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

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT:Helderberg.com started out as a Virtual Village, with its roots firmly entrenched in thecommunity newspaper from which it developed - the DistrictMail. It quickly evolved into afull 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 'bricksand 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, reflectingthe news and views of the people of the area, for almost seventy-five years. Helderberg.comadds 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 thefirst 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 internaland external makings, and shows helderberg. com is based on a structure and business modelthat has economic sustainability on which similar sized community newspapers, can launch orbuild their online enterprise.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University