You’ve hit the nail on the head, but let me expound further. The typical agency budget looks like this:
50% Google and it’s subsidiaries
40% social media(mostly FB and it’s subsidiaries)
10% others. Here is where local publishers like Techcabal are put. Don’t forget they are fighting with the big newspapers, big blogs, apps, influencers and niche ad networks for this small chunk. It’s brutal, and Google and FB are getting better and better at their game every year at an alarming rate
Maybe this is a sign that we should all focus on doing this startup thing rather than idling about here arguing over chaff and pretending we have got something serious to say. Blessing in disguise, if you ask me.
@kelz Rather than thinking the startup scene is not exciting, I’d say it’s not big enough. Yet.
@PapaOlabode I’d also think it would be more appropriate to refer to the media business in this context as the tech-focused media business (quite a mouth full). However, even with all the 300 pound gorillas in SF, the media business in Nigeria is still very profitable for some folks aka Linda, Nairaland…this trend of successful hyper-local media blogs aka gossip blogs is consistent in many climes despite the SF gorillas…and of recent, a number of media startups OMG digital, Pulse…etc got a lot of attention. There is relatively a lot activity in that area despite your stated odds…
As regards TC, I strongly believe there’re some ongoing friction internally, what conclusion is one left with when TC isn’t able to keep their best people at work. However I rest my case, throwing inquisition on every new development surrounding TC isn’t doing any good if they’ll turn things around they’d need the space. Unless someone is interested in going into the tech news then a breaking piece on TC seeming slide is one great way to come out. (evil grin)
Good luck guys, and remember it doesn’t hurt to hope for a little bit of help from God. Yes, God, the real big Chief, He can be real when you need him to. It doesn’t hurt one bit, even if you half believe in prayers.
While importing SF to LAG, let’s not buy wholesale their many ill notions of faith or lack of it. Am done. Godspeed!!
My biggest beef is what happened to Radar. Of all their verticals this one had (still has) the ability to run itself since the content was user-generated, but I’m not sure what happened.
I like what you’ve said here and around the ‘padi padi’ angle. I’m beginning to consider it more as I commit to my own newsletter and analysis of health tech. In my instance, I will know the people or situations I’ll write about and may consciously or otherwise censor myself so as not to be seen as attacking people.
We as a people seem to struggle with critical analysis and feedback and think that everyone that doesn’t agree with us is an automatic hater. Even some learned people with phds think this way. Wonder how they ever subjected themselves to peer reviews in their research.
I hope the more educated and exposed we become, the better we will be at accepting criticisms. Till then I will continue to try straddle the fine line between being critical yet not a hater.
THIS!!! There’s irony in liking this comment (“You nko, why are you still on radar?”) but the truth is the truth.
You probably have part of the answer to your own conundrum. I used to look forward to reading your posts, now they’re few and far between.
Every online community needs sustained inertia from a group of regulars. The biggest communities literally have millions of regulars keeping their own individual networks alive. On Radar, it was the Cabal driving the momentum so once that died everything else followed suit.
what If I’m just a carpenter? What If I’m not a startup person ? What If I’m not doing this startup thingy ?
I have this “theory” that @bankole who is the “voice” of the team left for other stuffs. At some point he was doing tech stuffs on TVC with his personal brand and sometimes this year, he was a reporter for the global TED event.
My “theory” is in two parts. (1) The money the founders raised from LAN was to sell their shares off. (2) The new investors presumed the founders are “commodities” which they can easily replace with the right hires.
(Don’t forget this is a theory…and it could be wrong) 
Looking back, Techcabal raised the bar around here but the argument that the landscape is not interesting enough for tech journalism does not hold water. Take a look at the exploits of TechPoint or Y!Naija’s approach to different verticals while they still do Future Awards, State crafts and REDMedia.
If something goes wrong, I think it’s OK to talk to their truest fans (at least the Radar community) just like @Possicon did with his Medium post when Showroom closed shop.
BigCabal or it’s investors should hold itself by the same standard of transparency (openness) they expect to see in the ecosystem by sharing.
I hope someday, we will know the state of things. BTW, it will be painful again to see the last iconic man standing, @SkweiRd, leave the BCM team.
Part of the reason I stopped posting was the moderation. At one point a bunch of people came in on here ruining conversations and the powers that be were slow to do anything about it because they were ‘amusing’. They weren’t to me. They were trolls.
I complained to Bankole about this a couple of times. Then there were the low quality threads being created. Places like news.YC have evolved to be self-moderating thanks to things like upvoting threads, but since that doesn’t exist here there needs to be people who will remove the chaff to attract high quality posts and posters. Bankole and Seyi stopped the little programs/posts that built community, and in general they stopped even acknowledging the forum and it was obvious. Our community is a small one, it’s not encouraging when the creators don’t seem to care. I know Radar wasn’t bringing in tons of money, if any, but there’s no reason why it couldn’t be nurtured to do so directly or indirectly if that’s what it takes to make them do more.
Or maybe that ship has sailed. 
Round of applause. I thought I was the only one that noticed it. These days I just go straight to radar if I even visit
AD MODEL BUSINESS
If your main platform is not on instagram(Kraks TV, Instablog9ja) or facebook(yabaleft et all). Just forget it. You have lost. You will always struggle with these major platforms for your user’s attention and when you finally get them to your website. Majority will be using opera mini with adblockers. Hence,low clicks on ads which translates to low revenue that can’t foot bills. sad. really sad.
SPONSORED POST BUSINESS
Why should I pay you and don’t know if my post yielded returns when I can pay facebook, google and instagram. and measure ROI? sad. really sad.
We’ve all offered differing opinions, but I think we really need to consider the numbers in this case.
Someone always told me; in business, if the numbers don’t add up, don’t do it. No matter how innovative or ground breaking it is, if it doesn’t boost the numbers in the short or (very short) long run, don’t bother with it.
So like people have said earlier, I really think we should look at Big cabal nbers before we pass judgement.
My humble opinion.
That is my biggest fear. The platform is not running well and the only thing that still makes them so relevant(newsletter that comes with a mind thought ), apart from the influence of their parts glory, is leaving soon.
