Our Experience

About the client

Southern Cross View is the digital media arm of Southern Cross Broadcasting which operates eight radio stations and 34 regional television stations along with a television production and distribution business.

The challenge

Southern Cross View needed to find a way to amalgamate diverse content from its regional television stations and national talk radio network while connecting to their vast audience of viewers and listeners through the Internet. They needed to create a forum that was a source of local information, while also providing national coverage and current affairs.

Southern Cross View also needed to implement a content management system that allowed journalists to enter content easily and quickly.

The solution

Southern Cross View appointed HotHouse to build a unique news and current affairs website and data-casting service called Mytalk.com.au. Set with a nine-week development timeframe, HotHouse took the unorthodox route of building the solution using Microsoft SharePoint. At the back end, lists were created in SharePoint in which to hold the content which included radio highlights, podcasts and streaming video.

Business results

At Mytalk.com.au users can watch or listen live to any of Southern Cross Broadcasting’s talk and music radio stations, including 3AW, 2UE, 4BC and 6PR, post comments in forums, catch up on sports scores, check the weather and local TV Guides. Radio announcers encourage listeners to go online and have their say. The content management system enables journalists to provide more in-depth coverage of local issues.

Southern Cross View saw a 78 per cent increase in page impressions over the previous Southern Cross websites and a 21 per cent growth in membership.

The great thing about the forums and blogs on the Mytalk website is that it also offers so much potential for that audience to contribute back to us as well.Simon Revelman, Technical Director, Southern Cross View