Web Week

Studying students

Nielsen//NetRatings has been taking a look at students' online behaviour. Varsity.co.nz boasts the highest proportion of students among its visitors of those sites Nielsen monitored.

The site is about five years old and was started as a "channel" to the national student population, said founder Jeremy Hunt, intended to compete with university magazines such as Craccum and Salient.

"There was no specific desire to do it online at the time," said Hunt. "It was just the easiest way to do it."

The site has since spawned a bi-monthly magazine, Lucid, and employs a handful of staff.

Much of the online content is provided by students. Membership of the site is encouraged, although not necessary to access the content (members get to win stuff, said Hunt).