Better broadband the key to media digitisation

The future of media in South Africa is set to remain in print and not digitally as long as the country doesn’t sort out its lacking broadband capabilities.

This was part of the message Esmaré Weideman, CEO of Media24, gave an intimate group of prospective journalist at the Maties Journalism Department yesterday.

Weideman spoke about the future of South African media with specific reference to both print media and the ongoing move to digital platforms.

“I don’t think we’ve lived in more exciting times,” Weideman started her talk, “good journalism is still just as important.”

She mainly focused on the changing role of the press today and how young journalists should learn to adapt to these changes.

“We constantly have to reinvent ourselves. You need to be able to do many things for many different platforms. Think concise. Think analytical. If you can’t take the heat, get out of the business.”

Even though she admitted that circulation of print media is on a downwards spiral, “it’s not the calamity many think it is. People still read newspapers”. That is why Weideman envisions a plan to “get ahead of the business of news” urging young reporters to follow suit.

The key to achieving this is to start thinking like businessmen by asking how you can present newsworthy information in more manageable and bite-sized chunks to consumers.

Despite insufficient broadband capabilities, Weideman is sure a clear and focused move to various digital platforms, like mobile applications and getting the news on tablet devices, is the way of the future.

Quoting legendary newspaper designer Mario Garcia, she said that the most important skill journalists can attain at university today, is how to be an excellent mobile news editor. According to statistics, online access to Media24’s various websites on mobile devices increased by more than 10% over the last year.

“Mobile editors and content creators constantly need to think what to do next to keep the increasing amount of traffic to these sites. Usefulness is key.”

However, Weideman conceded that without the proper improvements in broadband connectivity, the move to digital cannot commence at the “speed of light” she wants it to.

Arlene Prinsloo, Media24’s national online content coordinator of Afrikaans newspapers, supports this position: “The internet is way too expensive and on top of that too slow. People don’t want to click on links to articles and videos because their data is capped and it takes too long to load.

“At the moment it is not viable for journalist to undertake expensive trips with expensive gear and make a video that muster barely 200 views. From a business standpoint it does not make sense.”