HONOLULU, April 27, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The annual Mega-Conference, the only major newspaper industry conference of 2018, selected the Honolulu Star-Advertiser as the winner of its Innovation Award for the creation and successful execution of its Digital Billboard Network (DBN), a new type of digital out-of-home (DOOH) broadcast system that generated over $1.2 million in incremental revenue during the first year. The Mega-Conference was held February 26-28 in San Diego.

The Star-Advertiser DBN system also was recognized by Editor & Publisher® as one of the "10 Newspapers That Do It Right 2018" as well as being nominated in four categories for the INMA (International News Media Association) Global Media Awards.

Recognizing the challenges and impact that new technology has had on the media landscape for media outlets and advertisers, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser identified an opportunity to use the new DBN technology to provide clients with an innovative digital out-of-home advertising option that is measurable, engages customers and creates awareness of their products and services.

"As Hawaii's largest media company, Oahu Publications, Inc. (OPI), the parent company of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, was able to leverage our strengths to launch a digital broadcast product with online video content that was relevant to consumers and advertisers, and as a result, created a new profit center that achieved over $1.2 million in annual incremental revenue during its first year," said J. David Kennedy, chief revenue officer for OPI and the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. "The results have been impressive with nearly 900,000 views in January 2018, resulting in a daily audience that rivals that of local radio or television morning shows. We proved that innovation and the creation of valuable marketing products that generate new sources of revenue are paramount to not only surviving in challenging times, but growing and thriving."

"As a result of the DBN screens, single copy sales of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser have increased significantly and we plan to expand the DOOH network to more locations in Hawaii," continued Kennedy. "With the decline of traditional broadcast media audiences, many of our existing advertising clients, as well as a new client base which makes up 85 percent of our DBN clients, are excited about this new advertising option and now utilize the DBN system to broadcast their existing television commercials or new content that we create."

Digital technology has made a positive impact on the DOOH market globally which is expected to reach $26.21 billion by 2023. Advertisers are recognizing the value of this new DOOH solution as substantiated by recent statistics stating the Honolulu Star-Advertiser's DBN system is among the top five traditional broadcasters in the state of Hawaii.

DBN features a computer screen that sits on top of an existing Honolulu Star-Advertiser newspaper rack and runs a seven-minute loop of news, point-of-sale messaging and 15-second advertising commercials in over 100 high-traffic retail areas on Oahu. The screens use a facial detection technology called SiteView that can distinguish the gender and age bracket of the viewer to create a demographic profile that provides retailers with the number of times the content is viewed and traffic flow by different parts of the day at each DBN location.

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser DBN was also recognized by Editor & Publisher® as one of the "10 Newspapers That Do It Right 2018," and was nominated in four categories for the INMA (International News Media Association) Global Media Awards. The final INMA competition takes place on June 4 in Washington, D.C.

Recent accolades for the Honolulu Star-Advertiser's Digital Billboard Network include:

• Mega-Conference – Innovation Award Winner for its Digital Billboard Network

The Mega-Conference was hosted by the Inland Press Association, Local Media Association, the Southern Newspaper Publishers Association, the News Media Alliance, and in association with the California News Media Alliance.

http://www.mega-conference.com/mega,4140504

• Editor & Publisher – Honolulu Star-Advertiser recognized as one of the "10 Newspapers That Do It Right 2018."

This prestigious publication recognizes the biggest and brightest ideas taking place in the newspaper industry.

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/feature/10-newspapers-that-do-it-right-2018-recognizing-success-in-pioneering-newsrooms-advertising-growth-and-community-engagement/

• INMA (International News Media Association) Global Media Awards

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser is a finalist in four categories for its Digital Billboard Network. The final competition takes place on June 4 in Washington, D.C.

https://www.inma.org/blogs/main/post.cfm/inma-global-media-awards-finalists-announced

Category 8: Best Use of Technology to Generate Revenue and Engage

Category 13: Best Idea to Grow Advertising Sales or Retain Advertising Clients

Category 19: Best New Corporate Innovation Initiative

Category 20: Best New Concept or Innovation to Create New Profit Centers

About the Honolulu Star-Advertiser
The Honolulu Star-Advertiser published its first edition on June 7, 2010, combining the best of the 128-year-old Honolulu Star-Bulletin and the 154-year-old Honolulu Advertiser. The newspaper is managed by Oahu Publications Inc., a subsidiary of Black Press.

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser ranks 12^th in the nation's top 15 largest U.S. daily newspapers and boasts the number one newspaper readership in the nation among daily newspapers in major metropolitan markets with an adult population greater than 500,000. The newsroom and administrative offices continue to occupy offices that had been home to the Star-Bulletin at 500 Ala Moana Boulevard in Waterfront Plaza. For more information, visit: www.staradvertiser.com

About Oahu Publications Inc.
Oahu Publications Inc. (OPI) is the parent company of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Honolulu's only daily newspaper and Hawaii's leading provider of in-depth, consistent and credible local news and information, as well as MidWeek, Oahu's most widely distributed weekly publication. Additional newspaper reach includes USA Today Hawaii Edition, The Garden Island, Hawaii Tribune-Herald, West Hawaii Today, three military newspapers including Hawaii Army Weekly, Marine Star and Hoʻokele, as well as TGIF, Street Pulse and Big Island TV Week.

OPI's portfolio includes 12 websites and the company's magazine division produces numerous publications including HILuxury, Go Kailua, Go Kapolei, Aloha Hilton Hawaiian Village, Aloha Hilton Waikoloa, Disney Aulani, Trump Hoʻokipa, Kahala Life, Waikiki Magazine, Drive and 101 Things to Do: Oahu, Maui, Big Island and Kauai. For more information about OPI visit: www.oahupublications.com.

Contact:
Dave Kennedy
Chief Revenue Officer
Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Oahu Publications, Inc.
(808) 529-4700
DKennedy@staradvertiser.com

SOURCE Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Related Links

http://www.staradvertiser.com