Implementation of new vision’s digital strategy: analysis of the website, e-paper, and social media platforms

Author

Obonyo Frank Nyanjeye, Aga Khan University

Date of Award

2-2023

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Digital Journalism (MADJ)

First Supervisor/Advisor

Hesbon Owilla

Second Supervisor/Advisor

Alex Taremwa

Department

Graduate School of Media and Communications

Abstract

There is an increased shift from traditional to digital media operations in Africa. The general objective of this study was to analyse the adoption and implementation of the digital strategy of the New Vision with a focus on the challenges and opportunities to help understand the shift from traditional to digital media. This study investigated the implementation of New Vision’s digital strategy, focusing on the website, e-paper and social media platforms. The study employed an in-depth interview guide for data collection: The collected data was transcribed and organized following the research questions. The data was reviewed and explored deductively, then grouped into themes and presented logically. The study findings were; that a number of factors cause slow progress towards total digital transformation. However, the major ones include a lack of mind shift by staff from traditional to digital ways of operation and a lack of adequate skills, especially for writers and other content creators. The study revealed that writers compile long stories meant for hardcopies and post on digital platforms, website stories are not updated in real time, and sometimes a technological breakdown hinders seamless access to the e-paper. Transformation and implementation of the New Vision digital strategy is a work in progress. On paper, New Vision has impressive plans to become a digital paper. However, digital transformation has not fully taken place. Media practitioners and managers need to appreciate the digital revolution and pragmatically walk the talk of transformation from traditional to digital at both strategic and operational levels. The study recommendations were: Staff training on digital story writing skills, the company needs to utilise the website, social media and e-paper analytics to inform them of readers’ interest, the company needs to give staff the freedom to try out new things because digital transformation is about experimentation.

Recommended Citation

Nyanjeye, O. F. (2023). Implementation of new vision’s digital strategy: analysis of the website, e-paper, and social media platforms (Unpublished master's dissertation). Aga Khan University, East Africa.