Tech journo Bill Bennett partners with Geekzone and Scoop

Monday, 15 July 2013, 2:38 pm
Press Release: Digitl

Tech journo Bill Bennett partners with Geekzone and Scoop
digitl.co.nz/136/tech-journo-bill-bennett-partners-with-geekzone-and-scoop/
www.digitl.co.nz/139/digitl-launch-questions-and-answers/

Creates Digitl, the leading new source of technology news, analysis and comment to inspire New Zealanders

New Zealanders deserve better technology news coverage. Staying informed about the latest developments is essential for our economic future. We’ve been good at this in the past, but now there’s a danger we will miss out and our industry won’t have a voice.

That’s why veteran technology journalist Bill Bennett has joined forces with Geekzone founder Mauricio Freitas and publishing entrepreneur Alastair Thompson from Scoop to create digitl.

Launching soon, Digitl will report on digital innovation, how it empowers and inspires New Zealanders. Each working day we will deliver news, features, analysis and informed commentary. We will break stories about local start-ups and established players. We’ll get a unique local angle on big international stories. Digitl will cover enterprise computing, personal productivity, telecommunications and everything in between.

The partnership with Geekzone and Scoop will leverage the reach and power of two of New Zealand’s most popular online properties. Geekzone and Scoop each reach more than 500,000 unique readers each month.

Our business model is as innovative as the industry we cover. Digitl’s newsfeed will be published on Geekzone and Scoop. It will also be available as a subscription service to other publishers.

More information: http://www.digitl.co.nz/...

Digitl launch questions and answers

What is digitl?

We call it an online New Zealand technology news channel. Stories will appear on digitl.co.nz and on geekzone.co.nz and scoop.co.nz. Other publishers will be able to subscribe to our newsfeed.

Who is digitl?

Bill Bennett is managing editor and founder. Bennett is a well-known technology journalist who has worked in newspapers, magazines and radio.

How does it work?

Digitl has a unique publishing model built around a regularly updated news feed. This will be distributed in two ways:

• Digitl partners. Geekzone and Scoop will run the entire feed.

• Subscribers. Publishers and other media outlets can subscribe to feed licences for a monthly fee. The fee is considerably less than the cost of hiring a specialist journalist. Commercial organisations such as computer companies, telcos or distributors will also be able to buy subscriptions. Subscribers are free to use whatever content from the feed they choose, but must acknowledge digitl.

How much will you publish?

Eventually we will publish at least 20 news items a week. In addition, there will be regular longer analytical features. We’re also looking at using audio and video.

How will you make money?

We will charge clients to produce, distribute and host case studies. Paid-for material will be clearly flagged in the news feed. Geekzone and Scoop have huge reach, so we can give clients greater and most cost-effective distribution than any other media channel in New Zealand.

News organisations and commercial businesses can subscribe to our news feed. Our subscriptions will give them the right to use all feed material as they wish at no extra cost. Non-subscribers can buy the rights to individual stories.

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Bill Bennett

Freelance journalist.

Auckland-based Bill Bennett writes technology and business stories that are directly relevant to New Zealand readers.

His emphasis is on telecommunications, but he also covers other aspects of technology and business. You can find his features in the New Zealand Herald and hear him regularly on RNZ Nine to Noon and the NZ Tech Podcast.

Bennett's The Download Weekly newsletter is published every Friday. You can sign up for it here. If you want to support his work, you can make a donation to his PressPatron account.

Contact Bill Bennett

• Website - billbennett.co.nz
• Linkedin
• Email - bill@billbennett.co.nz
• Mobile - 0275082740