Ayankubi Abiola
npan
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 play vital role in ensuring that the newspapers are available for sales. A research done by AbingMO3 Marketing Management Consultancy in 2020 indicated that 98% sales of all newspapers were achieved through agents and vendors. The remaining 2% represented subscription and direct sales. Commission that is meant for both agents and vendors is already built into the cover price of the newspaper; it means commissions are earned on the sold copies.
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 channel 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 functions of agents and vendors end once the newspaper is available at the right place, time and with the right price. Buying of the copies by the readers/buyers cannot be “enforced” by the newspapers’ carriers.
It therefore amounts to arrogance whenever some agents and vendors promise to “make or mar the sales of any 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 executive members of Newspapers Distributors Association of Nigeria (NDAN) Lagos state chapter cum national(?) made a promise to Barrister (Dr) Jimoh Ibrahim, the publisher of the repackaged and rebranded National Mirror newspaper (now defunct) 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 was highly elated about this. Specifically, on Tuesday, December 14, 2010, some executives (Chairmen, Secretaries and Treasurers) 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 areas were invited to a meeting. They advised on the type of stories that will sell the newspaper. The publisher was imbued by their assurance and he promised the association the sum of One million naira only (N1,000,000.00) at the first instance. He gave the association the sum of Five Hundred Thousand naira only (N500,000.00) on that day with a promise to give them the balance on their next general meeting day.
On Saturday, March 12, 2011, the balance of Five Hundred Thousand naira only (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.
The agents were unable to fulfill their promise. The highest street sales that was recorded before the company went under was 30% of the print run.
In a related development, some newspapers’ agents also promised Senator Ifeanyi Uba, publisher of The Authority newspapers that they will ensure that his newspaper becomes the toast of the readers. He was very happy about this promise. This made him to invite key members of Newspaper Distributors Association of Nigeria (NDAN) 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 both agents and vendors with cars, motorcycles, refrigerators, generators, micro waves, etc through raffle draws. 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. Each of the agents and vendors that were present got N5,000.00 and N3,000.00 respectively as transport allowance. Also, each of them collected either T-Shirt, Faze cap or apron as souvenir.
To cap it all, virtually all the agents and vendors became members of Ifeanyi Uba Foundation. This was a ploy to ensure that the newspapers’ carriers give prominent display to the newspapers. All the publisher’s expectations especially in the area of copy sales were not met. The paper was unable to make positive impacts outside the Eastern market. It succeeded in penetrating the Eastern market because of its policy of carrying reports on IPOB/Biafra news on the cover pages. However, the sales in the region dropped drastically based on persistent lateness coupled with reports on the publisher’s political activities that were appearing on the front pages, frequently. The newspaper is presently on and off the newsstands.
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, be consistent on the newsstands and ensure that readers’ views count i.e right to be heard or feedback mechanism as combination of all these will have positive impacts on the copy sales.
Ayankunbi is MD/CEO at AbingMO3 Marketing Management Consultancy.
0802 305 1315
abiolaayankunbi@yahoo.com
