One of South Africa’s most iconic publications, City Press, is set to close after its owner, Media24, began consultations with staff on Friday.
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Media24 has reported the closure of its prominent Sunday newspaper, City Press, in a further shift reflecting ongoing challenges in the traditional print media landscape.
The announcement marks a pivotal moment not only for the publication, which has been a staple in South African journalism since its launch in 1992, but also for Media24's evolving strategy as the company transitions into a predominantly digital business. The company reported online it would aim to limit job losses for the about two dozen staff.
Naspers subsidiary Media24 reported adjusted earnings before interest and tax ((aEbit) loss of $10 million for the six months ending September 2025, an improvement from the aEbit loss of $14m at the second half of 2025, but well down from the $1m loss reported in the first half a year before. The revenue at $45m was down from $81m at the interim stage last year.
Media24's online news publications operate behind a paywall of 211 721 subscribers and claims 7.2 million daily views, its results show.
The struggle to maintain profitability highlights the challenges facing media organisations globally in an era dominated by digital content consumption.
The decision to suspend the weekend print operations aligns with a broader trend observed within Media24, which recently shut down print editions of its other titles, including Beeld, Rapport, Daily Sun, and Volksblad at the end of 2024. The content from Beeld, Rapport, and Volksblad was transitioned to Netwerk24.com, while Daily Sun became a digital only brand.
City Press once boasted a readership of approximately 200,000. Recent years had seen a steady decline in circulation.
Media24 had launched 'The Weekender' on March 1, 2025, a weekly publication under News24 aiming to provide in-depth interviews, essays, lifestyle content, and cultural commentary.
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