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The making of a community newspaper website : http://www.helderberg.com

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Helderberg.com started out as a Virtual Village, with its roots firmly entrenched in the
community newspaper from which it developed - the DistrictMail. It quickly evolved into a
full blown community newspaper website with its own business model, earning its own way.
Dotcoms are based on a virtual business model not seen up till now, trying to replace 'bricks
and mortar' with 'clicks and mortar', making it difficult for investors to evaluate its worth.
The DistrictMail community newspaper has been the heartbeat of the Helderberg, reflecting
the news and views of the people of the area, for almost seventy-five years. Helderberg.com
adds value and completes the circle.
The success of companies depends on profitability. Bringing old and new media together,
helderberg. com is the first community newspaper website to carry its own advertisers, and the
first to break even and even make profit in the notoriously difficult dotcom internet arena.
This paper examines how a community newspaper website is made - dissecting the internal
and external makings, and shows helderberg. com is based on a structure and business model
that has economic sustainability on which similar sized community newspapers, can launch or
build their online enterprise. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Helderberg.com het begin as 'n Feitedorp ("Virtual Village"), stewig gewortel in die
streekkoerant waaruit dit ontwikkel het - die DistriksPos. Dit het spoedig 'n volwaardige
gemeenskapskoerant-webtuiste geword met 'n eie sakemodel en in staat om geld te verdien.
Dotcom besighede is gebaseer op 'n virtuele sakemodel soos wat tot dusver nog nie gesien is
nie. En probeer om 'klippe en pleister' met 'klikke en pleister' ('bricks and mortar' with 'clicks
and mortar') te vervang met die gevolg dat dit vir beleggers moeilik is om die waarde daarvan
behoorlik te evalueer.
Die DistriksPos is die hartslag van die Helderberg en reflekteer die standpunte van sy inwoners
vir langer as 75 jaar. Helderberg.com voltooi hierdie kringloop en voeg waarde daaraan toe.
Die sukses van 'n maatskappy word beoordeel na gelang van verdienste. Deur ou en nuwe
media bymekaar te bring word helderberg. com die eerste gemeenskapskoerant-webtuiste wat
adverteerders dra en die eerste wat finansieel gelyk breek en selfs 'n wins wys in die berugte
dotcom internetarena.
In hierdie mini-tesis word ondersoek gedoen oor hoe 'n gemeenskapskoerant-webtuiste geskep
word deur die interne en eksterne kwaliteite daarvan te ontleed. Dit toon hoe helderberg. com
gebaseer is op strukture en 'n sakemodel wat ekonomies volhoubaar is, en waarop
gemeenskapskoerante van soortgelyke grootte hul internet-bedrywe kan grond.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/52547
Date03 1900
CreatorsHoffman, Bernard
ContributorsRetief, Johan, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Journalism .
PublisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageUnknown
TypeThesis
Format79 p. : ill.
RightsStellenbosch University

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