The first media portal is soon to be launched in South Africa, another world-class innovation by local entrepreneurs. The Media Gateway aims to establish a global media network within the next few years.
The Media Gateway CEO and co-founder Gary Wels says the market is upbeat about this product. “We are in the process of developing a solution that will change the way PR, communications, marketing and advertising executives interact with the media. We have created a protected environment in which they can communicate and share information.”
The Media Gateway will provide a comprehensive up-to-date media database that will be constantly updated by the media itself. Media staff will be able to manage their profiles according to information they require, thus ensuring that they receive information that is relevant to their portfolio. In addition, companies and agencies will be able to target the right media to achieve optimal results. They will have a consolidated view of the media at their fingertips.
It will also allow the media to interact with the right companies and agencies; it will provide a platform for them to market directly to industry specific companies and potential clients. The portal will provide the media with a repository to post their information where companies and agencies can easily access it.
Wels says its clients will have direct access to all the media in South Africa, including international media titles that are locally represented. “Our clients will have access to a comprehensive, accurate media database with more than 2 500 media titles comprising printed and electronic publications, trade journals, magazines, radio and television. There are more than 20 000 media contacts covering all industry specific categories.”
Furthermore, The Media Gateway provides a full view of each media title, including accurate advertising rates and data that is continually being updated by the media itself. It also offers up-to-date media features and surveys that are also being updated by the respective media title.
“Our clients will have access to a wider range of media marketing opportunities and preferential advertising rates. The media staff register under very specific industry categories, which ensures they receive the correct editorial content. This also ensures increased publicity for clients as press releases are being sent to the right media,” he explains.
The media are able to market to companies and agencies in a very cost-effective manner through The Media Gateway. The portal provides the media with access to its client base to effectively market their media titles and products. The companies and agencies also register under very specific industry categories, thus enabling the media to target these companies and agencies according to their industry categories.
Wels says it is critical for every company and agency to keep an up-to-date media database. “This can be a time and resource intensive exercise and it is often not accurate as the media changes continually. To this end, the media continues to receive amass of unsolicited e-mail and is spammed with irrelevant information. It is also a time-consuming exercise for the media to differentiate between spam and newsworthy correspondence. The Media Gateway ensures that editorial and news staff only receive news according to their profiles.”
Approximately 183 billion spam or unsolicited junk e-mail messages are being distributed over the Internet every day. On average, more than 70% of all e-mail is spam, and one study concluded that people and businesses spend 23 million hours a week deleting these unwelcome messages. Media houses are spending millions of rands on storage space for all of these 'messages' before they arrive at their destinations to simply be deleted.
The Media Gateway is currently seeking equity partners and investors to fast track the development of the project.
For more information, contact Gary Wels on 0825695726 or e-mail gary.wels@icredit.co.za.
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