Vision to launch new websites
Sep 26, 2011
NEW Vision and Bukedde are to have modern websites beginning October 3. The redesign of the two websites is the first product of a year-long plan to digitalise Vision Group operations.
By Conan Businge and Stephen Ssenkaaba
NEW Vision and Bukedde are to have modern websites beginning October 3. The redesign of the two websites is the first product of a year-long plan to digitalise Vision Group operations.
Louis Jadwong, Vision Group’s head of digital, said the redesign was part of the company’s strategy to provide better services to the public.
“We are finally implementing what has been on the drawing board for nearly five years. The automation of all our operations was long overdue. I am positive we will get increase productivity and finally monitor performance better,†he said.
Jadwong said both websites would have a new feel and their capabilities had been enhanced to serve audiences, locally and in the diaspora. The sites will also have mobile phone versions.
Jadwong added that Uganda’s leading website, www.newvision.co.ug, would evolve into the country’s key port for breaking news on Uganda.
“The website will move away from being just a digital copy of the newspaper, to catering for the audience mainly by the E-paper,†he explained.
The special addition to the new websites is the E-paper, a replica of the New Vision newspaper.
It will be available on subscription, while clips from the popular Bukedde TV and Urban TV will be available online free of charge.
“The site will also continue to have a rich archive for researchers with digital copies of the newspaper from 2006,†Jadwong explained.
The content on the new sites will remain largely free, with access to the newspaper online, archives and E-paper done through registration and subscription.
The subscription rates and payment methods will be announced in the Business Vision pull-out on Thursday.
Paul Ikanza, the head of the Vision Group’s IT section, said the new sites would provide much needed convenience for the company’s audience.
“The new design will not only make reading convenient, but also provide the news a lot more easily and instantly,†Ikanza explained.
He said the new system would provide more sustainable products.
“We have used the latest available technology and have implemented 100% virtualisation of all the systems. This means that the hardware is independent, and minimally susceptible to extended downtime,†Ikanza added.
Susan Nsibirwa, Vision Group’s head of marketing, said the new design was part of the company’s commitment to be a market leader.
“We set out to achieve excellent global standards in whatever we do at Vision Group. This website puts us at par with leading global players in the media industry,†Nsibirwa said.
Sam Apedel, the former head of Vision Group’s websites, said the new websites would provide richer content and further spur Vision Group to greater heights in the media industry.
“The new websites will provide content beyond the newspaper. It will provide more interactivity, reader choices, user-generated content, breaking news and continuous reporting,†he said.
This, Apedel added, would be provided in a multimedia with sound, sight and motion through video and audio streaming.
Bukedde’s editor Andrew Kaggwa said the new website would be extraordinary and unique.
Apart from having short videos and audio news clips, the website will carry clips of the ‘Agataliko Nfuufu’ news bulletins from Bukedde TV.
“We plan to use several pictures of our uploaded news on the website,†Kaggwa explained.
This is the first redesign of the website since it was launched in 1999.
It has grown into the country’s most visited site by Ugandans here and abroad after Facebook, Google and Yahoo. New Vision had 20,800 fans by last week.
According to August figures of Google analysts, the site had 1.5 million visits (48,000 daily), 5.6m page views and 397,000 unique visitors last month.
Leading Vision Group writers Paul Busharizi (economics, business), Charles Wendo (health), David Mukholi (politics), Kalungi Kabuye (entertainment) and Joseph Batte (music) will give regular insights online.
Vision Group is working with a leading Indian IT solutions company, Four C Plus (Internet) Company Limited.
The online launch will be followed by the digitalisation of editorial operations in all newsrooms including newspaper, radio, television and regional offices.
This will be followed by advertising and the circulation systems.
NEW Vision and Bukedde are to have modern websites beginning October 3. The redesign of the two websites is the first product of a year-long plan to digitalise Vision Group operations.
Louis Jadwong, Vision Group’s head of digital, said the redesign was part of the company’s strategy to provide better services to the public.
“We are finally implementing what has been on the drawing board for nearly five years. The automation of all our operations was long overdue. I am positive we will get increase productivity and finally monitor performance better,†he said.
Jadwong said both websites would have a new feel and their capabilities had been enhanced to serve audiences, locally and in the diaspora. The sites will also have mobile phone versions.
Jadwong added that Uganda’s leading website, www.newvision.co.ug, would evolve into the country’s key port for breaking news on Uganda.
“The website will move away from being just a digital copy of the newspaper, to catering for the audience mainly by the E-paper,†he explained.
The special addition to the new websites is the E-paper, a replica of the New Vision newspaper.
It will be available on subscription, while clips from the popular Bukedde TV and Urban TV will be available online free of charge.
“The site will also continue to have a rich archive for researchers with digital copies of the newspaper from 2006,†Jadwong explained.
The content on the new sites will remain largely free, with access to the newspaper online, archives and E-paper done through registration and subscription.
The subscription rates and payment methods will be announced in the Business Vision pull-out on Thursday.
Paul Ikanza, the head of the Vision Group’s IT section, said the new sites would provide much needed convenience for the company’s audience.
“The new design will not only make reading convenient, but also provide the news a lot more easily and instantly,†Ikanza explained.
He said the new system would provide more sustainable products.
“We have used the latest available technology and have implemented 100% virtualisation of all the systems. This means that the hardware is independent, and minimally susceptible to extended downtime,†Ikanza added.
Susan Nsibirwa, Vision Group’s head of marketing, said the new design was part of the company’s commitment to be a market leader.
“We set out to achieve excellent global standards in whatever we do at Vision Group. This website puts us at par with leading global players in the media industry,†Nsibirwa said.
Sam Apedel, the former head of Vision Group’s websites, said the new websites would provide richer content and further spur Vision Group to greater heights in the media industry.
“The new websites will provide content beyond the newspaper. It will provide more interactivity, reader choices, user-generated content, breaking news and continuous reporting,†he said.
This, Apedel added, would be provided in a multimedia with sound, sight and motion through video and audio streaming.
Bukedde’s editor Andrew Kaggwa said the new website would be extraordinary and unique.
Apart from having short videos and audio news clips, the website will carry clips of the ‘Agataliko Nfuufu’ news bulletins from Bukedde TV.
“We plan to use several pictures of our uploaded news on the website,†Kaggwa explained.
This is the first redesign of the website since it was launched in 1999.
It has grown into the country’s most visited site by Ugandans here and abroad after Facebook, Google and Yahoo. New Vision had 20,800 fans by last week.
According to August figures of Google analysts, the site had 1.5 million visits (48,000 daily), 5.6m page views and 397,000 unique visitors last month.
Leading Vision Group writers Paul Busharizi (economics, business), Charles Wendo (health), David Mukholi (politics), Kalungi Kabuye (entertainment) and Joseph Batte (music) will give regular insights online.
Vision Group is working with a leading Indian IT solutions company, Four C Plus (Internet) Company Limited.
The online launch will be followed by the digitalisation of editorial operations in all newsrooms including newspaper, radio, television and regional offices.
This will be followed by advertising and the circulation systems.