APN NZ rebrands as NZME.

Chief executive Jane Hastings with the new brand name from APN to NZME during the launch at Shed 10. Photo/Dean Purcell.

The businesses formerly known as APN NZ, TRN and GrabOne have today unified their print, radio, digital and e-commerce brands under one new, overarching brand, NZME.

The re-launch is the next major step in NZME. fully realising the power of its content, audience and eCommerce capabilities and is designed to maximise the New Zealand Group's combined asset potential.

NZME. or 'N-Zed me' stands for New Zealand Media and Entertainment and the Bay of Plenty Times is a part of this new brand.

"Our combined assets have exceptional reach in the New Zealand market with 2.9 million people connecting with our brands every week," says CEO, Jane Hastings.

"As NZME. we will be able to leverage that advantage to more effectively connect advertisers with audiences across the country."

91 per cent of large business owners and 87 per cent of SME business owners engage with NZME.'s platforms and 90 per cent of the Bay of Plenty population connects with NZME. via websites, radio and print.

Each month, NZME.'s news brands reach 2.2 million Kiwis while their sport and entertainment brands reach 1.1 million and 2.7 million Kiwis respectively.

"While APN NZ and The Radio Network will become NZME., our much loved brands don't change," Hastings explains.

The Bay of Plenty Times remains the Bay of Plenty Times.

"GrabOne is still GrabOne, NewstalkZB is still NewstalkZB and The New Zealand Herald is still The New Zealand Herald. Only where you had previously seen 'APN NZ' or 'TRN' will you now see NZME..

This will bring all of our platforms together to clearly establish us as the preferred news, sport and entertainment destination for New Zealanders."

Of the rationale behind the new name, Hastings says the 'me' in NZME. perfectly reflects that NZME.'s brands and people are always at the centre of what's going on.

"NZME. also recognises that New Zealanders want a New Zealand perspective. They want to be connected to the content they want, the way they want it and when they want it. That's what we give them," says Hastings.

She points to the integration of the New Zealand businesses being an important part of the new business strategy, which focuses on fully realising the power of NZME's combined content, audience and eCommerce capabilities.

"We are committed to being multi-platform, to being the biggest creators of locally produced news, sport and entertainment in the country whilst connecting with the best international content.

"NZME. is uniquely positioned to deliver relevant and vertically integrated content. We can provide the innovation and solutions our advertisers need to connect with our audiences so they can better market their brands, products and services. This is another important step in our exciting journey," says Hastings.

Subscribers to the Bay of Plenty Times and The New Zealand Herald and our other regional newspapers will continue to have their newspapers delivered each day and there will be no change to their billing at this time.

The company's new corporate website can be accessed from today at www.nzme.co.nz.