FOR 35 years, SunStar has always been ahead of the pack when it comes to community news and information. It remains one of the most trusted media companies in the country and has been working hard to maintain the brand of journalism it carries over the Internet since 2000.
Now, SunStar is leading the way toward staying relevant and useful to its millions of readers both offline and online. It has produced digital products and services one shouldn’t miss. Among them are the following.
Newsletters
Make the readers’ lives easier. This is one objective of coming up with newsletters, said Nini Cabaero, editor-in-chief of SunStar Network Exchange (Sunnex), the new media department of SunStar Publishing Inc.
“The newsletter is customizable. You select only what you’re interested in. And then you get that on a regular basis. It’s an additional platform for us to promote SunStar materials to readers,” she said.
SunStar has 15 newsletters as of November 2017. Readers can select between daily and weekly newsletters, from SunStar or Superbalita publications, to niche content like food, technology, or travel, among others. This is one of SunStar’s latest digital services, launched in September this year. To subscribe, go to www. sunstar.com.ph/subscribe.
Chatbot
The rise of chatbots seems to have been inevitable, with billions of people now using messenger apps to connect with friends and new acquaintances.
To talk to these people, reach a wider audience, and keep up with the changing media landscape, SunStar has launched a messenger bot on Facebook under the SunStar Philippines page.
The bot provides SunStar Philippines’ followers the country’s latest news through Facebook Messenger. Top stories of the day, breaking news, and local updates from 12 major areas in the country can be accessed through the messaging app.
Users can also send inquiries and inform SunStar of newsworthy information by submitting a news tip.
MySunStar
MySunStar is SunStar’s dedicated mobile application that was launched in 2015. Its latest version, featuring a new look and another service, the Classifieds, is now available for download on Google Play.
“We improved the design, the ease of use, and we added some sections, but the most important innovation is the classified ads, because for the first time we will be allowing people to use their phones to post their ads and even to pay for their ads,” Cabaero said.
The Classifieds section has several categories, such as motors, gadgets, fashion, food, house items, hobbies, pets, jobs, and properties.
“If you just want to sell a puppy, for example, all you have to do is take a picture, type a few characters to describe it, name your price, put on your own contact details, post and pay,” Cabaero said.
Web TV
SunStar Web TV is a repository of community news and information presented through videos, audio, photos, infographics, timeline, etc. It highlights SunStar Lite On, a program that airs twice a day in SunStar Philippines Facebook page at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m., from Monday to Friday.
SunStar Lite on carries soft news, entertainment, viral and world stories, sports, technology, business, weather, and more.
“People are more visual now and video attracts attention more than text, even photos. Selection of information now is video-based more than text-based,” Cabaero said.
She said SunStar envisions to create more programs in the Web TV that will establish a personal experience with the people.
Other products, services
SunStar also has an e-paper where users can read SunStar in its true printed format form anytime, anywhere.
To get the latest news and updates, people may also follow SunStar on Facebook Twitter, and YouTube.