What happened To Next Newspaper?
By Yemi Olakitan
When NEXT Newspaper hit the newsstands, everyone that picked up a copy must have thought that the new newspaper brand that would give all the existing major brands a strong competition had arrived in the market. Next was actually a strong brand. It was colourful, classy. It has strong appeal to the newspaper audience in Nigeria. Its contents were accurate and incisive. It has its own style and it was unique. It was difficult to pick up a copy of the Next Newspaper and dropped it without reading it. The photography was excellent. It was something to write home about. Next was really promising. In the first few months of entering the Nigerian newspaper market, it really caught everyone’s attention. It was easy to predict a great future for Next. This was the newspaper that would put the Guardian, This Day, The Punch and all other powerful brands in the industry on their toes. However, this was not to be, as the story soon ended. Next was out of the newsstands as quickly as it came. It could not withstand the stiff completion that came from stronger brands in the industry. At some point, it was publishing fewer stories content than it started with. There were reports of some members of staff taking the publisher to court as a result of unpaid salaries and other allowances. Then it died. Next had followed the paths of other bright newspaper brands such as the National Concord, Daily Sketch, Financial Standard, The Daily Times, The Anchor, The Sentinel and many others. The questions on the lips of curious observers are: why do such promising newspapers die in Nigeria? Why do others succeed? What really happened to Next?
Next was founded and published by veteran journalist; Dele Olojede, who has an impressive journalism career. With over 25 years in active journalism practice, not many journalists can rob him of his place in Nigerian media. Olojede was the former foreign Editor of the New York Newsday and a Pulitzer Prize winner. He has worked in more than 85 countries and has been published in the world’s leading newspapers and magazines including: The Economist and The Financial Times. He also has an impressive management team that would make any media organization gaze with envy.
His Chief Operating officer was Bayo Oyewole who was the Regional Compliance officer and chief of staff for the Americas and EMEA region of Siemens Health care Diagnostics in New-York. His vice-President was Kofo Awonuga who was the CFO for Johnnic Communications West Africa, the regional subsidiary in Lagos of the South African media conglomerate that controls Business Day and several other properties in Nigeria. Toni Kan, the Director of Marketing and strategy is an accomplished author and former Head of corporate communications for Visafone, Nigeria. This is a glimpse into the impressive profile of some of the members of the management team that ran the affairs of NEXT.
What could have gone wrong with such an impressive team? In a statement released by the publisher, Olojede, he said, ‘‘We started with the basic premise that we would provide news and informed opinion fairly and accurately to the public, based on the best judgment of the editors and none other, uninfluenced by money, political or other affiliation. We believed, and still do, that an informed citizen will ultimately become a good citizen, and good citizens are the best guarantors of a fair and just society. We stake the bold claim that when citizens are armed with the facts, they will, we hope, make better decisions to ensure the progress of their communities for the common good. Our journey so far has been challenging and exhilarating. We have by all accounts done some of the best journalism anywhere, compelled our audience to face our true condition with sober senses, and stood up for decency, honesty, and human dignity and fairness. But we miscalculated the high price of honesty, and it's no secret that we have not been doing well as a business. Our journalists and all our staff have sacrificed greatly, but we will not give up.
As we consider how best to turn NEXT into a self-sustaining enterprise, we thought we should try to remind you of some of the work we've done in less than three years, as an indication of what is to come.’’
Olojede seemed to attribute the cause of Next’s failure to honesty in the statements quoted above. Can honesty and integrity ruin a business enterprise? We gave this question to Mr. Gbolahan Fasasi, an entrepreneur, who said, honesty is usually a source of strength in building a business. A business that runs on such values will create a sense of trust in the minds of its customers or clients. Speaking further, he said, honesty is an essential attributes in building a successful brand. He was of the opinion that instead of honesty to destroy a business, it would strengthen it. ‘‘This is because customers people will always do business with an organization they trust.’’ He said. Another businessman, Bayo Fayemi supported this stand. He said ‘‘honesty couldn’t bring a business down; instead, it will uphold it. He was emphatic in its answer that honesty cannot ruin a business, rather he said, a successful enterprise cannot do without such important values as honesty, integrity and customer service. It is the absence of them that makes a business insolvent. However, It is possible to take honesty too far. One can be so honest that one will refuse to receive money or other benefits that rightly belong to one as a result of personal or corporate philosophy even when such monies are not against the law. Therefore, in pursing, honesty in business, one must be able to draw the line between what is right and what is in one’s business or professional interests,’’ he said.
