Sundaymail Editor
Limukani Ncube
ZIMBABWE’S biggest integrated media house, Zimpapers, has adopted a 360-degree journalism concept as part of its digital transformation journey.
The goal is to provide a holistic approach to media and communications, giving audiences news on all platforms and ensuring that advertising clients can effectively reach and engage their audiences across multiple platforms.
The concept has been adopted in both content and structure.
Experts say a 360-degree media house is typically a multimedia company that offers a comprehensive range of services across various platforms.
Its key features include multimedia production, which specialises in creating content across different formats, including video, audio, photography and written articles.
The 360-degree approach also has integrated marketing and provides strategies for branding, advertising and public relations, ensuring a cohesive message across all channels.
It also has a popular digital and social media aspect, which focuses on online presence, leveraging on social media platforms for engagement and promotion.
The approach places high value on content planning and strategy. In this case, content is designed to meet the audience’s needs. It emphasises storytelling and audience connection.
There is also event coverage for live events, be they social, political, business or sport.
New patterns
On the business side, events are meant to enhance visibility for clients.
In a recent interview with Zimpapers Television Network (ZTN), Zimpapers group chief executive officer Mr Pikirayi Deketeke highlighted that media consumption patterns have changed due to the advent of digital platforms.
“Media consumption has changed. When we started as a business, I mean in 1891, they started with a newspaper that was handwritten and posted on a little hut outside of Africa Unity Square (Harare), and it has evolved, going into newspapers, radio and television. Now, it is digital,” he said.
“When you wake up in the morning, the first thing that you look at is your phone and maybe it’s just probably looking at your messages but also checking out the news, so the phone has become the new medium of content consumption, whether it’s social content or serious news. You’re learning what is going on in the world on that mobile phone.”
Mr Deketeke added: “So, how do we become digital first? How do we become mobile first in terms of speaking to readers who are consuming us differently? When I was growing up, either your parents would send you to the shops to buy The Sunday Mail or when you started working, you had to buy the newspaper at the bus terminals. So, the transformation is digital and, as a business, we have to conform to the transformation. We have to be digital first; we have to be mobile first.”
The 360-degree concept, he said, was comprehensive to ensure that audiences get content from the company across all possible multimedia platforms and outlets.
“360 (degrees) means if we are in print, how do we segment the print market, how do we ensure that everyone who wants to read our content can read quality news from us, can read serious sports content from us, can read racy stories from us through H-Metro, can read native news in local languages? So, if you are a print guy, you will get us on our print newspapers and we are covering everything with 12 titles; if you are a broadcasting guy, we have four radio stations that will appeal to all your listening and demographics; and so, if you are a TV guy, then you reach us with ZTN; if you are a digital person, you reach us on all our digital platforms. So, we are 360 degrees, just to make sure that we are relevant on all platforms at all times.”
Experts say the 360-degree journalism aspect has gained traction in many media houses across the world.
In the newsroom, it refers to a comprehensive approach to reporting, which explores all angles of a story.
Some of its features are multiple perspectives, which include voices from different stakeholders, such as experts, community members and affected individuals.
It also deals with diverse media formats — text, video, audio and interactive content — to convey the story fully.
The approach also entails in-depth research with emphasis on thorough investigation, presentation of factual data, personal narratives and context to enrich the audience’s understanding.
There is also audience engagement. The approach encourages audience interaction and feedback, often incorporating their insights into the narrative.
There is also emphasis on balanced reporting. The aim is to provide a balanced view, avoiding bias. This is achieved by presenting differing viewpoints on an issue.
The motivation behind such an approach is to deliver a new form of journalism based on immersive storytelling, which allows audiences to experience news and stories from all angles.
Investment
Mr Deketeke said Zimpapers has invested heavily in digital transformation to further position the company for the future.
The organisation’s news products — print, digital, television and radio — are now reachable from any part of the world due to the positives brought by technology, which has made the world a global village.
“It’s a path that we are following. From May to June, we had a team of consultants, the best consultants in the world, who have done digital transformation for most newspaper companies around the world, who came with us and are working with us for the next four to six months in terms of our transformation,” he said.
“How do we bring out models that pay for our journalism? I am looking at reader revenue; we have about 14 /15 business models that we are looking at, just making sure that we have some of our content behind the paywall.”
One of the prevailing challenges, Mr Deketeke said, is having “a generation that is now used to reading everything for free”.
“Now, how do we put quality content that people are prepared to pay subscriptions for? We have seen similar models in South Africa that are working very well. Media 24, I think in News 24, they have seen subscriptions really going up. In the United States, New York Times’ digital revenues are going up, growing faster than their print revenues.”
Online Reporter