Opening the session was Gayle Edmunds, content editor at Ads24 Media Solutions. Edmunds spoke to Rapport editor-in-chief Waldimar Pelser and City Press editor-in-chief Mondli Makhanya to reflect on the lessons learnt during the pandemic and the challenges the country faces.

Pelser observed that globalisation is great until a pandemic strikes. Dealing with the challenges required huge global co-operation, effort and resource in areas such as vaccine development and the identification of new strains.

On the other hand, when it came to implementation, governments in nation states had to be able do their jobs. Both levels have to be balanced, says Pelser.

Makhanya said that a lesson that still needed to be learnt was how to fight something like a pandemic without destroying the economy and livelihoods. While the response was understandable, he believed that tactics, other than the sledgehammer or 'pardoef' approach needed to be found.

The lesson of global co-operation had been imperfectly learnt, with vaccine nationalism trumping the greater good. Another lesson for the future was to take a softer, more persuasive approach to getting citizens to comply with regulations. Heavy handed approaches had created resentment, according to Makhanya.

The democratic project had been under threat for some time, Makhanya said. Covid-19 had provided the cover for anti-democrats to amass and exercise power. It raised the question of whether citizens should ever again allow governments to exercise so much power over their lives. Pelser concurred that the ease with which people accepted restrictions could be attributed to fear.

People no longer know who to trust; if populations cannot agree on facts, then it becomes impossible to run projects in the public interests. The media has a huge responsibility to check and present credible facts. Pelser warned that if governments want to keep populist movements in check, they need to understand their citizens.

Pelser suggested that the South African government could regain the trust of its strained and weary citizens, if it takes meaningful action on corruption. The roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccine also presented an opportunity. Rather than providing more social grants, the government needed to focus on economic growth and job creation.

Makhanya underlined that the government must tackle these areas with urgency. Rather than speechifying, the government needed to implement the plans contained in the National Development Plan and National Recovery Plan to attract investment.

Pelser doubted whether the scheduled elections would take place: the current situation does not favour the two major parties. This would be a great blow to democracy Makhanya believed because politicians needed to have a limited time frame against which to deliver.

The second half of the session focused on the results of a survey, carried out by Forum24 in January 2021, via an online panel mirroring the readership of Rapport and City Press.

Edmunds revealed that nine out of 10 readers believed brands should support social movements like Black Lives Matter and ending Gender-Based Violence; three out of four are prepared to switch to a competitor whose values resonated more with their own. Readers strongly believed that buying local will help to re-start the economy.

With 45% of the readers doing more online shopping than previously, Tasmia Ismail, general manager commercial at Ads24 Media Solutions, pointed out that the e-commerce journey satisfaction was crucial. There is great scope for growth for smaller businesses in this area. Ads24 Media Solutions can create e-commerce solutions and assist in the marketing of them, while Media24 has the fulfilment capability.

Liezel De Lange, managing editor at Rapport, stressed that the way people consume news has been changing for some time. Traditional and owned media remain trusted sources of news: Rapport and City Press have been building their reputation for credibility over the last five and four decades respectively, while social media and Google do not create content.

The two newspapers represent just over half of the Sunday newspaper circulation, according to July - December 2020 ABC figures, but the reach of both brands extend well beyond their flagship print editions onto social and digital platforms, keeping their audiences informed when and where they choose to read.

Ads24 Media Solutions is now positioned to provide marketers with integrated communication solutions, enabling brands to follow their audiences across a range of touchpoints. Agility and the ability to tailor messaging across the touchpoints relevant to each brand challenge are paramount.

Readers still place importance on current and economic affairs, financial health and education, but there is a growing interest in lifestyle topics such as home improvements and fitness.

The Sunday news brands are well placed as they have always provided a broad mix of news and lifestyle editorial, helping their readers put together their best lives. One in three readers now define themselves as foodies (and a similar number now plan to lose weight in the next six to twelve months).

Readers are looking to upgrade their cellphones, data access, laptops and PCs, as well as TV sets in order to keep themselves and their families connected and informed. Editorial has provided them with advice in these areas, says the webinar.

De Lange pointed out that while 58% of readers had been able to save during the pandemic, they were not better off; 90% of readers were concerned about their financial status, with half of them reviewing their financial arrangements.

Savings on travel, fuel, alcohol and entertainment were offset by increased expenditure on food and groceries, tech and vitamins. Nearly all readers (eight out of 10) were concerned about their children's education.

Pelser explained that collaborating with brands was one of the ways in which these news brands can provide their readers with “news you can use”. Examples were the ABSA/City Press Money Makeover and the recently launched Capitec Home Buyers’ Guide. Rapport had collaborated with medical aids to explore issues such as patient rights and the IDC to showcase businesses that they have funded.

This webinar was another useful initiative by Ads24 Media Solutions and their Media 24 editorial colleagues. 

For more information, visit www.ads24.co.za. You can also follow Ads24 on Twitter.