Content creators are the real competition for media publishers: Girish Mallya

The upcoming Indian Magazine Congress 2024, to be held in Mumbai on May 3, is set to see an eclectic collective of media industry professionals ranging from storied publishers, inveterate marketers, editors and newsmakers to the new crop of content creators, commentators, social media influencers and other stakeholders.

Among the many speakers at the Indian Magazine Congress will be Girish Mallya, COO - Next Gen Publishing, and Editor and Publisher - T3 India. He will be moderating 'Content creators - competitors or collaborators?' a panel featuring technology journalist Abhishek Baxi, decor and lifestyle creator Rati Chaudhary, marketer Neha Anand, and influencer agency head Aditya Gurwara.

With the panel, Mallya hopes to initiate, and hopefully supercharge, a dialogue between traditional publications, long steeped in legacy and reader trust, and content creators and influencers, the professions driving media and brand engagement in today’s digital landscape.

As the editor and publisher of tech magazine T3, and head of operations at Next Gen Publishing, which owns several print and digital titles, Mallya says, “So I’ll be wearing my editor-publisher hat and representing the magazine publisher-editor point of view, while also acting as moderator. We’ve got two content creators, a very senior marketer and an influencer agency head,

For Mallya, among the most crucial things is ensuring a complete 360-degree view of the entire content landscape, which is why the creators chosen come with serious journalistic and communication chops. “It’s like when getting a blue tick on Twitter was a mark of credibility and wasn’t something you’ve paid for. We purposely chose Abhishek and Rati because they have experience, are responsible and credible, and have a dedicated, engaged following. We could easily get the creators going viral at the moment, but many of them are young and don’t have as much industry knowledge. And we didn’t want to just chase numbers, but have an informed conversation.”

And key to that conversation is the issue of credibility. “As magazine publishers we’ve had time and space to build an audience, to gain credibility in the market, and be viewed as authorities on the topics we cover. And that also makes us feel like we have more credibility than the kids out there creating content on their phone. But then those kids are also garnering millions of views, and are at top of mind for many consumers, which automatically brings in the brands,” says Mallya.

“That’s why I’m not worried about competition from fellow magazine publishers. We all have our strengths and USPs, as well as the relationships built with brands over a number of years. My competition for advertising revenue is the young influencers and creators, who have these great storytelling skills, unique personalities, and large audiences. This is why it is so vital for these two mediums to come together.”

However, this can also be a double-edged sword. “What the creators do outside their collaborations also matters. If, for example, I’m working with a bike influencer, and on his own channel he’s performing dangerous stunts or not following legal and safety procedures, it can rub off on me and affect the perception of my brand.”

And as with any relationship, there’s plenty of give and take. “Collaborations with publications can majorly help influencers and creators as well. We have an entire system and network in place, and when we collaborate with creators or have them on retainers, they can approach brands from a position of strength, having that institutional weight behind them,” notes Mallya.

It can be as simple and as complex as the matter of getting a GST number. Mallya observes, “For a lot of creators, even those with large followings, it may not make sense to get a GST registration, because they’re still individuals and the costs can loom large over benefits for a person as compared to a company. However, if they’re operating as retainers or under contract, we can take care of those issues as a company.”

“And no one can deny the skill and talent that influencers and creators have with storytelling and engagement. Beyond going viral, they’re tapped into and can respond instantly to any news or development in their niche with immediacy as opposed to the many layers of protocol that organizations need to go through before releasing content,” points out Mallya, adding that there’s plenty of benefits for both sides as they look to collaboration rather than competition.