Graphic increases presence in digital space

The Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) is stepping up its presence in the digital space with the relaunch of its news app, the Graphic NewsPlus.

The news app provides readers with digital versions of the company’s six leading publications — the Daily Graphic, Graphic Business, Graphic Showbiz, The Mirror, Graphic Sports and Junior Graphic.

This is a completely new version of its first app launched in 2015 and offers readers access to both the digital versions of newspapers and content from the group’s 24-hour news website, Graphic Online, in addition to breaking news alerts.

The news app is also packed with multimedia content, such as video documentaries, podcasts, voice notes and photo galleries carefully curated to inform, entertain and educate users.

The Director in charge of News of the GCGL, Mrs Mavis Kitcher, said the Graphic NewsPlus was to further the use of mobile devices to seek information from trustworthy known brands, instead of what was available on the numerous social media, which was often half-truths and fake news.

The NewsPlus is very fast and user-friendly and provides great user experience and high engagement with its audiences everywhere, as it serves the needs of all, especially Ghanaians and Africans across the globe.

Free for a month

Mrs Kitcher said readers who sought the GCGL’s newspapers daily could now purchase every edition on the Graphic NewsPlus, which will be launched live on TV3 at 8 a.m. today.

The Graphic NewsPlus, which is currently free for one month, offers the Daily Graphic, The Mirror, Graphic Business, Graphic Showbiz, Graphic Sports and the Junior Graphic on the digital platform for all its audiences around the world.

She explained that the media landscape had transformed tremendously and it was important for all players in the industry to be proactive and find better ways to serve the growing and changing needs of consumers.

She further pointed out that the NewsPlus fitted very well into the ever-growing reliance on mobile devices, which were more and more embedded in the lives of consumers of news.

“Every minute consumers are checking various sites to be sure that what they have read on social media platforms is credible and not fake news and that is the void that the Graphic NewsPlus is poised to fill.

“What we have realised with our wealth of experience in the news industry is that people find it easier to trust known and credible brands to source for news than what they find on social media platforms,” she said.

Mrs Kitcher pointed out that the change in the media landscape had opened up journalism to all citizens through blogs and commentaries, but what set the NewsPlus apart from the others was the application of the credibility, balance and fairness test to all stories published.

Opportunity

The Director of Marketing of the GCGL, Mr Franklin Sowa, observed that given the direction news consumption was going, there was a huge opportunity in the digital space so far as access to the global world was concerned.

“Our readers and patrons are guaranteed the fact that credible and authentic content will be provided. They should expect a much more exciting news platform that delivers on what it is promising.

“There will be access to free content as well. They can also archive content, which the previous app did not have. Our telco partners are also offering some packages to our subscribers, which makes it cheaper and more exciting for them to use the data to access our content,” he said.

He said the app would also offer premium content which was quality and exclusive, including well-researched features and detailed analysis of specific issues that would be available on only the NewsPlus.

“It is content which, unless you are subscribed to the Graphic NewsPlus, will not be available to you,” he said, adding that the app represented the future of content delivery for the company.

“As part of its growth strategy, a lot of its focus will be on our digital platform. The Graphic NewsPlus is part of efforts to engage our audience and deliver relevant content,” Mr Sowa said.