What then was the cause of Next’s failure? Some observers said that Next went daily too soon. Perhaps it should have waited a bit longer before going daily. The company, Timbuktu media started the newspaper as a weekly publication with plenty of arts reviews and stories. Next on Sunday was everyone’s delight. It was argued that Timbuktu media should have allowed a longer gestation period, for Next on Sunday to stabilize as a strong brand before attempting to go daily. It meant that Next went daily too soon.
Another argument was that Timbuktu did not have enough financial muscle to continue to invest in the brand long enough for it to become profitable. Efforts aimed at contacting the management team for more revealing information proved abortive. Tony Khan, who was Director, Marketing and strategy refused to talk about Next. ‘‘I will not talk about Next, any other issue is welcome but I will not talk about Next,’’ he said. Arts journalist and media consultant, Tajudeen Sowole, however said that the company may be down but not out. The team may just be in recess trying to re-launch in a bigger form. In another chat with veteran journalist, Economist and Guardian Columnist, Chief Bayode Ogunmupe, he said, ‘‘the death of newspapers in Nigeria is usually caused by overstaffing, duplication of duties, wasteful spending and poor allocation of resources. ‘‘For instance, a newspaper will have a fully staffed Abuja bureau, yet editors would fly from Lagos to Abuja to interview public office holders instead of instructing their staff in Abuja to do such assignments.’’ He said.
However, The good news, he said is that Next is still online and many Nigerians at home and in diasporas are still reading its online version. Next has described itself has an integrated media platform, that combines the traditional newspaper with a service that provides news and information on mobile devices, the Internet, Radio, as well as other broadcast and digital platforms. ‘‘Our goal is to produce the highest quality journalism, backed by integrity and credibility. Our long-term strategic goal is to broaden the scope of the business platform considerably, and to infuse our high standards into these businesses. The company will leverage different forms of digital media to produce news and information to our constituents.’’ The statement says.
Indications point to one thing, whatever the reasons for the failure of Next; It is clear from the company’s public statements that it is not about to give up. In the words of American Church leader and motivational speaker, Robert Schuler, failure is never final and success is never ending. Business coach and founder of the Lagos Business School, Prof. Pat Utomi, said, a dream will not die, if we are willing to bear the price and do the work. Perhaps, in building a newspaper brand, temporary failure is part of the price of eventual success. In a report by Newspapers Association of America it says, Newspaper in the world have not exactly been leaders in thigh tech-driven global business landscape. However, they are gradually beginning to see the Internet as central to their future. In recent times, Newspaper Internet advertising topped over $2 billion in the United States. Visitors to newspaper Web sites are increasing on a daily basis. Other international strategies that newspapers can use on the Internet are to translate their web contents to other world languages such as French, Arabic, Chinese and German. This will give newspapers more audience on the internet and increase online advertising revenue. One can only hope that Olojede and his team would find a strategy that is good enough to re-energize the dream that drove them. To create Next and learn from whatever mistakes they made.
How Alex Ibru Used the Media as a Tool for Societal Emancipation
By Yemi Olakitan
When it was announced that the late Alex Uruemu Ibru, founder of the Guardian Newspaper has passed away, numerous observers were quick to recollect his celebrated escape from the hands of hired assassins who were sent to end his life under the administration of the late military dictator, General Sanni Ababcha under who Alex ironically served as a Minister of Internal Affairs from 1993 to 1995. Alex was a symbol of Nigerian journalism and freedom of expression although; he was never an active reporter. Many have observed with curious enthusiasm the hidden intention of the late dictator when he appointed Ibru as a Minister. It was clear that the junta wanted Alex to use the highly respected newspaper to promote Abacha’s political agenda in Nigeria. Abacha failed to remember that the motto of the Guardian Newspaper was Conscience nurtured by Truth, a motto that the newspaper had stuck with to this day. This has earned it immense respect in Nigerian journalism and placed it in a position of honour since it stood by its avowed codes of conduct. Ibru believed that journalists who loves the profession and are willing to use the media as a tool for societal emancipation should run the Guardian. Trouble started when the Guardian, contrary to Abacha’s expectations remained critical of the military junta. Ibru could have used his position as the chairman of the Guardian Newspaper to influence editorial content in favour of Abacha but he did not do this even at the risk of his own life. Alex succeeded in making the Guardian newspaper a force to be reckoned with in Nigerian journalism. He believed in the truth and he did not accept that truth should be purchased with money or even position. He therefore allowed his editors to practice journalism without any parochial interest and express what they sincerely believe, in accordance with the dictates of their conscience. This stance has earned the newspaper, the title: flagship of Nigerian journalism.
