Iconic SA media publication set to close
· The South African
In a shock announcement that marks another significant shift in the South African media landscape, Media24 has announced the official closure of City Press, one of the country’s most storied news brands.
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The decision, confirmed on Friday, comes after the publication struggled to find its footing as a digital-only entity following the termination of its print edition in December 2024.
Founded in 1982 by Jim Bailey, the newspaper was established specifically to serve black readers during the height of apartheid. It quickly became a vital voice for the disenfranchised, known for its courageous journalism and deep political analysis. Naspers (now the parent company of Media24) acquired the title in 1984.
While City Press was once a titan of the Sunday news cycle – boasting a circulation of over 233,000 in the early 2000s – it fell victim to the global “death of print.” By the time its final physical edition hit the shelves on December 22, 2024, its circulation had plummeted to roughly 14,000.
Sad demise for the City Press
Following the closure of its print operations, City Press was folded into the News24 digital stable. Media24 management had hoped the brand would thrive as a premium digital-first newsroom. However, the transition did not yield the expected results.
“We can confirm that we started consultations with the City Press staff this morning with the intention of closing this newsroom,” said Minette Ferreira, CEO of Media24. “As a digital newsroom incorporated into News24… City Press did not meet our expectations.”
Impact on Staff and the Industry
The closure places more than two dozen jobs at risk. Media24 has stated it will engage in a consultation process with the remaining staff and aims to limit job losses where possible by absorbing personnel into other parts of the business.
The shutdown of City Press follows a series of aggressive restructuring moves by Media24. In late 2024, the company ended the print editions of other iconic titles, including Beeld, Rapport, and Daily Sun, citing a projected R200 million loss over the next three years if print operations continued.