24.com repositions as a focused online publisher

JP Farinha, outgoing CEO of 24.com, announced today that the company is being realigned to focus on its core business of online publishing. This strategic repositioning will allow the business to take further advantage of the shifts in digital media consumption, brought about by the rise of mobile and tablet devices.

Geoff Cohen, former GM of News24, has been appointed as the GM of the newlook 24.com.

“The tablet device trend, specifically, has broad implications for the digital publishing business and has sparked a re-think of how we get our brands digitally enabled. In order for us to optimise these opportunities, a decision has been made to reposition 24.com into a very focused online publishing business that can work more closely with the group’s print
publishing divisions”, said Farinha.

“The incorporation into Media24’s publishing assets will be an ideal fit, given 24.com’s strength in technology, content and community and places it in an ideal position to absorb the fast-paced changes and significant growth in the digital media market”, Farinha concluded.

There has been significant growth in the usage of all the News24 Channels – particularly on mobile devices where audience growth has almost tripled in the last 12 months – as well as growing investments in digital advertising.

“A closer relationship with the Media24 print titles will place 24.com at the forefront of the development of great content and advertising offerings on tablets, mobile devices and the web”, said Cohen.

The restructure, with immediate effect, will comprise of:

24.com, will fall under the Media24 Newspapers’ umbrella. This division will report to Geoff Cohen who has been appointed as General Manager.

The Careers24 unit, under Tim Gregory, will be incorporated under MIH Internet Africa. This aligns Careers24 with the other MIH listing businesses.

The 24Games unit, under Brendan McNulty, will move to DStv Online. This allows it to leverage DStv’s audience to build its gaming community as well as work more closely with the Multichoice Group companies to implement their gaming strategy.