Cape Argus shows significant growth

Cape Town - While many may think that the age of print journalism is dying, an increase in readership in all of Independent Media’s daily newspapers in the Cape region tells a different story.

The region recorded significant growth, according to the latest AMPS readership figures, with the Cape Argus growing to 421 000 daily readers – up 77 000 from 344 000 in the previous year.

Cape Argus editor Gasant Abarder hailed the growth as “phenomenal” despite the major changes the paper had gone through.

“Considering that the newspaper made the bold move to change its format from a compact to US broadsheet last year, it is phenomenal. Our readers and advertisers have embraced the change and I would like to thank them personally for this continued support.”

Abarder added that the paper, having been around since 1857, had been “an institution in homes and businesses in the Western Cape as a newspaper with strong family values”.

“We have no intention of changing our approach as we extend our reach to becoming a platform agnostic publication, taking our readers along for the journey.”

Independent Media’s editorial and brand executive, Jermaine Craig – a former Cape Argus editor who oversaw the change in format – said he was glad to see the shift had been well received, and he was especially proud of the Cape region’s performance.

The Cape Argus’ sister paper, the Cape Times, also enjoyed an increased daily readership, from 200 000 to 235 000, while the Daily Voice increased from 468 000 daily readers to 516 000.

“In a year of considerable change at the Cape Times, where we implemented a number of editorial changes in 2014, the title continues to perform extremely well and its readership encouragingly continues to grow,” said Craig.

“We are excited about our growth potential and testament to this is the launch this month of a number of new projects, including our Xhosa daily I’solezwe lesiXhosa in the Eastern Cape and our Mobile Journalism studio countrywide.”

More would be announced in due course.

Independent Media’s executive chairman Dr Iqbal Survé said: “The increase in readership in a number of titles is testament to our philosophy and decision to be a more inclusive media group.

“By including a diversity of voices and a range of opinions we have broadened the appeal of titles such as the Cape Argus and Cape Times, which has resulted in an increase in readership.

“I congratulate each of the editors for their leadership of their titles in a turbulent year for the industry.

“I am all too aware that change is not easy, and we have had our share of critics, but by shifting the narrative and having content which is more inclusive, I feel our philosophy and thinking has been vindicated.

“We shall continue to provide a platform for balanced, critical thinking and an array of voices which are representative of the population in the city and our country.”

Cape Argus