Having enjoyed profound success with its flagship publication, The Media, as well as its electronic products – eMedia and Marketingweb – Wag the Dog Publishers has launched the themediaonline – an authoritative website for those in the media industry. Under the leadership of Liesl Pretorius as its editor, this new offering will provide readers with the same quality editorial that they have come to expect from Wag the Dog Publishers – but with its own unique flavour.

Marketers, journalists and advertisers use the Internet on a daily basis for entertainment, communication, research and information; in fact it is a sector, second only to the IT industry, which is accepting of emerging technologies. This in turn has allowed Wag the Dog to capitalise on the medium. “When we launched in 2002, a decision was made to keep a low online presence and use the printed copy to build the brand,” explains Sandra Gordon, Publisher. “Since then the concept of online publishing has advanced dramatically, with wider acceptance of the medium amongst users and an extended array of content management systems available to reach the intended market.”

The plan to grow its online presence further and establish a larger, more sustainable publication has always been on the cards. “Events and circumstances are popping up on a daily basis and the time is now ripe for a medium that can support the long-term aims of Wag the Dog and its brands,” says Gordon.

Over the past five years, The Media magazine has earned itself a favourable reputation within the industry, thanks to its commitment to quality editorial and its role in establishing the media business as a stand-alone niche market. Testament to the publications success is its ability to act as an independent commentator of the fourth estate, providing market-relevant information devoid of bias, whilst offering the reader educated and insightful content. “We awoke a somewhat reticent and media-shy industry; and, from having to originally eek out stories we are now faced with too much content for a monthly magazine,” remarks Gordon.

The eMedia database of 15 500 opt in subscribers will amalgamate into the new offering, while the advertising base will be transferred to themediaonline.

The launch of themediaonline will also bring interesting and valuable opportunities to advertisers who wish to attract the attention of members of the media industry. “The marketing and advertising industry has become aware of the reach and instant response that online advertising offers,” says Gordon. “Big name retail advertisers have set aside budgets for the mediums and branded goods' marketers are following suit,” she explains. “themediaonline will harness a captive audience bringing them the news as and when they want it. The home page will offer the best positions and will be sold at a premium with limited space allocations, whilst the tabbed sections will provide niche advertisers with an opportunity to reach their target market,” Gordon continues.

“The site will be updated daily and will feature the same high level of journalism and quality content that is found in our printed publication,” concludes Gordon. Breaking news, appointments, feature stories and commentary from leading columnists, as well as five years' worth of archived material from eMedia is just a sample of what themediaonline will offer its readers. In essence it will be a site that encourages fierce debate from an intelligent and conversant community.

In keeping with its tag line; “First and Foremost” themediaonline prides will strive to be the definitive news site and a media authority, a first stop for industry-specific news and a first for an information-hungry sector.