Recap 2009 - May

These past 4 months have seen me slowing down on my blabs about what's happening in the local media scene so the below is the first of many recaps which I hope will help me regain momentum. I will start off by drawing the top 10 developments i can recap on. They are not exclusive and the list is highly subjective on my memory...so feel free to add more to it if you wish. I will make the list available on my facebook and twitter just in case people want add more:

#1: Re-Branding:
Some websites which have got a facelift during the past months: xfmmalta.com, maltastar.com, maltamedia.com, iralosco.com, kiwilicous.com

#2: New social sites on the block:
Blog.com.mt, Youall.com.mt and a mini social site at mep2009.eu!

#3: New bloggers:
Most of the MEP Candidates, some EP election ambassadors, lifestyle bloggers on timesofmalta, maltastar and fmlifestyle.com

#4: Hello Twitter
Twitter is slowly slowly getting into the social identity of many Maltese. We're still unsure of how to best use it and some of us still ponder on the difference between the facebook status and twitter. However, twitter is more confined and that's great.

#5: Moving online
Exotique.com.mt launched its online shop, Yellowpages now advertises the website alongside 'the book' in all its radio ads.,

#6: Print struggles but online offers some hope
I believe the stylish ME magazine is no more a print one but an online design web at medesignmag.com. FM is on the other hand still going strong and relaunched itself online sometime in 2008.

#7: New in print:
Some new names include Pjazza and Phasebook. The most popular distribution channel seems to be The Times, with anyone opting for the ad-funded free distribution model. Does anyone subscribe the magazine anymore?!

#8: Radio and Digital
Malta is still experiencing the introduction of DAB. We just got one of these DAB radios at home and it does offer a much wider range of radio content. I wonder how this will impact advertising on the local channels, when the foreign ones capture a share of the listening time. In the meantime, Capital 88.7 is no more and has now become 5FM. The station is currently testing transmission and slowly gaining listenership.

#9: In TV, Calypso Radio has rebranded th U-TV to Calypso Music TV. Other channels which were concieved recently are Favourite TV and Family TV.

#10: In conclusion, the summer sun is hinting at the fixed media that time's up and very soon we will be spending our free time at the beach. The mobile media, both traditional (print) and leading edge (mobile) will accompany us. We will get to know about breaking news through TimesSMS and entertain ourselves with the flashy magazine we get with the papers on Sunday. Logical recommendation for the fixed media brands...mobilize you brand now!