Back to basics on TVNZ's website

By PETER GRIFFIN

TVNZ is dropping its nzoom.com website name in favour of a BBC-style one-stop shop.

After extensively pushing the nzoom brand with advertisements showing homesick Kiwi expatriates logging on for news from home, TVNZ will from October direct web surfers to the more straightforward www.tvnz.co.nz for news, sport and entertainment content.

Redundancies among nzoom's 60 staff are likely, and will be finalised in the next few weeks.

Firmly back within the TVNZ fold, the website is expected to focus on its core strengths of news and sport, culling workers in areas such as features, web-based video content and commercial services.

But most of nzoom's staff may be needed to fulfill TVNZ's lofty new ambitions.

Its head of content, Stephen Smith, said online content would increasingly add more depth to programmes screened on TV One and TV2, and place more emphasis on supporting charter requirements.

"When nzoom was created it anticipated a level of independence from TVNZ, but with the direction we're taking in a charter and Crown-owned type environment this is no longer appropriate," said Mr Smith.

As an example of what TVNZ had in mind, he cited a "huge" Canadian Broadcasting Corporation documentary series on Canada's history.

"There was a very rich web presence, a DVD and other related activity," he said.

A similar project exploring the history of New Zealand was on the cards for TVNZ and it would have a strong online element.

But TVNZ would continue to seek online advertising and would run the website as a commercial venture.

"The Olympics, which are coming up next year, are a good example," he said.

"They have a public service and a commercial dimension."

Nzoom has been losing money since it was set up about three years ago.

Sources close to the company say it was expected to turn a profit next year.

Nzoom is ranked second among New Zealand online news services in measures of unique users per month, behind the New Zealand Herald's website, nzherald.co.nz.

Data from web ratings agency Red Sheriff show that in March the Herald's site received more than 900,000 visitors from around the world, roughly the same number as nzoom and INL's stuff.co.nz combined.

Red Sheriff's managing director, Mark Ottaway, said nzoom had done particularly well with its entertainment and sport content, but had visions of being a full portal provider like XtraMSN, the partnership between Telecom's internet provider and Microsoft.

"Nzoom have a big operation," he said.

"They were planning to make some big money out of areas such as travel."