Media24 to close City Press

Naspers-owned Media24 has formally launched a consultation process with staff on plans to close the online edition of City Press.

This signals the end of one of the country’s biggest Sunday titles, but the planned closure is not a sudden decision.

Read: Media24 restructuring battle heads into final legal stretch

It’s the latest chapter in a prolonged and often bitter struggle over the future of print journalism, which has been unfolding for years.

In mid-2024, Media24 unveiled a sweeping plan to restructure its business. It closed the print editions of Beeld, Rapport, City Press and Daily Sun, although their online presence remained.

At the time, the proposal shocked many in the industry who saw these titles as fixtures of South African media life. Print readership has been declining for years, but the idea that some of the country’s most recognised newspapers might disappear in physical form marked a symbolic end of an era.

But the story quickly turned into a legal confrontation.

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Rival publisher Caxton, backed by Capital Newspapers, launched challenge after challenge in court, arguing that Media24’s moves were not just about commercial survival but also threatened competition, media diversity, and access to news, especially outside big cities where print distribution still matters.

Caxton took the matter all the way to the Constitutional Court, but the legal challenge was dismissed after the court denied Caxton a right to appeal against previous adverse judgements.

City Press is one of South Africa’s most recognisable Sunday newspapers, with roots stretching back more than four decades.

It was launched in 1982 during the final decade of apartheid, at a time when black-owned and black-focused media voices were limited. The paper positioned itself as a bold, urban Sunday title with a strong political edge and a clear focus on issues affecting black South Africans.

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Through the turbulent 1980s and early 1990s, City Press became known for its investigative reporting and outspoken commentary. It covered states of emergency, township unrest, the unbanning of political movements and the transition to democracy.

In SA’s democratic era, it evolved into a mainstream Sunday paper with national reach, mixing politics, business, lifestyle, and sport.

Digital age

Over the years, it built a reputation for hard-hitting political stories, leadership interviews, and major investigative scoops. Like many print titles globally, however, it has faced declining circulation and advertising revenue in the digital age.

For Media24, this shift reflects broader economic realities in the media world.

Print newspapers across the globe have struggled with falling revenues as readers migrate to screens and advertisers follow the eyeballs.

But for many industry observers and loyal readers, the possible end of City Press feels like more than just another business decision; it represents a historic turning point in how South Africans consume news.

* Caxton’s majority shareholders are also majority shareholders in African Media Entertainment (AME), the owner of Moneyweb. 

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