5 Southeast Asia media predictions in 2020

A week of 2020 has gone by. Here are my thoughts on what 2020 might bring in this industry and region that I’m so passionate about. Here’s to another exciting year of being in the world of media and communications.

Print will continue to struggle

It makes me sad. It really does - but the future is bleak for print media. 2019 was painful.

From Malaysia’s oldest Malay language daily, Utusan Malaysia shutting to Thailand’s The Nation going fully digital last year and PostToday closing down, it adds to many that have bitten the dust in recent years – Jakarta Globe (Indonesia), TODAY (Singapore), Summit Media (Philippines) etc.

The only way I see print ‘surviving’ is for media companies to finally accept that this is no longer a revenue stream. In fact, it should be a marketing tool to generate revenue for the media’s other platforms (usually digital).

This clearly needs experimenting, but could we possibly see photo stories with QR codes being printed and directing readers to content elsewhere? Think about ads revenue that could possibly be stuck to that for clients? OK yes, QR codes are boring. There might be other ways, but print should try to keep going in the meantime. It just needs to be rebranded, redirecting readers to other revenue generating platforms as much as possible.

Print media need to stick together – share each other’s content where possible with strategic partnerships and learn from one another. It does not look good for print I must say, but let’s not give up!

Broadcast news will need to be live streamed

While there are talks of possible streaming fatigue building up, news media in Southeast Asia haven’t quite got to grasp with live streaming news on social media.

2020 will see major political events taking place – elections in Singapore (general), Indonesia (local) and the US (presidential) will draw many viewers. This is where broadcast media need to capitalise on their ability to reach audiences on mobile platforms to give progress updates, break stories and interact with the viewers.

If people can get quicker updates elsewhere, they will. Broadcast news media need to be wary of that and make sure they keep up with the need for speed. I see broadcast media using digital and mobile platforms more effectively in 2020 than they have in recent years.

Content = Commerce

Brands need to get this in their heads – the media need your help. They want to carry your stories but if they can’t pay their bills, how are they to keep running your stories?

The ad space is dominated by Facebook and Google, so forget that already. Shouldn’t there be some responsibility placed on the communications industry to keep the media afloat? Content marketing hinges the ethical boundary of editorial integrity, but its been a long time coming for both journalists and communications professionals to embrace it. 2020 will hopefully see brands learning to pay for coverage when payment is due, and the media not to exploit this revenue stream.

Be smart. The media need to use paid content smartly – don’t overpromise clients. Clients too need to educate themselves – don’t expect the media to mention your brand name in every third sentence. That’s not content marketing. That’s torture for readers!

One group who for sure are getting smarter, are consumers. They won’t buy into fluff and guff that are thrown in their faces. They know what both brands and the media are trying to do. So be honest, disseminate impactful and meaningful content, and consumers will well, consume.

Podcasts – the not so new media

My favourite of this list. Long have I dreamed of podcasts making an impact in this region as it had done in markets such as the States and Australia. It’s encouraging to see the number of podcasts coming up from Southeast Asia in 2019 and producers being courageous to take the step to put them together.

Audio media has been around for the longest of times. It is only now that the industry has been able to benefit from consumers switching to platforms such as Spotify, Apple and Soundcloud to host content on them. It allows for listeners to have on demand audio content and this has been widely popular. Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia and Philippines have always drawn huge listenership on radio and podcasts is now riding that wave. While there are worries, I don’t see podcasts ‘killing the radio star’ if driving nations such as Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia still carry news, music and entertainment for drivers.

What I’d like to see from the podcast producers – better presentation skills and production of niche content. Bad audio presentation is painful to listen to and being a generalist in the podcast world would not work because no one podcast can target everyone.

What I’d like to see from the ‘homes’ of podcasts i.e. Spotify / Apple / Soundcloud – recognition of the podcasts that are streamed on said platforms. If artists are paid for the music streamed, so should podcasters.

Influencers to show their influence

Influencers simply have to step up their game and walk the talk. More tangible measurements need to be produced and shown. Engagement should be key, not just the size of the followers base.

The volatile credibility of the influencers market is well-known, and it is high time the influencer community themselves address this. Why should brands keep putting money in influencer marketing? Who are influencers? What counts as an influencer? The media is often scrutinised for every word written or said. Should the same degree of scrutiny be put on influencers too? Should brands using influencers without researching and getting to know the individual be called out?

A KANTAR study showed that traditional celebrity endorsement has become one of the least trusted media forms.

What I hope to see from ‘influencers’ are talented content creators being able to bring stories of brands to people in an honest and authentic manner. The rise of TikTok in Asia is really one to watch and would be a unique platform for content creators / ‘influencers’ to exploit.