Is Yellow Gold?

Yellow Pages in Asia by Dr. Charles Han

With the convergence of the media through technologies, the advertising revenue grab is on the cart for all media owners. The internet and new media have opened a new field of competition amongst them. Now an annual publication and daily classifieds can potentially compete. With multi-media, suddenly advertising can become richer in presentation as the streaming videos are pumped in. With safer and secured transactions, mCommerce is already a reality ready for roll-out.

The informational platforms are ever evolving as the mobile phones are now packed with increasing sophistication to revolutionize the lifestyles of society. The wireless market has seen tremendous growth as more handsets are made available in Asia. With this, content is the king and search for information is becoming a great challenge. That is why companies such as Nokia, Motorola and Samsung are working with various content suppliers including Yellow Pages and/or search engines such as Google, MSN etc to bring about search within the users’ fingertips.

Every publisher around this region is positioning itself for a bit of the action. Printed media will still be around as Radio and Newspapers are when TV was introduced. Users will now find a plethora of choice and will use it according to its attributes.

The key issue in all these is HOW to deliver this information in different platforms with the minimum human intervention. The companies’ content stored in various silos created in different times and by brands is likened to the last mile that the Telco’s are facing too. So there exist this opportunity to assist companies in the integration of all their legacy systems into one unified fighting force so as to deliver rich information to the satisfaction of both users and advertisers alike.

Asian Yellow Pages Business

Unlike the States and Europe, the state of Asian Yellow Pages is different in each country solely because of their economic development. Most Yellow Pages are B2B in orientation with B2C existing in the more developed economies/& or richer nations like Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea and Japan.

The state of development is dependent on each country. Certain countries especially the backwards Asian countries formerly communists have legislations that does not permit anyone from publishing the information with telephone numbers as it is deemed “Secret”.

With various levels of development in these countries, there are endless opportunities for servicing these companies like providing various forms of consultancy ranging from front to the back end.

As we already know the key to producing a good White and Yellow Pages is the database. Accurate and up to date information are the bedrock of the business practice and will continue even more as different competitors are now fighting for a piece of the advertising pie.

The traditional business revenue generation is the print- which many of the Publishers refer them as their cash cow and will still be. (Appendix 1- Print Yellow Pages segment growing 8th March 2007) However, the holy cow is constantly being challenged by the new media – especially from the internet. Thus, on the internet, we can find many forms of information sources colliding together to provide a huge battleground for the every media owner, from newspapers, yellow pages, TV etc.

Now with the integration, rich media are available to the users when and where they want it. It is this that we as the suppliers can position ourselves to serve the ever increasing demands to have their back end information integrated together so it is able to improve their competitive position to serve the increasing demands of new generation of fussy users and demanding advertisers. See diagram.


In Asia, like the west, there is an association of Yellow Pages Publisher called Advertising Directory Publishers Association Incorporated (Adpai- registered in the Philippines under DPC)

