Now 174 years old, The Witness says that it aims to continue being a reliable news source and a family friend to its readers. It also aims to provide advertisers with a trusted environment in which to reach readers in the most affluent municipality in KwaZulu-Natal.

The readership of The Witness is concentrated primarily in the Umgungundlovu District municipality. Residents of this area command the highest monthly household income in KwaZulu-Natal, according to the 2019 Publisher Audience Measurement Survey (PAMS).

Distinguished for being South Africa’s oldest continuously printed newspaper, The Witness "is a liberal, independent newspaper and its success over 174 years has been because this is in tune with the way our readers think. We are proud of our diverse audience and our close community," says Yves Vanderhaeghen, editor of The Witness.

PAMS 2019 shows that the profile of the total Average Issue Readership (Paper AIR / Online Past seven days combined) of The Witness is now strongly skewed towards Black (49.3%) and Indian readers (38.6%).

"Our readership is culturally diverse because a common sense of place and purpose has guided the paper in its engagement with readers. Our pages have been open to all faiths and Christian, Muslim and Hindu opinions are regularly aired. Where cultural sensitivities come into conflict, we are guided by constitutional principles," adds Vanderhaeghen.

The Witness aims to provide information about the running of the city and offers a platform for readers to engage with municipal and political officials. The paper is also a forum for debate and for sharing community activities and information.

PAMS 2019 shows that its readers' most popular topic is community and local news, with South African news and current affairs falling into second place.

The survey also reveals that three-quarters of The Witness readers "would like to believe that they are better informed and up to date on what's going on in South Africa at the moment than the average person" and that nine out of 10 of them state that "people sometimes ask me for my opinion or advice."

Neil Tapinos, general manager of KZN at News, Media24, concludes that "readers have evolved; they expect good customer service, empathy and understanding, as well as detailed product information so that they can make informed decisions on how to spend their money."

PAMS 2019 shows that The Witness readers are 40% more likely to buy products as a result of seeing them in advertising pamphlets, leaflets or inserts than the average resident.

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