Standard Chasing Money Online With e-Paper Upgrade Proving Digital Media is King

Standard Group Limited, which publishes the Standard newspaper and runs KTN, has completed the upgrade to the new e-paper platform.

This move by the Mombasa Road-based multimedia company promises to heighten competition in the digital space as media houses target a growing market of younger readers, who consume news online.

A single subscription model is also expected to be a major attraction to consumers and enhance efficiency in the management of the products on the Standard Group’s side.

“Subscribers will gain access to all editions on the platform for the subscription period, at discounted prices. One can also access all editions once subscribed, using multiple payment gateways,” said an officer at the Customer Services e-business Support.

 Subscribers are able to access all their preferred publications only by subscribing to one payment plan and will require to update their Mobile App on Play store or App store for a smooth transition.

In an email to subscribers, the Standard Group has given assurances that the new e-paper platform will be “new, fresh, smooth and affordable” while offering an ‘All in One Access’

The new Standard Digital e-paper platform has already gone live with the media house offering a link that subscribers can use to view the user manual for the new platform.

Apart from the flagship Daily Standard News, other inserts that will also be now available online include Pambazuko, Hustle, Financial Standard, Mt Kenya Star, Crazy Monday, Eve Magazine, Pulse, Nairobian, Hashtag, and the Sunday pullout.

The e-paper is available to individual as well as corporate subscribers and a different rate for students. A move by Mombasa Road to dust off its online publications comes hot on the heels of stiff competition from a similar electronic paper platform offered by its competitors, including Nation Media Group.

Kenyan Media houses are channeling more investment into digital platforms, seen as a growth area for both audiences and advertising revenues, as traditional media begin to show signs of wilting. Digital media can no longer be ignored as both young and old have adapted to new ways of consuming news and information, especially on mobile phones.

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While readership has been growing online, adspend is yet to catch on. But with trends shifting towards digital, an explosion of digital advertising is expected in the new few years. Nation, Standard, and Radio Africa Group have created dedicated groups for their digital platforms as they prepare to take a big bite of the pie.

The Standard e-paper can be accessed on smartphones, PCs, iMac’s, tablet computers such as iPad and laptops.