Celebrating seven of the best

Seven years ago, Alec and Jeanette Hogg drove from London to Edinburgh to take me for lunch – and ask me to join them on the BizNews journey. It was an immediate 'yes' from me.

I had worked with Alec at Moneyweb, which he conceptualised and built into a company that went to a stock exchange listing, when digital news media companies were the equivalent of the railroad pioneers of the 1800s. It was the height of the dot-com boom, and Moneyweb survived the early-2000s bust.

With Alec leading the way for the small team, we created new ways of producing news content – ranging from Alec's then-innovative business talk radio show format to engaging articles that gave a voice and responded to the individuals who took time to comment and debate issues on the site. These are formats that have now been incorporated into the mainstream.

Also at Moneyweb, we undertook in-depth investigations into scams and corporate irregularities, with eccentric – and sadly deceased – Barry Sergeant at the front in his Stetson and winkelpickers. Our efforts resulted in awards, proudly displayed in the Moneyweb reception area.

Unlike the traditional news media organisations, we didn't rely on gut instinct to guide the news agenda. Instead, we were directed by metrics that gave us clear indications of which topics were popular with our audience (Fidentia, for example) and which ones bored them to tears (Basel II).

This all sounds very old-fashioned, now that the print sector is collapsing and media houses are online.

Here at BizNews, founded by Alec Hogg after he left Moneyweb, we are again working on breaking ground to develop original content and ensure the sustainability of a business that has as its core objectives working in the public interest and putting our communities first.

We are pouring creative juices into podcasts, webinars and other formats as BizNews moves into a growth phase. Let us know what you think about our efforts, as we welcome feedback and ideas.

You are a valued subscriber to us. We thank you for joining us on the BizNews journey over the past seven years. Here's to many more! We hope you celebrate with us at our birthday get-together webinar today (5 August) at 1pm. Register below: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8829376747291154445

PS: Our colleague, veteran broadcaster Tim Modise, hosts a free-to-air webinar where he and the BizNews community ping questions at high profile guests – every Thursday at noon. This week's guests are: the head of the country's great hope in the fight against corruption, Special Investigating Unit head Advocate Andy Mothibi; Sipho Ngwema, the spokesperson of the National Prosecuting Authority; and Advocate Selby Makgotho of the Special Tribunal. Unmissable. 
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1324111475714234383.

To receive the Daily Insider every weekday at 6am in your inbox click here. You can also sign up to the Weekender for a wrap of the best content BizNews has to offer, for a leisurely Saturday read. 

Comments

Welgedaan – you guys have played an immense role in building a better  BRAND SOUTH AFRICA.

  Best

 Rob Opie

Dear Alec and Biznews team

Congratulations, you are a formidable force in the media world and a beacon
of light in our beloved country!
Keep up the good work and enjoy today's festivities

Pieter

Dear Jackie and Alec.

To answer your question about how we find Biznews'

ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT !!!!!

It is the one thing that i look forward tiech morning.

What you pull op each day is amazing !

Thank you very much and please keep it going.

Kind regards,

Carl