ADPAI was formed in 1993 by several Asian Countries and GETIT Yellow Pages is the member from India. The objectives of ADPAI are to enhance cooperation among the Asian Directory Publishers and it has been a very useful experience for each member. There are regular exchanges of technology and management skills among the ADPAI members and this Association sets an excellent example of regional cooperation
Goals of ADPAI are as follows: 1. To establish a nonprofit association composed of companies, employees and individuals who are involved in the business of Directory Publishing, in order to establish a forum where members can meet on neutral ground to examine problems of mutual interest, facilitate the exchange of knowledge, experiences and ideas, establish standards and practices of the Directory Publishing industry, and to promote better relationships between members through congress and conferences and improved communication channels. 2. To initiate studies and analyses important to the industry and to assist in education and training through the organization of work-study courses, educational programs and familiarization visits among member countries. 3. To provide industry related information as well as political and other changes which are affecting or of benefit to members.
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The following are their members
AustraliaPacific Access Pty Ltd.Tel: 613-9246-4835Fax: 613-9246-4535Email: sruddock@pacificaccess.com.auURL: www.pacificaccess.com.au
BruneiGTE Directories (B) Sdn BhdTel: 673-245-2452Fax: 673-245-1619/20Email: gtebru@brunet.bmURL: www.bruneiyellowpages.net
China-ShenzhenChinaBig Unicom Yellow Pages Information Co., LtdTel: 86-755-2091980Fax: 86-755-2091888Email: gary.t.chan@chinabig.com.cnURL: www.chinabig.com.cn
China-ShanghaiShanghai Yellow PagesTel: 86-21-5632-0000*2372Fax: 86-21-5662-5187Email: snllu@online.sh.cnURL: www.yellowpage.com.cn
FijiFiji Directories Ltd.Tel: 679-311-000Fax: 679-300-004Email: fdl@is.com.fjURL: www.yellowpages.com.fj
Hong KongPCCW Directories Ltd.Tel: 852-2828-2033Fax: 852-2802-9001Email: cs@yp.com.hkURL: www.yp.com.hk
IndiaM&N Publication Ltd.Tel: 91-11-331-4409Fax: 91-11-331-7947Email: getitblr@vsnl.comURL: www.getitindia.com
IndonesiaPT Infomedia NusantaraTel: 6221-720-1221; 726-2595Fax: 6221-720-1225Email: inyp@idola.net.idURL: www.yellowpages.co.id
JapanNTT Directory Services CoTel: 813-5776-4172Fax: 813-5776-4275Email: kokusai2@nttds.co.jpURL: http://english.itp.ne.jp
KoreaKorea Telephone Directory Co (KTDC)Tel: 822-3274-2429Fax: 822-3274-2409Email: chsj@ktdc.co.krURL: www.ktdc.co.kr
MacauDirectel Macau Listas Telefoùnicas LdaTel: 853-517-520Fax: 853-517-523Email: info@yp.com.moURL: www.yp.com.mo
MalaysiaTelekom Pubblication Sdn BhdTel: 603-492-1111Fax: 603-491-9191Email: marcom@tpsb.com.myURL: www.yellowpages.com.my
Papua New GuineaEdward H O’Brien Enterprises PtyTel: 675-325-8344Fax: 675-325-6464Email: yellpgpng@dtldc.com.pg
PhilippinesDirectories Philippines CorporationTel: 632-889-8601Fax: 632-889-8967Email: dpc@info.com.phWebsite: www.directoriesphil.com
SingaporeMedianusa (S) Pte LtdTel: 65-743-8933Fax: 65-743-0332Email: msplcwan@mbox5URL: www.singnet.com.sg
Sri LankaDirectories Lanka (Pvt) LtdTel: 941-30-0331Fax: 941-30-0405Email: yellowpages@lsplk.comURL: www.lsplk.com
ThailandTeleinfo Media Public Co LtdTel: 662-262-8888Fax: 662-262-8270Email: info@teleinfomedia.netURL: www.yellowpages.co.th
United Arab EmiratesDubai (Head Office)P.O. Box 55184, Dubai.Tel: 04-297 0297Fax: 04-297 1710URL: www.yellowpages.ae
Vietnam
Vietnam Tel Directory & Yellow Pages 2 Joint Stock CompanyTel: 848-855-6666Fax: 848-855-5588Email: yp@hcm.vnn.vnURL: www.yp.com.vg


Appendix 1
Print Yellow Pages Segment Growing

Despite the downward trend among some traditional print media, the Yellow Pages segment may grow in coming years.

According to media research company The Kelsey Group, the print Yellow Pages segment is expected to grow from $26.50 billion in 2006 to $27.80 billion in 2011, writes BtoB.

The online segment, which includes internet Yellow Pages and local search advertising, should grow from $4.10 billion in 2006 to $11.10 billion in 2011.

Overall advertising revenue from print and internet Yellow Pages, along with local search, is expected to grow from $30.60 billion in 2006 to $38.90 billion in 2011, a compound annual growth rate of 4.9 percent (Source: Media Buyer Planner -8th March. 2007)





Appendix 2: Rise of the EAST

Presently, we all have become aware of the spectacular rise of China on the world scene. Just as Henry Luce dubbed the 20th century as "the American Century," many are recognizing that the 21st century will be "the Asian Century." And China 's achievements are spectacular, indeed. In just one generation, they have tripled their per capita income, and lifted over 300 million people out of poverty! And they now have become the major competitor for energy and other commodities.But with all of the spotlights singling out China, there is another - overlooked - giant rising in the east: India.Few people realize the remarkable emergence of India in the global technological culture, which is destined to dominate the next few decades. Their research and development centers are sprouting everywhere and are the seedbeds of the most advanced software platforms, multimedia devices, and other next-generation innovations.Major companies, such as Motorola, Hewlett-Packard, and Cisco Systems, are looking to laboratories in India for their most advanced product developments. Their advanced 3-D computer simulations are tweaking designs for car engines and aircraft wings for clients like General Motors and Boeing. India’s Bangalore Research Hub is spawning companies that produce their own chip designs, software, and pharmaceuticals.Just as China has emerged as a mass manufacturer, India is emerging as a giant in services. Technical and managerial strengths in both China and India are becoming more important that cheap assembly labor. And, their relative strengths are complementary, not competitive.For example, China has excelled in mass manufacturing, with multi-billion electronics and heavy industrial plants; India has specialized in software, design, services, and precision industry. Their efficiency in back-office processing alone is legendary and outsourcing such work is expected to quadruple by 2010 to over $56 billion per year!These two emerging giants will transform the entire global economy. China and India account for one-third of the world’s population. For the past two decades, China has been growing at 9.5% per year, and India at 6% per year. Both are projected to continue at an annual rate of 7-8% for at least the next ten years.This is, in some ways, analogous to 19th century America, when a young, driven workforce grabbed the lead in agriculture, apparel, and the high-tech innovations of that era: steam engines, the telegraph, and electric lights. Similarly, these two emerging giants are positioning themselves at the vanguard of the critical technologies of the coming decades. (Source: Foreign Affairs.org)