Sowetan said that its new journey has a fresh look and aims for more aspirational content for readers who are “in the know” and on the move. The relaunch initiative was taken after surveys conducted by the paper confirmed that the contemporary black community's LSMs have moved up and that change is required.
The revamped design and content includes a different layout design for the front page with all the headline news stories being reflected through the personality involved in the story.
Key changes also include additional shorter articles, more informational news, educational articles aimed at children, more information on technology, coverage on a greater range of sports, respected thought leaders and columnists, and a more upmarket and aspirational entertainment section.
Enver Groenewald, Avusa Media GM for advertising revenue and strategic communications, said: “We are now in the new space to reflect the aspirations, hopes and dreams of our readers. Because we want to be a respectable face of our society and a model of a different kind of journalism, we have done away with the tokoloshes and all jazz to ensure that our content resonates in the new spectrum of the readers' mind.”
Sowetan executive editor Fikile-Ntsikelelo Moya said: “Our readers have evolved from the narrow confines of our previous social and political past.
“We now want to offer them a newspaper that not only knows where they have been, but to be their co-traveller on their way to the top, where they know they belong.”
Currently, the daily newspaper has a readership of 2,097 million, 800 000 of whom are female. Its repositioning from the old state of mind and perceptions to the new and fresh perspectives aims at addressing the needs of the daily's changing readers, as outlined by the research.
Groenewald added that the newspaper provides a quality environment for advertisers who can take the relaunching opportunity to target a distinctive and valuable market through a number of new sections now printed in the copy.
For information, log on www.sowetan.co.za
