By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
South African media company Media24 is set to shut down four of its iconic print publications, including titles such as City Press, Rapport, Beeld and the Daily Sun.
Moneyweb quoted four sources at the media24 have independently confirmed that a decision has been made to close the newspapers, while the only print publication that will remain in circulation is Die Burger.
In a short statement, Media24 said it continuously reviews its operations to protect viability and long-term sustainability as it transitions to an increasingly digital media landscape.
“We will also continue to consult with staff about any potential and subsequent actions and remain committed to following due process,” said Ishmet Davidson, CEO of Media24.
“We do not comment on the details of any internal processes.”
In 2020, the media giant stopped its distribution of its popular magazines Drum, True Love and Move due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Rapport, was established in 1970 and was formerly known as the Die Beeld, an Afrikaans Sunday newspaper in the 1960s. Die Beeld would later merge with Dagbreek, another Afrikaans publication to create Rapport.
City Press was established by Jim Bailey and the South African Associated Newspapers (SAAN) group in 1982 as the Golden City Press. The next year, the word Golden was dropped form the title of the newspaper.
After SAAN withdrew and the newspaper faced financial challenges, Nasionale Pers, the name that Media24 owner Naspers was known as, took over. The Daily Sun was launched in 2002 as a successful tabloid aimed at urban black readers.