“Our readers will be able to save the articles that they are interested in, rather than printing them out, or storing them as PDFs and, over time, they will be able to develop their own personal online library of what they are most interested in,” Creamer explains.

The website, which will relaunch on June 20, will also introduce a Press Office section, which will give organisations, such as law firms, policy think-tanks, academic research institutes and government research bodies, among others, the opportunity to consolidate a branded digital collection of their editorial coverage, press releases and advertorial material on Polity.

“An online Press Office is an important part of most companies’ digital marketing strategies. Press Offices offer great marketing and branding opportunities, as they package, all in one place, editorial references, key contact details, a company’s logo, the company’s social media links and customised colours and images, which can be updated at any point in time,” says Creamer Media COO of sales and marketing Reinette Classen.

Press Offices, which have already proved highly successful on Creamer Media’s Engineering News and Mining Weekly websites, will feature prominently on the main navigation of the Polity website. Press Offices will also be available on the redesigned Polity mobi- site, which is accessible at m.polity.org.za.

Unlike the previous Polity mobi-site, which only offered a newsfeed, the new mobile version will be much improved, with a navigation system that enables readers to have mobile access to all Polity’s unique content and Press Offices. Mobi-site readers who register will also be able to use the ‘Save Article’ functionality.

“We have spent a great deal of time working on the redesign of Polity’s mobi-site, as we find that more than 20% of our online readers are now reading our sites on their mobile devices,” says Creamer. Polity’s apps for iPhone and Android devices are also being updated.

Polity boasts a distinguished history since its inception in the mid-1990s. Its original founder, antiapartheid activist Tim Jenkin, escaped from the notorious Pretoria Central Prison by walking through 20 prison doors using wooden keys he fashioned from broomstick handles. Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe, who plays the hero in the JK Rowling fantasy series, will be playing Jenkin in an upcoming film about his brazen escape.