Anyone who is a journalist or has anything to do with the media at one time or the other has something to do with the Guardian. This is the high pride of place that Ibru’s integrity has placed the Guardian Newspaper. He allowed the Newspaper to serve as a tool for mass communication and professional journalism practice with a sense for national responsibility. The success of the Guardian Newspaper was an inspiration to other Nigerian newspaper and news magazines such as News-watch magazine, Tell, Tempo, The week and many others who were responsible for the emergence of guerilla journalism in Nigeria. It led to the rise of a Nigerian media that was determined to oppose anti democratic forces despite persecutions from the government.
An example of this scenario was the Nigerian press during the years of military rule. The Buhari and Babangida regimes utilized draconian legal instruments such as Decree 2 and Decree 4 to disturb the media. The notable collisions of press freedom and military dictatorship resulted in the incarcerations of many reporters under those regimes. Under the Babangida era, the suppression of the press was fired up with the parcel-bomb killing of Dele Giwa and the proscription of Newswatch magazine. The Abacha junta also declared war against the press. Reporters were tried as conspirators in coup-plots and jailed without appropriate trials. The regimes murdered journalists such as Bagauda Kaltho. Security operatives’ harassed even newsvendors while The Guardian were shut down on 14 August 1994. The assassination attempt on Ibru On February 2 1996 left him with one eye. His car was sprayed with machine gun fire from men who had trailed him in a deep-blue Peugeot. Both Ibru and the editor-in-chief Femi Kusa were flown to England for treatment of their injuries After Abacha's death in 1998, his Chief Security OfficeR, aL Mustapha and others were charged with the assassination attempt on his life/
Abacha’s demise in 1998 and the return to democracy in 1999 were seen as a much-deserved victory for the Nigerian press.
In addition, Alex ibru was able to simultaneously craft the Guardian Newspaper into a successful business operation without compromising those high values. It is clear that the media entrepreneur must focus on two goals: truth and profit. Truth is the correct information to give to a society and a society that must move forward require knowing the truth and nothing but the truth.
A newspaper is also a business and requires profit to validate its existence. Ibru was able to achieve this and this is what all media entrepreneurs should take from him; the ability to stand firm for the truth and to sustain the media enterprise as a profitable business.
A publication devoted to truth should yield profit. This ideal situation is also the rarest. Media entrepreneurs all over the world also find it necessary to balance the two objectives and it can be a delicate situation. The goal of truth is subordinated to the bottom line. It is in this tragic situation that the Nigerian press sometimes finds itself.
Ibru was also able to detach himself from the newspaper. He refused to influence the newspapers editorial content while holding to his post as a businessman. He gave the journalists freedom to do their job. According to Debo Adesina, the present editor of the Guardian, the newspaper will outlive Ibru and continue the good work.
Ibru was born on 1 March 1945 in Agbhara-Otor, in today’s Delta State. He attended the Yaba Methodist Primary School (1951-1957), Ibadan Grammar School (1958-1960), Igbobi College, Lagos (1960-1963) and the Trent Polytechnich in the United Kingdom (1967-1970), where he studied Business Economics
Alex Ibru was appointed chairman of Rutam Motors. In 1983 he met with newspapermen Stanley Mecebuh of the Daily times and Dele Cole also formerly of that paper and Segun Osoba, formerly of the Nigerian Herald. With 55% funding from the Ibrus, they launched the Guardian newspaper in 1983, with Alex Ibru became the chairman. Ibru also provided funding to the Civil Liberties Organization (CLO), established during the military regime of Buhari's successor, General Ibrahim Babangida.
Alex Ibru died on 20 November 2011, aged 66
A Closer Look at community Radio in Nigeria
By Yemi Olakitan
The benefits of community radio in the socio-economic development of a nation have been described as enormous particularly in a developing country such as Nigeria. The experience of other developing nations in Africa has shown that community radio contributes to the economic, democratic, social, cultural and agricultural growth of a nation.. It helps to solve health problems, disseminate information faster, it promotes education, and eradicates ignorance and empower people’ giving voice to the voiceless. Reports from other countries have shown that community radio helps in eradicating poverty and contributes immensely to the prosperity of a developing economy such as Nigeria. Community radio is actually important for a successful democracy and governance with the huge population of Nigeria and its diverse communities, cultural and language differences. Community radio, if used correctly can bring peace and stability to a nation, and contribute to successful governance. This is because of its capacity for public enlightenment, education, and mobilization and social reconstruction.
