Newstalk ZB

Newstalk ZB is a leading News Radio Station in NZ, I worked as the Lead UX Designer on this project. 

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Case Study: Newstalk ZB Website Technology and UX Overview

Overview

Newstalk ZB is a leading New Zealand news and talk radio platform, offering a mix of live streaming, breaking news, and on-demand content. The website plays a critical role in delivering news to users across devices and platforms, and has been developed to meet the needs of mobile listeners, desktop users, and voice-assisted interfaces.

This case study outlines the technology stack and inferred UX strategies that support the Newstalk ZB digital experience.

Technology Stack

Hosting and CDN
The Newstalk ZB website is served through Cloudflare. This content delivery network provides performance benefits including caching, enhanced site security, and protection from distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks.

CMS and Backend
DNS and hosting references indicate that the site operates on a system identified as “umbraco-nzb-frontend,” which points to the use of Umbraco CMS. The CMS appears to be hosted within the Microsoft Azure cloud platform. The backend is powered by ASP.NET, confirming the use of a .NET-based infrastructure.

Analytics
Google Analytics is used to track engagement across the site, providing insight into user behavior and content performance.

User Experience and Design

Although no public documentation outlines the specific UX processes used, the design and functionality of the site suggest a set of well-established user experience practices:

Responsive-First Design
The website is fully accessible across devices, with a mobile-optimized interface that supports on-the-go listening and reading. The interface adjusts gracefully between smartphones, tablets, and desktop devices.

Structured Content Hierarchy
The site employs semantic headings and visual hierarchy to aid scanability and content discovery. This approach improves readability and aligns with standard UX best practices for news platforms.

Media Integration
Embedded media such as audio streams and video content are delivered through iframes. This allows users to listen to live broadcasts and view video content directly in-browser without redirection.

Real-Time Content Delivery
News updates, live bulletins, and media streams are frequently refreshed. This suggests the use of automated content delivery pipelines linked to the CMS, supporting rapid publishing and syndication.

Cross-Device Support
The site delivers a consistent user experience across various devices, from mobile phones and in-car audio systems to desktop browsers.

Voice Assistant Compatibility
Newstalk ZB has developed Alexa skills for smart speakers, offering users the ability to access flash briefings and updates through voice-enabled interfaces. This demonstrates a commitment to accessibility and hands-free content consumption.

Summary

Conclusion

Newstalk ZB combines a mature .NET and Umbraco CMS architecture with robust delivery infrastructure through Cloudflare. The platform supports a dynamic, scalable experience that caters to mobile users, desktop readers, and voice-assisted devices. Its integration of real-time multimedia and accessibility-focused features positions it as a strong example of modern media UX in the New Zealand market.