The Daily Sun has reached over 103 000 Facebook ‘likes’ making it the ninth largest media page in South Africa, according to socialbakers.com, and putting it ahead of the likes of Drum and DStv.
The newspaper with over five million readers of its print edition now has the biggest and most powerful social media presence of any newspaper across the country.
Working with RedInk Multimedia, a specialised digisocial, online strategy and communications agency, the Daily Sun has developed a long-term digital strategy, which grows and adapts as its readers becomes ready for the next step.
The newspaper went social in 2011, and has built a loyal online community via its Facebook page. Over three quarters of the paper’s Facebook fans access the site via cellphones, proving that mobile is the way to communicate with Sun readers.
“The paper represents the voiceless and we rely on papers like the Daily Sun to tell our stories,” said fan Sidney Moya.
The newspaper made headlines itself last week when it broke the story of Mido Macia, the Mozambican taxi driver who was tied to a police van and dragged through the streets of Daveyton, in Gauteng. Macia later died in police custody, and eight policemen were arrested and charged with his murder.
It also showed the power of its Facebook presence by posting the video of Macia’s ordeal on its Facebook site, creating a worldwide outcry over the fate of the taxi driver, and the brutality of the South Africa police.
“Killer cops – new video shows police version is NOT true
THE PICTURES THAT DON’T LIE!
New video disputes the version police gave. The taxi driver DIDN’T assault cops. He didn’t grab a gun. It took 5 cops to pin him down.”
It was a Daily Sun reader who took cellphone footage of the brutal incident, material that was screened worldwide. ‘Murdered by the South African Police’, the headline shouted. But it was on Facebook that the Daily Sun’s readers vented their anger over the incident.
“We never feel safe in the hands of our police force! First Tatane was killed by police brutally, Marikana miners also died at the hands of police now Macia! There’s a pattern here something needs 2 change in our police force,” said reader Londiwe Nyongwana
At the same time, the paper opened the space for its readers to help with donations for Macia’s funeral.
