Monetising Media
Perspectives from a Founder-CEO
A peek into the journey of The Messenger Media Innovation Group (TMMIG) – its past, present, and future – and its relevance to financial services and the emerging field of IMT—Insurance Media Technology.
The Origins: Cape Messenger (TCM), a business and politics-focused online daily for the Western Cape, was founded in 2015 by the late Dr Denis Worrall (1935-2023). A politician, diplomat, and former South African Ambassador to the UK.
The Vision: In 2016, TMMIG acquired a majority (but non-controlling) stake in TCM and Dr Worrall’s UK-based Omega Investment Research. This was part of a broader plan to prove the remonetisation of the media industry, integrating it into my FinTech and insurance ambitions (then Facets1.0 & LeapX1.0, now Facets Insure).
We added "The" to Cape Messenger, revamped its brand, and restructured the platform, preparing it for a broader multinational, multilingual strategy under TMMIG.
The 2017 vision: TMMIG IPO by 2030.
Messenger Motoring: Years before TCM, I analysed the online car market in Denmark, the UK, and South Africa. My findings inspired Messenger Motoring, a platform blending media, technology, and financial services & insurance to monetise automotive content.
The next logical step? Property. We envisioned a network of "Messenger" platforms across cities like London and Miami, covering motoring, property, and health, all underpinned by scalable tech (provided then by Leapfrog Global, now by LeapfrogXai).
Challenges: Tail Wagging the Dog; TMMIG, being a majority but non-controlling shareholder of TCM, was constantly arm-wrestling with minority stakeholders united in their resistance to change. The plug was pulled on TCM after about two years and not very long before lockdowns.
Some of TMMIG’s early pilots are visible in archived versions of the websites, pilot YouTube channels and other beta-tested integrations with Facets1.0 and the integrated citizen engagement platform, MyOneZone. For example, Messenger Motoring on X and on YouTube, and TCM on YouTube.
The Bigger Picture: TMMIG was always about more than selling ads. Monetisation strategies focused on tech-enabled solutions, integrating media, financial services, insurance, and technology in innovative ways.
The Opportunity Today: The challenges TMMIG faced with TCM resonate with the ongoing Media & Digital Platforms Market Inquiry (MDPMI) by The Competition Commission of South Africa. Watching industry leaders testify during Q1/2024 reinforced my belief in TMMIG’s untapped potential. I look forward to reading the provisional report sometime this year.
The Way Forward: Whether as a standalone platform or integrated with Facets Insure, TMMIG’s mission to empower citizens and organisations through meaningful engagement remains relevant. With the right partnerships, its future looks promising.
If you’re interested in the future of TMMIG or collaborating on solutions that intersect media, insurance, and technology, let’s connect. DM me or reach out – together, we can redefine what it means to monetise media in the digital age.
This first appeared 20 Jan on X - please follow me on X.