Ads 24 titles maintaining quality across platforms

BRAND ACTIVITY

Aug 13th, 13:41

The global media industry is still recovering from the surprise buyout by internet icon Jeff Bezos of the venerable Washington Post, a move which has been likened to the surfer being saved by the shark! Minette Ferreira, General Manager of Media24 News North (Daily Sun, City Press, Sunday Sun, Rapport, Beeld and Sondag), is not so surprised: “Innovation and combination are the name of our game today; as well as ever-increasing quality. One news medium complements the other, and if quality is the common thread running through the reportage, a loyal reader base is bound to result.’

“City Press swept the boards at the last Standard Bank Sikuvile Journalism Awards, along with many other accolades for the group’s titles (particularly Daily Sun and Beeld). This is a credible affirmation of how strongly our newspaper titles are holding their own in today’s volatile media environment, and it has been achieved by the consistent quality of the news they present.’
“At Media24 we are pleased to track the growing footprint of the news brands, attributable to improved distribution networks and a growing composite audience across all platforms. The audience is a key consideration; the trust they show in the title, and the medium. This was one of the things that Mr Bezos stressed in a letter to his new employees at the Post.’

Linda Gibson (CEO of Ads24) recently remarked: “The importance of relevant reporting that reflects an understanding of the community and of the reader cannot be underestimated – a sentiment of trust that stems from editorial integrity is directly translated to the advertising that appears in the newspaper.”

In South Africa 74% of urban adults trust the information that newspapers give, as opposed to 47% preferring to place their trust in the internet and 42% in social media (source: Futurefact 2012). In its end 2012 rankings, research institute Media Tenor described Beeld as a progressive thought leader that had jumped from seventh position in 2011 to third, and City Press built on previous gains to emerge as the most quoted traditional media to become the country’s most influential medium. Meanwhile Rapport, produces an outstanding news offering for a diverse Afrikaans market. It commands almost 900k white readers and 400k coloured readers every Sunday.

Sebastian Stent, Head of digital media for Media24 News, notes the steady increase of digital consumers, across both websites and mobisites on the group’s titles, despite the recent introduction of paywalls; with subscriptions to broadsheets on a steady increase: “Broadly speaking, older readers still prefer print, and they are in the majority in South Africa, whilst younger consumers are migrating more and more to digital platforms. But when a major news story breaks, like that of Oscar Pistorious’ shooting of Reeva Steenkamp, every platform is important.’

“Our web pages and social media were ideal for instant coverage and the print for detailed analysis. We cater for the full spectrum of the combined audience, especially because only 10% of South Africans currently have access to digital media and the internet.”

Ferreira, GM of Media24 News North, says that this is exactly why tabloids should remain a critical part of the advertiser’s medium of communication: “Our tabloid readers are a fiercely loyal segment of our total readership, and the pass-on rate for a title like Daily Sun is high. Together with Sunday Sun, our brands are deeply entrenched amongst their readers and remain one of the most relevant newspapers in the country.’

“There is no room for complacency in the news business. Household consumption is under constant pressure from the economic climate and swift changes in the business world. Regular circulation and readership figures keep us on our toes, but the core of our offering remains quality – quality of news, quality of reach, quality of audience delivery.’

“Our Media24 Northern titles continue to hold their own in the dynamic news universe, with more and more brands competing for the same space. We are committed to maintaining quality across all platforms, and every title serves its own loyal readership.”