- Tabloid Newspaper
- Printed on Newsprint Paper
- 22 000 Copies Distributed Weekly
- Frequency: Weekly Friday
- Target Audience: Local Community
- Area of Distribution: (Johannesburg East) Brakpan CBD, Duduza, Vlakfontein, Daveyton, Kwa Thema, Springs CBD, Selcourt, Selection Park, New Era, Nuffield, Wright Park, Geduld, Geluksdal, Tsakane
The African Reporter is notable for a variety of reasons, but one achievement that the newspaper’s editorial team is very proud of is certainly worth pointing out: the African Reporter is one of the largest and best selling newspapers in the whole of South Africa. To add to this impressive distinction, the title is also the premium sold community newspaper on Johannesburg’s East Rand, making its readership numerous and diverse. Perhaps a secret to its success can be found in a quote by business mogul, Warren Buffet: “Newspapers continue to reign supreme in the delivery of local news… A reader’s eyes may glaze over after they take in a couple paragraphs about national or international news; but a story about the reader himself or his neighbours will be read to the end”.
The African Reporter began life as an irregularly published newspaper in 1958, and was run by the Dannheisser family. In 1963, however, it started on a weekly publishing schedule and addressed the news demands of a (then) niche market: residents of the growing townships established across the East Rand.
Today, when East Rand residents are in search of journalistic excellence in the provision of local and community news, school events and pupil achievements, municipal and crime news, lifestyle features and more, the African Reporter is the publication to which they turn. The editorial team, moreover, is not only firmly committed to maintaining this trust with their audience, but strives continually to make a meaningful contribution to the communities it serves. To boot, it was the training ground for several journalists who now play an important role in the communications efforts of city governance structures.
In addition to the African Reporter’s news items, the advertising inserts that accompany the newspaper play a valuable role in informing an economically active market about the latest retail and service offerings in their area. Given the fact that a large section of the paper’s readers are household decision makers, this advertising channel has proven highly beneficial to businesses’ marketing efforts.
Some useful statistics about our readership (2013):
- 60% of readers are women, 40% are men
- 65% of readers are isiZulu first language speakers
- 37% of readers have school age children
- 42% of readers work full-time
- 72% of readers fall into the LSM 6 and 7 groups