MEDIA24 CLOSES MOST OF ITS NEWSPAPERS

It’s been hailed the end of an era when Media24 announced that it has started the ball rolling on closing most of its mainstream print publications.

The list of publications to close in October, includes City Press, Rapport, Beeld, and Daily Sun.

Local news reports have suggested that the only print publication that forms part of the Media24 that will remain is Die Burger.

Die Burger is the only mainstream print publication headquartered in Cape Town where Media24 is also headquartered. The other publications are all based in Johannesburg.

At this stage, it’s unclear whether Media24 will still focus on the online versions of the publications. Most of the publications’ content is used for News24 and Netwerk24.

The print publications’ rivals, Sunday Times and Business Day are also feeling the pressure but haven’t announced any closures or retrenchments yet.

Since the announcement, several of the affected editors have said that they weren’t aware of the possible closures.

One of the editors said: “We are reeling from shock. The idea that we could be unemployed before the end of the year hit home. That our CEO [Ishmet Davidson} could not say to those writing about the impending closure that they would not shut us down hit a nerve”.

Image credit: TimesLive