Dominion Post
Thursday 11/12/2014
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9
Business Day
Wellington, NZ
71708
Metro
350.00 sq.cms.
press clip
Fairfax gets a
bit Neighbourly
FAIRFAX MEDIA has bought a
22.5 per cent stake in the Kiwifounded community engagement
website Neighbourly.co.nz for an
undisclosed sum.
Neighbourly.co.nz offers suburbs across New Zealand free,
private websites for neighbours
to share local information.
It was launched in June and
has more than 60,000 members in
1400 suburbs.
Fairfax Media New Zealand
managing director Simon Tong
said the company bought the
stake with an option of buying a
similar share in another six to
eight months ‘‘depending on how
we track’’.
Neighbourly.co.nz was founded by Casey Eden and the founder
of Finda, GrabOne, Pet.co.nz and
ShopHQ, Shane Bradley.
Eden said the business employed 14 staff and did not make
money. ‘‘The short answer is it’s
a long-term game,’’ he said.
The venture so far had been
privately funded, primarily by
Bradley, he said.
The partnership with Fairfax
would allow Neighbourly.co.nz to
build stronger communities and
gain increased exposure, Eden
said.
The site is at present active in
45 per cent of suburbs.
Members use the site to exchange recommendations on local
services, plan events, buy, sell
and give away items, ask questions, discuss community issues,
find lost pets and get to know one
another.
It was inspired by US-based
neighbourhood networking site
Nextdoor.com, which now has
more than 50 million members in
45,000 American neighbourhoods.
Fairfax publishes Stuff.co.nz
and Neighbourly.co.nz comple-
mented the digital strategy
around that, Tong said.
It provided a platform which
would allow Fairfax to facilitate
neighbourhood conversations
and tell stories important to
smaller communities that would
otherwise struggle to gain attention on a national level, he said.
‘‘It also ticks the boxes of the
big trends across the globe – it’s
mobile and it’s social and that is
where our audience spends much
of their time,’’ Tong said.
Eden and Bradley would steer
the direction of Neighbourly.co.nz and provide support
where necessary, he said.
‘‘They’ve got their views on
what they want to achieve.’’
Age Concern, a charitable organisation working for older
people in New Zealand, is encouraging older New Zealanders to
connect with their communities
through Neighbourly.co.nz.
Chief executive Robyn Scott
said social isolation could be a
problem for older people, and
Neighbourly.co.nz could help to
combat this.
This press clip was produced under license and a copyright fee paid. If you intend to copy this clipping (including digital conversion or storage) you must obtain a license from the
Print Media Copyright Agency. Ph: (04) 498 4488 or email [email protected]
AUS: 1300 1 SLICE NZ: 0800 1 SLICE
[email protected]
Page 1 of 2
Ref: 351208164
Dominion Post
Thursday 11/12/2014
Page:
Section:
Region:
Circulation:
Type:
Size:
9
Business Day
Wellington, NZ
71708
Metro
350.00 sq.cms.
press clip
Partners: Fairfax Media New Zealand has bought 22.5 per cent of Neighbourly.co.nz, with the option to increase its share
in six to eight months. From left, Fairfax product development director Robert Hutchinson, Neighbourly co-founder and
managing director Casey Eden, Neighbourly co-founder Shane Bradley and Fairfax Media NZ managing director Simon Tong.
Photo: FAIRFAX NZ
This press clip was produced under license and a copyright fee paid. If you intend to copy this clipping (including digital conversion or storage) you must obtain a license from the
Print Media Copyright Agency. Ph: (04) 498 4488 or email [email protected]
AUS: 1300 1 SLICE NZ: 0800 1 SLICE
[email protected]
Page 2 of 2
Ref: 351208164