AMH introduces Talking Paper
ALPHA Media Holdings (AMH) continues to lead in media innovation and digital transformation after introducing a Talking Paper by converting the cover designs of its publications into animated visual-audio motions.
The Talking Paper, first of its kind in the country, will give AMH’s digital community ease access to audio visual content and text, and reflect its desire to give news access to the visually impaired and those with print disabilities.
AMH Editor-in-Chief Wisdom Mdzungairi said the innovation was designed to present key points simply and that AMH had taken a deliberate approach to put innovation at the centre of its product development.
“We have been searching for ways to include the visually-impaired and those with print disabilities while presenting key points in as quick a time as possible and this new innovation allows us to do just that,” Mdzungairi said.
“We believe we must be innovative leaders, not followers. We cer- tainly are not here to be second best. Clearly, the new digital tools will help us to produce better content for our platforms. At AMH, we are aware and responsive to changing needs of our audiences and advertisers and we are agile when it comes to serving them.
“Our aim is a clear one: to be the market leaders — in Zimbabwe and in Africa. This can only be achieved if we offer the best range of content on every platform that we serve.”
Digital and Online Editor Silence Mugadzaweta said the media landscape had been disrupted and innovation was key for survival.
“There is a shift to digital in the media and to survive, innovation has to be the lifeblood of any newsroom that wants to secure its future. We are constantly reviewing innovative methods to survive in the age of disruption,” he said.
Mugadzaweta said the market had already decided and it was high time legacy media shifted to information communication technology-enabled distribution models to reach a wider audience.
AMH, being the largest independent media house in Zimbabwe, prides itself in offering news across its multiple platforms to a mix of audiences it serves the world over.
In 2017, the NewsDay website was voted best in the best news website and the overall best Zimbabwean website categories at the second edition of the Zimbabwe Digital Marketing Awards.
In 2016, NewsDay was voted the overall best Zimbabwean website for 2015 at the inaugural Zimbabwe Digital Marketing Conference and Awards and in 2013 it won the prestigious Highway Africa Most Innovative Newsroom at an awards ceremony held in Grahamstown, South Africa.
AMH publications have a strong digital presence, with the NewsDay Twitter handle leading with more than 540 000 followers, Facebook with over 800 000 followers, far ahead of all media houses in Zimbabwe.
NewsDay accounts for over 50% of the 3,140 million audience base on digital platforms in the country.