Publications
Partners
Cape Town – Media24 on Monday announced the appointment of a new editor for News24 and a move of its current editor to focus on an expansion programme into Africa.
Media24 said in a statement that it had taken various steps to enable it to accelerate its digital-first strategy and supports its multi-platform publishing approach and future in digital and data-driven journalism.
News24 editor Jannie Momberg, who helped build the news platform into Africa’s foremost, will take on a new challenge in growing News24’s Africa network, while Witness editor Andrew Trench was appointed as the new editor of News24.
Media24 said that Trench, who has a reputation for brave and tenacious journalism, is currently the editor of Media24’s flagship KwaZulu-Natal daily newspaper, The Witness.
A history of journalism excellence
Trench was editor of the Daily Dispatch in East London and news editor of the Sunday Times. Under his leadership, the award-winning Media24 Investigations unit was at the forefront of breaking news coverage of major stories such as the textbook tender corruption scandal, the police secret intelligence fund and the Marikana massacre, said Media24.
Trench’s experience in data journalism, civic journalism and cross-platform storytelling would enhance the News24 offering across the continent and signalled an increase in Media24’s investment in digital media, said Geoff Cohen, general manager of 24.com, Africa’s leading online publishing platform and home to News24.
“Andrew has a track record of leading teams to create excellent and award-winning journalism. If we are to remain leaders in online news we must work hand-in-hand with our experienced editors to ensure that content on our digital platforms is of a high standard,” said Cohen. “Our colleagues at Netwerk24 [Media24’s Afrikaans digital news platform for Beeld, Die Burger, Volksblad and Rapport] are clearly getting it right and it is time for News24 to pick up the pace.”
Trench said the challenge of enhancing News24 “with award-winning original content was enough of a rush for me to accept”. He takes up his new position on December 1.
He will be joined by Lisa MacLeod, head of operations at FT.com and associate editor of the Financial Times, who will join Media24 as the general manager of digital publishing. “She will be in charge of all our digital publishing assets, in a single digital content hub, and will work hand-in-hand with our editors to ensure our content is best published on our digital platforms,” Media24 said earlier this month.
The Witness Durban edition to close
Media24 also announced the closure of The Witness’s Durban edition, which was relaunched in tabloid format in August.
“It was a painful decision, but one we had to take,” said Ishmet Davidson, general manager of Media24 News.
The Durban edition had been launched as a tabloid “because it was difficult to satisfy the local needs of both Pietermaritzburg and Durban readers in one hybrid package”.
The Durban edition showed “positive early results but the investment period is too long”, he added.
“Traditional print media in South Africa, like media businesses around the world, is under pressure and we don’t have the benefit of being such patient investors.”
The closure of the Durban edition will not result in any retrenchments of editorial staff.
Trench said he was saddened by the closure of The Witness’s Durban edition. “The Witness has a loyal and discerning following in Pietermaritzurg and the Midlands and we have focused on strengthening our relationship with them,” he said.
“We raised the profile of the paper and concentrated on giving our readers more of the bread-and-butter local reporting they enjoy. I think we got it right.”
Ishmet said The Witness would continue to serve the Pietermaritzburg community. A new editor will be announced in due course.
“I am thrilled that Andrew will be taking up the position as editor of News24,” he added. “This will enable Media24 to strengthen the advantage it has built in the online news space over the past 16 years. Our print and multimedia teams look forward to working alongside News24 to create the best content machine in Africa.”
- Fin24 is a part of News24
- Fin24 encourages healthy debate and should comments not add any value, it will be moderated.
