Media24 announces it will retain print journalists, and Beeld newspaper

There's been a positive turn in the Media24 narrative of its plans to shut down some of its print titles and a looming jobs loss.

The company's announced it will no longer retrench newspaper journalists from Beeld, City Press, Daily Sun, and Rapport.

It also said that it would no longer be selling the Beeld publication.

However, while the 66 affected journalists will be retained, Media24 will be going ahead with consultations with the rest of the staff affected by its proposed restructuring.

The journalists will be incorporated into Netwerk24, News24, and at the Daily Sun website.

Media24 announced a major restructuring last month. In terms of the original plan, up to 400 job losses were envisaged.

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At the time, the company planned to close the print editions of the four newspapers, shut its SNL24 digital hub, offload its community newspaper portfolio, and sell its media logistics operation On the Dot.

Media24's announcement on Wednesday is to be welcomed by the industry, says Thandi Smith, head of programmes at Media Monitoring Africa.

"In these these times where we know that so many media companies and news entities face similar challenges and issues with sustainability, hearing that Beeld is being retained is very good news... and in the face of the downsizing of so many newsrooms over the years, it's also welcome news about the journalists not being retrenched."

Thandi Smith, Head of Programmes - Media Monitoring Africa

As the way people consume news changes, Smith highlights that the role played by the editorial voice in print media is a valuable one.

"The one thing that print media still does for us is that it still allows that editorial voice we don't see as much of in online news."

"I think that is a critical component, and something we still need in this day and age of the kind of information that we consume... as news media are having to reshape and come up with very creative ways of how to remain sustainable."

Thandi Smith, Head of Programmes - Media Monitoring Africa