02 October, 2009-Digital Technology International (DTI^TM) has announced that, after a year-long reviewing process, Sun Coast Media Group, Inc. (SCMG) publisher of the Sun Newspapers in Florida, has signed an agreement to install DTI's ContentPublisher, DTI Lightning and eArchive at their 11 locations. SCMG will be using the software in DTI Cloud, a SaaS computing environment hosted on an Internap server bank in Chandler, Arizona.

SCMG's current system uses Quark 4 for page layout and NewsEdit for writing stories. "We put off upgrading Quark and other programs until we made some decisions about the computers we would be investing in, but this also kept us from upgrading our Macintosh computers for the last several years. Consequently the technological support for these old Mac (pre-OSX) systems began to dry up and it became impossible for our employees to access websites, e-mail and other programs essential to day-to-day job functions. As we explored our options for upgrading our computers, we decided we wanted an integrated newsroom system that would open up possibilities for publishing in print, on Web, and in other current and future technological directions," said Chris Porter, executive editor for the daily (SCMG) papers.

SCMG sought feedback from at least six companies which would have been capable of providing the technology to help speed and automate processes, and page production. After a little over one year of reviewing the content submitted by those vendors, reference checking, on-site software demonstrations, teleconferences, Web-ex demos and visits to other newspapers, SCMG has chosen to partner with DTI for the next five years.

"It was decided by our evaluation team to go with DTI because they appear to stay ahead of the curve in technology with user-friendly software, and had proven ability to interface with the multiple secondary systems we use for other aspects of the newspaper while staying affordable with their SaaS (Software-as-a-service) 'cloud' computing option," said Jim Merchant, editorial systems manager, SCMG.
"SCMG and its employees are looking forward to a long-term relationship with DTI and welcome others to visit our site to see this software hard at work."

"Working with Sun Coast Media through their evaluation process was rewarding and it really validated our DTI Cloud direction and offering," said Dan Paulus, vice president, sales, DTI. "We witnessed a very progressive-thinking organization deciding to do business in a new way. SCMG will be able to preserve capital, immediately lower costs, and, having their solutions in DTI Cloud gives them new operational efficiencies and competitive advantages that are critical. It's an ideal and a much-needed transformation for SCMG, and for the industry."

About Sun Coast Media Group, Inc. - SCMG is privately owned by Derek Dunn-Rankin, CEO, his family and employee shareholders. Its corporate office is in Venice, Florida. SCMG has 11 newspapers under its umbrella. The papers are printed in one of their two printer centers, in Charlotte Harbor, and Venice, Florida.