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Stockwatch- Media Prima BHD (Malaysia) RM$1.66

Media Prima now controls Malaysia's commercial free-to-air sector, owning all 4 private channels: TV3, 8TV, TV9 (target the mass Malay market) and NTV7.

It controls New Straits Times Press (NSTP), operating the biggest-selling Malay-language newspaper, as well as the eponymous English-language paper.

It also runs 2 national radio channels, including Hot Fm, the 2nd highest-rated channel.

Cross-media capability should make an impact: marketing costs are starting to fall, as it can now promote TV programming through its own radio stations; the company also now embarks on more multi-platform promotions, broadening impact across the stable of media platforms.

Media Prima will benefit from a stronger ringgit as it will pay less from imported content.

For The Edge articles on Media Prima Bhd, read :

http://www.theedgedaily.com/cms/search.jsp?query=%22media+prima%22&sort=date&page=1

Media Prima Bhd hopes to list its 70%-owned subsidiary TV3 Network Ltd (TV3 Ghana) on the Ghana Stock Exchange by year-end to realise its investment and to expand its operations in Malaysia.

CEO Abdul Rahman said Media Prima aims to maintain its strong performance this year after reporting a 28% growth in turnover to RM99.87 million in the first quarter from a year earlier.
On its recently acquired television network, ntv7, Abdul Rahman said it was showing signs of financial recovery boosted by its position as a licensed host broadcaster of the current World Cup. He said TV9 was also garnering increasing viewership, with 6% of total audience of 23 million just two months into its full broadcast, comparable with the average viewership of its two-year old 8TV.

Media Prima also hopes to progressively increase its dividend payout ratio in the future following a maiden dividend of two sen or a payout of more than 20% of its net profit.

(The Edge 28 June 2006)


Media Prima Bhd’s HOT FM and FLY FM, targeted at listeners between the ages of 15 and 29, have gained a total of 3.4 million listeners, according to a recent survey conducted by Nielsen Media Research.

In a statement on June 6, Media Prima said HOT FM had attracted 2.92 million listeners since it started operations on Feb 6, 2006, making it the second biggest radio station in Malaysia in eight weeks.

It said having been on air for six months, FLY FM had managed to accumulate a listernership of 434,000 bringing it to the position of the second biggest English radio station for listeners between the ages of 15 and 30.

Media Prima’s head of radio, Ahmad Izham Omar, said extra efforts were taken to attract a core group of listeners. “All our efforts will be in recognition of the listeners’ tastes and changing lifestyles. "There will be definite emphasis on the effort to extend and concentrate radio listenership in the future, as we strive further to be an essential part of our listeners’ lives,” he said.

Media Prima said both stations were placed in a competitive environment and would continue to build and improve its network to ensure all areas as well as programmes appealed to its listeners.

(The Edge 6 June 2006)


Media Prima Bhd posted a 27% increase in operating profit to RM12.24 million in the first quarter ended March 31, 2006 from RM9.64 million a year earlier as a result of strong revenue growth and prudent cost management.

However, it recorded a net loss of RM6.9 million due to losses incurred by its 43%-owned associate, The New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Bhd (NSTP), arising from a one-off exceptional voluntary separation cost of RM29 million undertaken to improve the cost efficiency of NSTP.

In a statement on May 18, Media Prima said revenue rose 28% to RM99.87 million from RM77.98 million previously due to strong quarter-on-quarter growth registered by TV3 and 8TV, and additional revenue from NTV7 and two radio stations, Hot.FM and Fly.FM.
It said TV3 maintained its position as the nation’s leading free-to-air TV station in Malaysia, while both 8TV and NTV7 continued growth in viewership.

It said all three networks now collectively held a 48% of total Malaysia television viewership, up from 44% a year earlier.

(The Edge 18 May 2006)

TV9, the nation’s new free-to-air TV station, which will begin transmission from on April 22, has targets to reach seven million viewers in the country, with Malays as its target audience.
Ch-9 Media Sdn Bhd chief operating officer Bukhari Che Muda said its prime-time programmes would be aired to cater to Malay audiences aged between six to 14 years old, and 15 to 34 years old.

He said the television station, the fourth under the Media Prima Bhd stable, had invested about RM20 million in programming and transmission. “Our strength is content and branding; we’ve done extensive research on the audience’s profile and their needs.
“We’re very confident about TV9; we believe we’ll reach seven million viewers, including those who seldom or never watch TV,” Bukhari said after the signing ceremony between Ch-9 Media and Senheng Electric (KL) Sdn Bhd in Petaling Jaya on April 21 to provide nationwide frequency-tuning and antenna-fixing services.

