved of their jobs because they were operating below optimum. In many instances, third parties are relied upon to get news from the areas that are badly affected, security-wise because safety of lives matters most to the management of these media firms. Copies of newspapers are arranged for whenever there is a news on any of the closed sales locations.
Out of 36 states in Nigeria, most newspapers are just barely plying their trade in less than 25 states; few feature in 10 states. A recent research conducted by AbingMO3 Marketing Management Consultancy reveals that out of the774 local government areas, none of the newspapers is currently circulating in 150 local government areas! Prior to this time, only one newspaper had circulated in 350 local government areas.
Finally, this present security challenge is hindering the achievement of organizational objectives thereby halting it from moving in a desired direction. It has even stopped the media firms from moving in a new direction or acting on opportunities. The security architecture has to be reviewed without further delay knowing fully well that the government needs to create an enabling environment for businesses to thrive.
…Ayankunbi is MD/CEO at AbingMO3 Marketing Management Consultancy.
0802 305 1315
abiolaayankunbi@yahoo.com
