Caxton voices concerns over Media24 titles cull

Ray White is joined by William Bird from Media Monitoring Africa.

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Caxton and CTP Publishers have launched an extraordinary attack against Media24, weeks after the media house announced it was to close several of its titles.

In a statement which appeared in Rapport, Beeld, and City Press, Caxton chair Paul Jenkins said the move threatens 'to create a significant void in the country’s media landscape'.

Bird says it's an 'extraordinary' move by Caxton.

"It's an extraordinary turn of events that you'd have one of their competitors saying, don't close these media titles."

William Bird, Director - Media Monitoring Africa

Does the shutting down of these titles single the death knell for all print media, asks White.

Not necessarily, suggests Bird.

"I suspect that there is going to continue to be a niche market for actual printed newspapers."

William Bird, Director - Media Monitoring Africa

"The need for quality news journalism has actually increased because there is so much information that your need to find something that is credible and accurate and reliable is even more essential."

William Bird, Director - Media Monitoring Africa

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Bird says the economic models to run print media are no longer viable.

"Those print titles, it's just too expensive to run them."

William Bird, Director - Media Monitoring Africa

Last month, Media24 CEO Ishmet Davidson confirmed that print editions of Beeld, Rapport, City Press, Daily Sun, and Soccer Laduma will be discontinued.

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