Times Media moves business news websites to Google App Engine

It is also one of the first major publishers in South Africa to force the HTTPS protocol across all its business websites to guarantee the authenticity of its content and protect the privacy and security of its readers, journalists and editors.

The company is also moving fast on Progressive Web App (PWA) enabled sites. The technology promises performance benefits to optimise reader engagement and further enhance confidence in the integrity of news content.

“The move to a serverless computing environment allows the company to future-proof its infrastructure and be instantly scalable for our fast-growing audiences. The data and analytics we receive from the Google platform allows us to build better products for our readers and advertisers alike,” says Percy Goetsch, head of product in Times Media’s digital division.

With the implementation of HTTPS and PWA, TMG is able to provide additional app-like features to its growing mobile audience.

“PWA makes sites more reliable, they load instantly, and rarely show latency even in uncertain network conditions. Websites are fast and respond quickly to user interactions with smooth animations and no jerky scrolling. Also, they are engaging and feel like a native app on any device, offering an immersive reader experience.”

With the proliferation of ‘fake news’, the technological approach also highlights its commitment to maintaining the credibility of its titles and its service to the imperatives of a democracy.

“The HTTPS implementation allows us to safeguard the news websites more effectively from third party attacks and hijacking, which not only protects our readers from malware and viruses, but also guarantees that the content they are reading is bona fide and originates from a trusted newsroom,” concludes Goetsch.