Introducing Communiqué, edition zero

I want to help improve the quality of the conversations we have about the media industry in Nigeria.

This is a monthly newsletter about the media industry in Nigeria, you can subscribe here so you don't miss any edition:

For many years, I have followed the writing of Ben Thompson, an American tech and media analyst based in Taiwan. Ben runs a newsletter and website called Stratechery where he writes about the ways technology and the Internet have changed the media and how we consume and relate with content. He has built an audience out of his smart and insightful analysis.

I have worked with digital media tools for more than 7 years now and have actively been a part of the media industry for more than 5 years. I enjoy Ben’s writing because it gives me insight and context about the global industry that I otherwise would not get elsewhere. Sadly, in all my years of work, I haven’t seen much of the same in Nigeria. I have, for some years now, read and enjoyed Jason Njoku’s dissection of the Internet consumer business (by way of Iroko, his startup) and the film industry in Nigeria. I strongly believe that more of this needs to happen in the Nigerian media industry. There is so much going on and not enough analysis--analysis that provides deeper insight, greater context, and raises the quality of our conversations.

This is not an indictment on anyone, it simply is a function of need and interest -- is anyone interested enough in the media to constantly and extensively write about it, and are there enough people who need and are interested in reading this type of writing? I intend to find out.

I’m launching Communique, a series of essays (and hopefully other things in the future) analysing and commenting on the Nigerian media industry, hoping to help fill the gap and see how many people are interested.

Every month, I will send an essay to your inbox exploring different topics and themes in the Nigerian media industry. Some of it will be my opinion, some of it will be interviews, some of it will be the analysis of hard data and anecdotal evidence. All of it will be worth your time.

We will dive into the worlds of digital publishing, content creation, marketing, advertising, and, sometimes, history. I’m hoping to increase debate and help improve the quality of conversations we have about the media industry in Nigeria. If you would like to join me, please sign up here. And if you have already, welcome aboard.

You will receive the first edition shortly.