Beware the Risk 5G Poses to Rural Internet Users
- : WISPA.NZ
- : 02/08/2019
Despite the hype surrounding Vodafone’s launch of the next cellphone technology, it risks a serious downside to thousands of rural broadband users, according to the Wireless Internet Service Providers Association (WISPA.NZ).
“Vodafone and its competitors are putting huge pressure on Government to reallocate radio spectrum so they can run 5G more cost-effectively,” WISPA Chairman Mike Smith says.
“However, some of the spectrum the mobile companies are trying to claim is already used commercially by about 30 regional WISPs, who collectively service many tens of thousands of rural customers. These customers are farms who use the Internet for business management, rural kids who use it for study, and rural people who depend on it for social inclusion. Most cant get Internet any other way.
“If the government responds to the cellphone companies’ land grab, some of those users could face more expensive Internet or even lose their hard-won connectivity altogether.
“The advantages of 5G are very much in the future. By contrast, WISPs are solving the connectivity issue for rural New Zealand here and now.
“It makes no sense to slow or reverse the progress made in connecting our major export sector, just so that some online games will work a nanosecond faster or city people can connect their home air conditioning to their car GPS. The benefits of 5G are marginal and futuristic, but basic connectivity for rural families and businesses is here, now, and economically essential.
“WISPA seeks a clear assurance from Minister Faafoi that no decision will be made to reallocate spectrum until the issues have been thoroughly aired in public.”
ENDS
Contact: Mike Smith 0274503504 mike@ubb.nz
Alternative: Ernie Newman 0223764363 ernie.newman@wispa.nz
- : Mike Smith
- : Chairman
- : mike@ubb.nz
- : 0274503503
- : https://wispa.nz
TUANZ to host symposium looking at the future of TV and media in this converging world
- : TUANZ
- : 01/08/2019
TUANZ, the association for users of digital technology and connectivity, is inviting anyone interested in hearing about the future of TV and media to the 2019 Digital Convergence Symposium on Tuesday 6 August.
TUANZ CEO, Craig Young says that the theme of this year’s event reflects the fast-changing nature of media and how users access content in 2019.
“The biggest talking point at the moment is how viewers will watch this year’s various world cups including Rugby, and how the continued convergence of communications and broadcasting will play out after October this year,” says Young.
Attendees will hear from several industry leaders including Carolyn Luey, Consumer Director at Vodafone, Michael Boggs, CEO of NZME and Kevin Kenrick, CEO of TVNZ. Representatives from Spark and Sky TV will also present their views during the afternoon.
New in 2019, the TUANZ Digital Convergence Symposium aims to help users make sense of the digital future where there is an increasing convergence of digital technologies. This convergence reached a tipping point in 2018 in relation to the use of broadband to deliver content to users from broadcasters and companies alike.
Those interested in attending can view the full programme and register for the event by going to the Events page on the TUANZ website.
About TUANZ
TUANZ is the group helping users make sense of the digital future through sharing experiences and knowledge about current and new technology. It is the voice of its members and all users in a complex digital world. TUANZ is the only truly independent and representative voice for all users, both corporate and individual.
- : Craig Young
- : CEO
- : craig.young@tuanz.org.nz
- : 6421488182
- : https://tuanz.org.nz
- @tuanzceo
Newsletter: Q&A in communications
So, you’ve honed the pitch, that 3-4 sentence definition of what your company or organisation is, and what you stand for. But what happens after the press release or media announcement is sent out – if the journalist calls and wants to know more? What will they ask, and how will you respond beyond the pitch?
This is where the ‘Q&A’ comes into play in communications – when you think of all the questions that you might get asked and how you might answer them to create a news story. Of course, you may not think of every question, and the answers you could provide won’t be word-for-word. But preparing a Q&A provides you with the best opportunity to provide the answers that will help inform the journalist’s audience (and other important audiences too, such as customers and investors).
At NewzEngine we believe in the saying ‘eat your own dogfood’ so here’s the Q&A we’ve prepared for our platform.
What does your company do?
NewzEngine enables companies and organisations to create and send news releases to media.
Describe your customer today?
Our target audience is SMEs and Not-for-Profit groups where there is currently no dedicated communications resource. We also think people standing for public office would see this as a way to get their media announcement out to their local communities.
Who will your customers be in three years?
We are looking to export this public relations service to Australia, Pacific Islands, South East Asia and North America.
What is the primary problem you are solving?
Enabling organisations with no dedicated communications expertise to get their message out to a wider audience via a platform for distributing media announcements.
Why has no one solved it before?
News releases are a core part of traditional Public Relations’ activities. As professional communications services are traditionally bespoke and high-touch, they can be expensive and therefore used primarily by larger and more well-resourced organisations.
Are you solving problems for your industry, for society, the world?
NewzEngine is providing a platform for new voices to be seen and heard in business, politics and other important sectors, by enabling a cost-effective way to reach credible media.
Who are your competitors?
We think we’re quite unique in providing a transparent, cost-effective communications service that enables people with no public relations experience to create and send press releases to media in their chosen geographical area and/or sector.
What are the main reasons why people will use your product over a competitor?
It’s the most cost-effective in terms of creating and sending press releases and it provides an extensive how-to guide to creating media announcements, which we don’t believe currently exists in the same way on other sites.
Why did you start the company?
We were asked by people and organisations how to send out media releases – they had no idea where to begin, what to say and who to send it to.
Why are you uniquely qualified to start it?
NewzEngine is founded by Selwyn Manning and Sarah Putt, who between them have over 40 years media and communications’ experience. Selwyn’s career includes roles as a journalist, political press secretary and news media specialist. Sarah has worked as a journalist, public relations specialist and technology commentator.
