Media24 to launch Huffington Post in South Africa

[Spreadsheet Ranger]

Cape Town - Media24 and The Huffington Post (HuffPost) have announced the launch of HuffPost South Africa in November.

 

The partnership - HuffPost's first venture into Sub-Saharan Africa - was announced on Friday by Media24 CEO Esmaré Weideman and HuffPost CEO Jared Grusd.

 

The Huffington Post is a Pulitzer Prize-winning source of breaking news, video, features, and entertainment. The platform has 100 000 bloggers - from politicians, students and celebrities to academics, parents and policy experts - who contribute in real-time on the subjects about which they are most passionate.

 

"South Africa is an extremely exciting market for the company, as internet users there are expected to grow to 35.4 million by 2018, digital video is expected to grow by more than 29%, and overall mobile phone users to 41.5 million," said Grusd.

 

"On a personal level, I'm particularly thrilled about this launch as I was born in South Africa, and to launch an edition there is a coming home of sorts for me."

 

The partnership combines the strengths of The Huffington Post - a leading global source of breaking news, video, features, and entertainment, as well as a highly engaged global community for opinion and conversation - with Media24, South Africa’s largest digital media publisher, with over 16 million monthly unique visitors across all sites.

 

"We are delighted to launch a South African edition of the highly regarded HuffPost," said Weideman.

 

"It is one of the most exciting digital media companies in the world and we are proud this pioneering international media brand has chosen to partner with Media24. We are going to do great things together."

 

The Huffington Post launched its first international edition in May 2011. In just five years, the site has exploded into 16 markets across six continents, with more than half of its audience coming from outside of the US.

 

HuffPost South Africa will be the 17th edition, as the company continues to grow its global presence. HuffPost has more than 300 editors located in nearly 20 countries outside the US, and continues to expand its global presence.

 

Head of 24.com Andreij Horn said that HuffPost was a complementary brand to 24.com’s current digital portfolio.

 

"This is simply a natural fit for us in the most exciting time in the history of digital media, with the convergence of high technology and a relentless demand from our users for simplicity," said Horn.

 

"HuffPost will provide international content and its technology platform while Media24 will provide the local content and handle advertising sales. We believe the HuffPost audience will enhance what we already have in 24.com and will therefore provide even more opportunities for our advertising clients."

 

The Huffington Post already has a large audience in South Africa, with nearly three quarters of a million unique visitors per month according to comScore.

[pratlou]

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