Despite the huge benefits of community broadcasting Nigeria is yet to take advantage of its huge potentials in tackling the nation’s innumerable problems. In 2006, former President Olusegun Obasanjo declared that Nigeria would embrace community radio. The president said that the high illiteracy rate of 67 percent in Nigeria was totally unacceptable. He declared that about 73 million young girls were not receiving any education in Nigeria at all. According to him, such a situation must be addressed if Nigeria must move forward as a nation. The importance of community radio broadcasting cannot be over-emphasized because Nigeria has enormous governance and development challenges to tackle and overcome. This is demonstrated by basic social data in a few key sectors. In the health sector, a report says, maternal mortality stands at 800 per 100,000 live births; infant mortality rate is 100 per 1000 live births; prevalence of HIV/AIDs stands at 3.8 per cent, and live expectancy for the average citizen is 43 years. In education: although the country’s 1999 constitution provides that the government “shall strive to eradicate illiteracy”, general literacy rate still stands at 67 per cent. Over 65 per cent of the country’s 140 million people live below the poverty line. Nigeria was ranked 158th out of 177 countries in the 2007 annual Human Development Index of the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP. Community radio can help solve these problems. It can sensitize the highly illiterate population on the dangers and fallacy of violent religion particularly in the northern part of the country, and sensitize the populace on security issues.
In 0ctober 2010, while declaring open the 8th biennial conference of Africa broadcasters held in Abuja President Goodluck Jonathan empowered the National Broadcasting Commission to license Community radio Stations in Nigeria without further recourse to the presidency provided such applications meet the stipulated conditions by law. Represented by Vice President Mohammed Namdi Sambo at the event, the President disclosed that, “Consequently the Federal Executive Council has considered and approved the guide lines proposed by the National Broadcasting Commission for the Licensing of Community radio in Nigeria. Months after President Goodluck Jonathan's pronouncement of the devolution of power to the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC to issue Community Radio Licenses, the directive has not been supported by concrete action from the Presidency, although the commission has given licenses to certain communities, particularly in the academic environment such as university of Calabar, the university of Lagos, the university of Ilorin and the National Open University. This, according to experts is merely a drop in the ocean considering the huge population of Nigeria, her diverse and pluralistic communities and cultural and religious differences. Community radio can used to promote harmony, peace and unity.
Globally, community radio is now recognized as a development medium, which gives participation to all for a pursuit of even development and sustainable growth of any society. According to reports, Nigeria remains the only country in West Africa where community radio is at infant stage. One of the most important reasons for having community radio is so that members of the community can speak to one another and to those outside their community about the issues that matter most to them. A village radio in a typical farming community in Nigeria will be useful in discussing and or announcing weather conditions, new seed hybrids, the problem of fertilizers and how to solve it; new methods of processing raw fish or drying melon; market days, meetings of farmers' union among others. A community radio can help the community to organize itself. A community radio can easily become the medium for mobilizing people to solve common problem or address a common issue. Community radio can bring development to the community. Information about health and disease control can be discussed on radio with community members Interacting with health workers. A community radio helps a community to realize the abundant resources it has for solving its own problems. It expands the list of options that a community has. For example, if there is an invasion by birds in a rice-farming community, a community radio can organize a group discussion where members of the community discuss various options for tackling the problem. From such discussion will emerge options that people had not thought about as individuals. It can bring government attention to the needs of the people. Community radio can help make this need a priority to the clinic management. It can be a medium for addressing and solving the problem posed by insecurity, poverty, natural disasters, harmful cultural practices, infrastructural decay and so on. A community radio will bring cultural development and relevant entertainment to a community. Very often, people in the rural areas are made to listen to foreign music. Local artists will feature prominently on community radio for the enjoyment of the community. This will encourage the artists to do more. Community radio can serve as a way to preserve and renew a community's cultural heritage. A community radio has advantages for individuals also: It provides relaxation and entertainment. It provides advice and information to individuals to help them in making decisions. It increases their understanding and enriches their knowledge of issues. It promotes creativity. It guides social behavior by offering role models. It promotes avenue for individual self-expression. It can move individuals to action by inspiring them. It provides topics for conversations and by that promote interpersonal relationships, moral values and cultural developments. When one look at all this benefits to the nation there is only one conclusion, Nigeria must set up more community radio stations. The federal government, state government and local government must step their activities on the issue of community radio in Nigeria.
