Press Release
FAIRFAX TO DIGITISE NEWSPAPER ARCHIVE-- Olive Software announced as Technology Partner
SYDNEY, Australia, May 4, 2006 - Fairfax has announced it will digitise past editions of The Sydney Morning Herald, and The Sun-Herald. The first phase of the project will digitise these mastheads from 1955 to 1990. Text from 1990 to date is available on Fairfax Digital's NewsStore.
After an extensive world-wide search, Fairfax has selected Olive Software to be its technology partner for this exciting new venture. Olive Software is the world leader in newspaper digitisation. Other Olive Software clients include The Scotsman, Washington Post, Chicago Sun Times, CanWest Mediaworks Publications and The West Australian.
Announcing the new project, Dean Leith, Fairfax Information Services Manager said: "Our customers have long demanded access to the Fairfax archive. Previously, the archive has only been available to those prepared to diligently scan through reams of microfilm at major libraries. "It is exciting to be able to open the archive up to the public in a way that will be easy to use. "It also opens up a new revenue stream for Fairfax while providing researchers access to such a valuable resource.
Francis Armstrong, Managing Director of Smedia, a distributor of Olive Software in Australia said: "We are delighted to be chosen by Fairfax to work on the newspaper digitisation project. Olive Software continues to lead the world in offering newspaper publishers practical solutions to modernising and accessing their archives. We look forward to working with Fairfax to leverage their valuable archives in to new revenue streams."
The first phase of the project is expected to be completed by November, 2006, the year of the Sydney Morning Herald's 175th Anniversary.