NewzEngine makes public relations support accessible and affordable for all
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- : NewzEngine.com
- : 03/07/2019
NewzEngine.com, an online service that enables companies, organisations and individuals to write and distribute media releases, has been launched today.
The subscriber-based service provides an easy way for NewzEngine’s customers to create regular, cost-effective, and professional communications about their activities, products and services.
Media releases are created through NewzEngine’s platform, then quality-checked by experienced editors, distributed to a network of journalists/editors, and listed by global information aggregators.
NewzEngine is created by Newztec Developments Ltd directors Selwyn Manning and Sarah Putt, who between them have over 40 years media and communications’ experience. Manning’s career includes roles as a journalist, editor, New Zealand Government press secretary, and news media specialist. Putt has worked as a journalist, public relations specialist and technology commentator.
Manning says: “Organisations and companies require a public profile to grow. Their voice is a valuable complement to the national debate. But reliable media relations support is often expensive and beyond the reach of many.”
“We have launched NewzEngine to help organisations pitch their news to targeted media, and, through syndication and aggregation, supercharge their message so it can reach an audience wider than they thought possible.”
To ensure their message reaches the desired audience, subscribers can select the geographical location and/or sector where they want their media announcement to be delivered within New Zealand.
NewzEngine’s online service includes a guide to writing media announcements, as well as media release templates. This ensures subscribers can create an effective and professional release. In addition to text-based releases, NewzEngine provides the ability for subscribers to upload photographs and video links to accompany their message.
Putt says: “Effective announcements are short, sharp and compelling. Our guide is designed to help subscribers inform professional media practitioners about their organisation’s new product, service, event or milestone achievement.”
“But when required, NewzEngine also provides a writing and media relations service,” Putt says.
Organisations can subscribe to NewzEngine as a monthly or annual service, starting from $70 per month. For more details, visit NewzEngine.com.
- : Sarah Putt
- : NewzEngine CEO
- : sarah@newzengine.com
- : 0276177235
- : https://NewzEngine.com
NewzEngine Newsletter: The power of news aggregators
As a NewzEngine subscriber every release or speech you send via our platform is automatically distributed to some of the most powerful news aggregators in the world. We believe this access provides our customers with significant value. Here’s a short Q&A about this service.
What do news aggregators do?
News aggregators collect and distribute information to tens of millions of subscribers globally.
Why do people subscribe to news aggregators?
To receive real-time data directly from its source. Subscribers may be active investors required to keep up with economic and social changes occurring in certain markets around the world. Or they may be members of the media interested in a particular sector and keen to receive as much information, from as many different sources, as possible.
Why are press releases of interest to people?
As the media itself becomes more fragmented, the value of raw data – that is, announcements made directly from companies and organisations – increases because people can no longer just rely on traditional information providers. This means that your message is delivered undiluted to potential customers, partners, investors and commentators.
What news aggregators will NewzEngine send my release to?
- MIL-OSI, New Zealand-based news publisher/syndicator. Then on to:
- DowJones Factiva, which has a global financial/business focus,
- LexisNexis, which sends to the global legal sector,
- Acquire Media/NewsCycle, whose clients are members of the New York and London stock exchanges,
- Contify, which sends to American aggregators GALE, NewsBank US, and also to Comtex news network, and Thomson Reuters,
- Knowledge Basket, which covers New Zealand tertiary education providers and libraries.
How come NewzEngine is able to send to these services?
NewzEngine’s access to world-leading news aggregators is through a New Zealand-based syndicator, the MIL-OSI Network, which publishes over 35,000 global English language items per month via sites that include LiveNews (NZ), Foreign Affairs (Asia/Pacific/USA/EU), and NewsKitchen (EU/RU/Baltics).
NewzEngine Newsletter: 5 tips for brainstorming ideas
The concept of the genius is an incredibly compelling and romantic idea. So much talent invested in a single, solitary human being. But do you really think William Shakespeare came up with all those great lines himself? That Steve Jobs single-handedly built Apple?
Posterity has awarded them the credit, but Shakespeare wrote for the best actors of his day, and Jobs ran a company that attracted some of the smartest people in tech. Also, they both lived and worked in communities that at the time were experiencing an enormous surge in creativity – England during the Renaissance and the early days of Silicon Valley.
If you don’t care who gets the credit, then getting into the habit of collectively coming up with new ideas can help propel your company’s success. And this is particularly the case when it comes to content. Press release headlines, blog topics, subjects to write about. It shouldn’t only be the person in charge of marketing who has come up with these.
Sure, the writing, editing, proofreading, and sign-off – someone needs to take ownership of the process. But the best ideas for topics and headlines can come out of a session where a group of people are sitting around shouting words at someone furiously writing them up on a white board.
Nothing too sacred, nothing too stupid, whatever comes to mind. Here are 5 things to make a brainstorming session worthwhile:
- Be clear about what you are brainstorming for. Just like anything in marketing and communications, the result is only as good as the brief. If that isn’t clear, then you are wasting your time.
- Everyone comes prepared with a list of ideas, which has taken five minutes to compile (don’t overthink it) to get the session started
- For face-to-face sessions have a whiteboard on hand and a scribe standing, marker at hand, ready to write up the ideas voiced in the room.
- There are no dumb ideas, so be respectful of everyone’s contribution. But have a little fun too, because the best brainstorming sessions, like the best conversations, involve laughter.
- The optimum result is usually derived from a number of sources. You are probably onto a winning idea when no one can figure out who gets the credit for it.
Go forth and brainstorm!