The new offering is a result of a partnership between M&G Media Limited and US-based NewsStand, Inc., a leading provider of digital publishing and delivery solutions. In 1994, Mail&Guardian was the first in Africa to offer an Internet-based news publication, the Mail&Guardian Online. Now it is one of the first African newspapers to offer readers digital subscriptions.
"Digital publishing is one of the most innovative developments in publishing and NewsStand has the best solution in the industry," said Matthew Buckland, Editor of the Mail&Guardian Online website, from where the service is being launched.
"Our readers are a highly educated, involved, edgy, diverse and mobile group who shape politics and appreciate investigative reporting. Moreover, many South Africans reside in other countries, and miss receiving the Mail&Guardian the day it's published. With a digital subscription, our loyal subscribers will have the opportunity to read the Mail&Guardian in its entirety every Friday no matter where they are in the world."
NewsStand's digital editions combine the reading experience of the print format with the convenience and timeliness of Internet delivery. Mail&Guardian digital subscribers can schedule downloads to their PC or laptop computers during off-peak times and then read the issue at their leisure, without being connected to the Internet. NewsStand's digital reader makes it easy to flip through the newspaper's pages and zoom in on text for a closer read. Web or e-mail addresses listed in the articles link quickly to desired information. Back issues can be stored easily in a compact digital format for reference later.
"Mail&Guardian readers want their weekly South African news in a timely manner -- no matter where they reside," said Kit Webster, president and CEO of NewsStand. "Digital subscriptions give them the flexibility and convenience of reading Mail&Guardian anyplace, anytime."
Mail&Guardian offers paid digital subscriptions and single copy purchases. Customers can purchase the Mail&Guardian via digital delivery today at http://www.mg.co.za or through NewsStand's website, http://www.newsstand.com.
