400 job cuts? Media24 shuts down printed Beeld, Rapport, City Press, Daily Sun, Soccer Laduma

Lester Kiewit interviews William Bird, Founder of Media Monitoring Africa.

Listen below.

Media24 is forever ending the publication of five newspapers, putting 400 jobs at risk.

CEO Ishmet Davidson delivered the news during a town hall meeting, outlining potential layoffs and job transfers.

According to Davidson:

• Print editions of Beeld, Rapport, City Press, Daily Sun, and Soccer Laduma will be discontinued
• Digital publications of Volksblad and Die Burger Oos-Kaap will also cease
• The digital hub SNL24 will be shut down
• Rapport, City Press, and Daily Sun will transition to operate solely as digital brands
• Additionally, Media24 plans to sell its media logistics business On the Dot and its community newspaper portfolio to Novus Holdings

The demand for news remains strong, but the economics of printing newspapers have become increasingly untenable, says Bird, due to the massive shift in print and traditional advertising to digital platforms.

Bird raises serious concerns about the implications for democracy, particularly in light of persistently high unemployment rates and the broader impacts on related industries.

"It's 400 jobs... a horrific thing."

- William Bird, Founder – Media Monitoring Africa

"It's going to have devastating consequences far beyond just these five particular titles."

- William Bird, Founder – Media Monitoring Africa

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.