This has not been a good week for the South African media industry, with the closure of the Associated Media Publishing, publisher of several glossy magazines, and news that Caxton is closing its magazine division.
Years of declining circulation were compounded by the loss of advertising revenue due to the coronavirus pandemic, which dealt these publications a death blow. Many journalists, designers, photographers and sales and support staff are now among the growing number of jobless South Africans.
But financial woes are not the only challenge facing the South African media landscape.
The South African government has adopted a strategy of centralising communication with the media on the coronavirus pandemic. Community news media may well feel the consequences of this decision most severely, particularly in their communication with police. But local journalists writing for Boland Media have built excellent relationships of trust with local police spokespeople, which enables them to report quickly and accurately on local news.
This status quo may well hang in the balance now as strict orders from the top make local spokespeople nervous even to comment on normal crime incidents in their precinct.
Journalists around the world observed Press Freedom Day on Monday 4 May with growing concern that governments are trying to control the flow of information in a time when accurate and fearless journalism is needed most.
We will, however, continue to do our duty diligently and report the news, and keep our readers informed, entertained and armed with facts.
