Fairfax Media Launches News Content Service

Fairfax Media Launches News Content Service

Fairfax Media is stepping up its news coverage in New Zealand to ensure it delivers compelling journalism round-the-clock and on every platform.

The multimedia publishing business is investing in unique content, more staff, and improved syndication deals as part of its strategy to provide the best mix of news and analysis for New Zealanders.

"We are no longer focused solely on our newspapers," says Fairfax New Zealand CEO Allen Williams.

"Instead we are intently focused on improving our content - our multimedia journalism - and getting it to readers as they want it - in print, mobile, online and tablet.

"We break stories online and on mobile, develop them throughout the day, add video and audio, while also crafting superb newspapers that set the agenda."

As part of these changes, Fairfax Media today launched a news content service, Fairfax New Zealand News (FNZ). The initiative is partly a response to the closure this week of the New Zealand Press Association but also reflects Fairfax's drive to improve its journalism.

The new service will provide content to Fairfax's websites and newspapers and has been boosted by a significant increase in the number of stories, photographs and video produced each day by Fairfax journalists.

"We recognised that we needed a new model to meet the competitive demands of New Zealand media and not a standard newswire like people are used to seeing. This is not simply content sharing like we are seeing from rival services. It's the end result of years of investment that we have made in hiring new journalists, developing new technologies and tranforming newsrooms."

"We are talking about an incredibly rich and dynamic mix of content served across platforms."

Fairfax has hired a number of staff for FNZ including top editors Kevin Norquay and Greg Tourelle. Respected editor John Crowley, a former editor of NZPA, heads the new Fairfax service.

Fairfax has also signed new deals with international news agencies Reuters, AAP and AP providing a comprehensive source of world news to complement the work of its journalists in New Zealand.

Group Executive Editor Paul Thompson says Fairfax editors, as part of the launch of FNZ, had agreed to a new charter of editorial independence.

"As journalists, we are effective only so far as our work is trusted by readers. We have taken the opportunity to reflect on our core values and to reinforce our commitment to accuracy, fairness and editorial independence." Fairfax Media is an innovative, integrated multi-media business with strong brands across multiple platforms including two national, nine daily and 60+ community newspapers, 25+ magazines and digital, including market-leading website stuff.co.nz.

ENDS

To view the Fairfax Media NZ Journalism Charter go to http://fairfaxmedia.co.nz/news/

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