ADVAN Awards 2011: Rewarding Marketing Excellence
By Yemi Olakitan
It was all glitz and glamour at Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island as the Advertisers Association of Nigeria, ADVAN, staged its yearly ADVAN awards for marketing excellence amidst pomp and pageantry. Men and women attended the event from all walks of life particularly from the media and marketing communication sector. All the nominees and winners at the event came with friends, customers and well-wishers. It was indeed a night of glamour and the celebration of excellence in marketing communication. The event started with a welcome address by the President of ADVAN, Mr. Kola Oyeyemi. The President welcomed guests to the event and explained the importance of the awards to the marketing communications sector. He said the aim of the awards was to encourage innovation, creativity and originality. He stressed that the intention of the yearly event was to celebrate and encourage professional excellence in marketing communications. According to him, the ADVAN awards will serve as a platform for all stakeholders in the industry to fraternize and reassess creative progress in marketing. It will be a yearly rendezvous for everyone who is engaged in marketing communication strategies. He was convinced that such an event would contribute immensely to the growth and development of marketing in Nigeria.
Other industry personalities at the event included, Rufai Ladipo, the Chief Executive Officer of STB McCann, and the President of The Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria. ‘Triple AN’ There were numerous advertising elders at the event. Some of them are: Vice President Lanpe Omoyele of ADVAN, Treasurer, Bimbo Alabi, PRO, Oluwafemi Adediba, and other ex-officers such as Bayo Oke and Tony Agenmnomne who is the chairman of the ADVAN award committee, 2011.
Mr. Agenmonmen in his speech said the watchwords in ADVAN awards are credibility and integrity. According to him, the awards were given on merit and they are not for sale. According to him, his association is aware of awards merchandising in the country, stressing that a lot awards in Nigeria today have been commercialized. He insisted that ADVAN awards are not for sale and that the jury have been carefully selected and they consists of men of excellence and good reputation. According to him, the ADVAN awards would promote excellence and shun mediocrity. He expressed his association’s gratitude to MTN, Nigerian Breweries and other sponsors for their support and sponsorship. There was a brief lecture on the topic: Marketing in the midst of crisis and opportunity. Mr. Opeyemi Agbaje, a marketing expert, gave the lecture. He spoke on the impacts of the global recession of the year 2008 and 2009 and their effects on marketing. In his words, ‘‘ Inflation was over 15percent. There was a problem in the financial sector and great slump in real estate prices. People are still predicting the possibility of a second recession. It seems that America and Europe are not really out of the recession while the rest of the world did. The problem of infrastructural collapse and that of corruption still persists in Nigeria. However, in the midst of these problems, we can still find hope, ‘’ he said.
Using the telecom sector, as an example of what is possible, he said, the telecom industry has grown in leaps and bounds stressing that the capacity of the Nigerian telecom industry is enourmous. ‘‘The telecom company can conveniently place a phone in the hands of every Nigerian. There is a huge untapped resource in Nigeria. There is opportunity in tourism, transportation, entertainment, education and manufacturing. In the midst of the Nigerian undervelopment, there exist great potentials. All over Africa, Nigeria film and music is the lingua franca in many lands. There is an increasing preference for entrepreneurship rather than job seeking among Nigerians. He called for an exploration of the opportunities in Nigeria. ‘‘We must look at the underdevelopment as an opportunity and not a curse.’’ He stressed.
Honorable Minister of culture and tourism, Chief Edem Dike who was present at the event asked the marketing communication sector to market Nigeria to the outside world just as they are marketing other brands. He recounted the huge and enormous resources and opportunities in Nigeria and called for a new vision in branding and promoting the blessings of Nigeria instead of her shortcomings. Lagos state Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola who was ably represented by Mr. Lateef Raji expressed the Governors appreciation for the marketing communication sector. He called for a continuous focus on the value of excellence and productivity in the industry.
Winning brands at the event included, star Larger Beer, which took the campaign of the year awards for the television category. In the campaign of the year awards for radio, Lifebuoy won. The campaign of the year award in Print Media went to Bournvita while Cowbell won the brand of the year overall Award. The honorable Minister of culture and tourism who was present at the event presented this Brand of the year Overall Award. There was a special musical performance from Dbanj, Wande Cole, Zeed and other Mo Hits Records musicians, headed by Don Jazzy. Veteran musician and Afro-juju maestro Sir. Shina Peters rounded up the show, and played his brand of juju music with his band and team of female dancers backing him up.