Citing a research by Nielsen Media, Bukhari said 96% of the country’s Malay population watch TV. “The TV station (TV9) positions itself as a Malay-focussed station, with 85% of the programmes aired in the Malay language, 10% in English and 5% in other languages. Some 45% of our programmes are local content and the rest are foreign programmes imported from the US, the Philippines, Indonesia, India, Korea, Thailand and Hong Kong,” he said.
TV9 will broadcast a two-hour live interactive talk show "Salam di 9" to launch its official transmission in the peninsula at 8.30pm on April 22.

On the revenue it expected from TV9, Bukhari said: “We do have a forecast, but it’s too early to reveal it.” Bukhari said it would extend TV9’s coverage to Sabah and Sarawak later.

(The Edge 21 Apr 2006)

Other would-be winners flagged by CLSA include the motor sector, airline stocks and the media companies. Imported car parts and jet fuel should cost less, while television operators like Astro All Asia Networks plc and Media Prima Bhd will pay less for imported content. "…programming costs make up about 30% of total costs", says CLSA.

(The Edge 12 April 2006 on Stronger Ringgit)

Media Prima, MediaCorp team up to create Chinese programmes By Isabelle Francis

Media Prima Bhd has teamed up with Singapore-based MediaCorp Pte Ltd to co-produce Chinese programmes in Mandarin for the local and regional markets, Media Prima adviser Amrin Awaluddin said.

Media Prima subsidiary Natseven Sdn Bhd will produce the programmes at MediaCorp Studios in Malaysia for the Chinese urban-focussed channel, ntv7, and for other Media Prima TV channels.

The first local Mandarin drama from the venture will be screened starting October. The 50:50 collaboration is for a period of three years.

Amrin, who is the CEO of Natseven, the operator of ntv7, hoped that the partnership would replicate the success of its Malay programmes that were now exported overseas.
He said the collaboration would be part of Natseven's RM20 million to RM30 million budget for content development this year.

“This is the first time we combine forces to collaborate and produce Chinese television programmes. Previously, we would buy the contents, which was cheaper.
“This is a long-term investment for us. We would have to focus on the local market first, then only export.

"This collaboration is a springboard for us to go regionally,” he told reporters after announcing the partnership with MediaCorp in Petaling Jaya on March 30.

Amrin said ntv7 was expected to grow its 24% share of some 145,000 Chinese audience aged six years and above across all free-to-air TV and pay-TV Chinese channels on prime time. It also holds a 36% share of viewers aged from 25 years.

Citing that 90% of Media Prima’s revenue came from advertising expenditure (adex), Amrin said the group's Chinese adex contributed 30% to 40% of its total adex last year.
Amrin added that ntv7 targeted to reduce its foreign contents to between 50% and 55% from 60% now by year end.

Meanwhile, MediaCorp deputy group CEO (television) Chang Long Jong said the alliance with Natseven would open opportunities for production experience exchange.
"We believe our experiences can play a crucial role in helping Natseven achieve its goal in becoming a leading Chinese content provider," he added.

(The Edge 30 Mar 2006)

Media Prima launches ad packages to boost revenue

Media Prima Bhd has introduced an integrated cross-sell and cross-market campaign to boost its advertising revenue by combining its network of television and radio stations with its print subsidiary, The New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Bhd (NSTP).

The six-month campaign seeks to attract advertisers to tap its four television networks, two radio stations and NSTP’s stable of publications.

Speaking to reporters after the launch of the Media Combo packages on March 3, Media Prima group managing director and CEO Abdul Rahman Ahmad said it was providing advertisers a single platform to reach an audience close to 20 million people. “This includes 11.2 million television viewers, 6.8 million newspaper readers and 1.9 million potential listeners,” he said.
NSTP chief executive officer Datuk Syed Faisal Albar said the Media Combo package was a strategic step forward, involving cross marketing of the various media vehicles.

He said combining the publications under the NSTP group and Media Prima’s television and radio stations offered a varied range of market segments. The Media Combo packages are initially targeted at three markets – property, technology and corporate.

Abdul Rahman said the packages might be offered to other markets in the future, adding that the group's advertising revenue for last year was RM700 million.

(The Edge 3 Mar 2006)

posted by gsg @ 1:56 PM