- TheDigitel
Infobox Newspaper
name = TheDigitel
caption = TheJuly 4 ,2008 front page of the
"The Digitel"
type =Alternative press
format =Online
foundation =2008
ceased publication =
price = Free
owners = Independent
publisher = [http://www.gianthawk.com/ Giant Hawk Media]
editor =
language =
headquarters = 164 Market St. #281
Charleston, SC 29401
USA
ISSN =
website = [http://www.thedigitel.com/ thedigitel.com]TheDigitel is an
alternative press product published online inCharleston, South Carolina . The company seeks to ease readers' lives by reducinginformation overload by focusing on connecting readers to information first, and reporting information second. [cite web|url=http://www.thedigitel.com/guides-and-resources/about-thedigitelcom|title=About TheDigitel|accessdate=2008-06-28] The idea is to connect the content seeker with the appropriate content producer, creating a win-win for both parties. Efforts are made to source content indiscriminately to put the focus on speech over speaker.The Web site is among the top five in Charleston's news Web site market. [cite web|url=http://www.alexa.com/data/details/traffic_details/thedigitel.com?site0=thedigitel.com&site1=charlestoncitypaper.com&site2=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.charlestonbusiness.com%2F&site3=charleston.net&site4=live5news.com&y=r&z=3&h=300&w=470&c=1&u%5B%5D=thedigitel.com&u%5B%5D=charlestoncitypaper.com&u%5B%5D=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.charlestonbusiness.com%2F&u%5B%5D=charleston.net&u%5B%5D=live5news.com&x=2008-08-17T05%3A02%3A27.000Z&check=www.alexa.com&
|title=Alexa traffic details|accessdate=2008-08-17]
The product differs drastically from other major media players in Charleston because of its focus on information linkage over proprietary reporting.
About the company and product
TheDigitel covers local news, politics, places, events, and happenings in the Charleston area. Its main target audience is young professionals and college students. TheDigitel is free and financed through advertising.
The name is a blending of the words "Digital" and "Telegraph" to form "TheDigitel." The words were used as both the telegraph and digital technology have revolutionized communication. Also, "telegraph" has long been a term used in the newspaper industry in relation to wire stories because of the method in which they used to be received.
How it works
TheDigitel primarily runs on paid editors, who write short summary articles on things happening in and around Charleston, then provide readers with links to other relevant content found online, including Web sites, news articles, press releases, or any other content deemed relevant to the story in question. Readers add to the dialog and stories by creating comments, suggesting stories, or even writing their own stories.
History
TheDigitel was founded by Christopher Giganti and Kenneth Hawkins in 2008 in response to their disappointment with other local news sites (both in the local market and everywhere). The creators' goal for TheDigitel was to develop a better way to distribute local information, focusing on three things: First, all local news coverage. Second, a site design that is easy to navigate and attractive, something the creators felt was not being accomplished with local media outlets' Web sites. Third, comprehensive coverage, referencing and linking to a multitude of media outlets and other sources, rather than any one in particular, in order to give readers a broader perspective.
Much of the inspiration for TheDigitel's design came from [http://informationarchitects.jp/ Information Architects'] theoretical [http://informationarchitects.jp/washington-post-redesign-as-a-wiki/ redesign of The Washington Post Web site as a wiki] , as well as a blending of the benefits of the blog format, traditional news design, and Web 2.0 principles.
Both Giganti and Hawkins worked in the newspaper industry for several years prior to starting TheDigitel. Giganti was a copy editor and page designer at
The Post and Courier in Charleston, SC, and Hawkins was a graphic designer at The Post and Courier when they began forming the idea for TheDigitel. Over the course of several months in late 2007 and early 2008, the two developed the design for TheDigitel. They both left The Post and Courier in May 2008 to begin working on TheDigitel full time.TheDigitel launched in beta mode in late May 2008 and had its official, full launch on June 16, 2008.
Technical information
TheDigitel was created using the
Drupal content-management framework, taking advantage of the open-source system to build a flexible, efficient, and straightforward infrastructure and design.References
External links
* [http://www.thedigitel.com/ TheDigitel]
* [http://www.gianthawk.com/ Giant Hawk Media]
* [http://informationarchitects.jp/ Information Architects]
* [http://informationarchitects.jp/washington-post-redesign-as-a-wiki/ Information Architects proposed redesign of The Washington Post Web site as a wiki]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.