Stuff expands rural offering

AUCKLAND, Today: Stuff is raising its reach into rural audiences, with a sharp new omni-channel offering aimed at farming decision-makers.

Stuff chief content officer Joanna Norris says the new Rural section on Stuff’s homepage will be packed daily with written, video and audio content.

“Stuff reaches more rural New Zealanders and is based in more rural communities than any other media organisation,” she said.

“The Rural section will cover the latest news affecting the sector, including economic trends, agri-business, motoring and living.

“Content is generated by Stuff’s team of journalists across the country as well as established content partners that add value to the Stuff offering.”

“We have more journalists in more parts of rural and regional New Zealand than any other media company – our people report from the communities they live in.

“This is the next step in our ambition to further grow the Rural audience and engagement, and we look forward to revealing more plans later this year.”

“The boosted channel builds on Stuff’s long-standing connection to rural audiences through its regional newspapers – the Farming First newspaper distributed via rural delivery, the Ag Trader classified paper, and in partnership with Federated Farmers, the Fed News.

“This is the next step in our ambition to further grow the Rural audience and engagement, and we look forward to revealing more plans later this year.”

Stuff head of Rural Lee Piper says the combination of print and digital channels presents a compelling opportunity for businesses wanting to reach rural audiences.

“Stuff reaches more than 370,000 rural decision-makers and farmers across digital and print – that’s 87% of the total market, spanning the length of the country including the orchards of the Far North to the dairy farms of Southland, with detours through New Zealand’s farming heartland.

“We are continuing to build out a range of exciting partnership options to help businesses reach key rural and agri-business decision makers.”