Digeratus has also made a conscious effort to enter the market as a cost-competitive alternative. "We have seen monitoring costs escalate dramatically over the past 12 months," says Jane, "and this is ironic considering the fact that the actual process of media monitoring has in many respects become easier and cheaper. So we are very much focused on providing an excellent, reliable and cost effective service that is driven by client demand. Decent competition is always good for any sector; the client will always be the winner when there is exceptional service at a good price, as it forces the whole industry to reevaluate service levels."
The Digeratus directors are all old hands in the media monitoring sector, and bring many years of experience and passion for the industry to the venture. Jane Duminy and Greg Forsythe both worked in media monitoring in the UK and were founding partners of Monitoring South Africa, while Isaac Bosoga worked for Intranews for many years.
Isaac is thrilled to be a stakeholder in the new venture as he has always loved the industry, finding it constantly challenging and exciting. "For me this is the realisation of a dream," says Isaac. "I am back doing what I love and I am very motivated by the fact that I own a percentage of the company."
As with Intranews, Digeratus offers a free broadcast notification service and charges only for clips and transcripts ordered, as well as providing one off copies for clients on request. The company also offers monthly contracts for print, broadcast and online monitoring. Says Jane, "This is a model that has worked very well for us over the years; we believe that it enables us to keep in touch with our clients and the market and to develop and maintain personal relationships so that clients trust us to handle their ongoing work."
The company currently has offices in KZN and Gauteng, with plans for a Western Cape branch in the near future. Digeratus can be contacted on 031 7641257, or on 012 335 0547.
