All 66 journalists facing the chopping block will retain their jobs, Media24 has announced. They will be incorporated into Netwerk24, News24 and the Daily Sun website. And Beeld newspaper is no longer for sale.
“From the outset, Media24 undertook to keep job losses – particularly of our journalists – to a minimum and this is an important breakthrough in our consultations with staff around the proposed closures of the print editions of Beeld, City Press, Daily Sun and Rapport,” said Ishmet Davidson, CEO of Media24.
“The decision, approved by the Media24 board, follows robust discussions and debates with our editors that went beyond the transition from ink on paper to digital in line with irreversible consumer trends and preferences. I firmly believe this is a solution that serves journalism at large.”
Davidson said although Media24 anticipated that the PDF versions of Beeld and Volksblad would no longer be available, the teams are working on plans to provide a digital presence for these historical and beloved brands on Netwerk24.”
Consultations are set to continue with the rest of the staff affected by the proposed restructurings and divestitures at Media24.
Davidson said retaining the newspaper journalists would give Media24’s digital newsrooms “the best chance at continued success in producing journalism which holds truth to account and protects our fragile democracy. While this decision holds cost implications, we firmly believe that it is an important investment in and commitment to the future of quality journalism”.
Aa Competition Commission case is imminent on the proposed sale of On the Dot, its media logistics operation, the community newspaper portfolio and Soccer Laduma/Kick Off to Novus Holdings.
Davidson said, “We will be filing our application shortly and expect a decision from the Commission by the end of October 2024.”
