TIISETSO MOTSOENENG: Bold, eye-catching redesign, same mission

Every morning for 40 years, Business Day has set the business agenda for SA. We take pride in this mission and are honoured by your continued trust.

The newspaper you hold in your hand today takes this mission forward into the information-rich era. It preserves the authority, depth and intelligence you expect from us.

Our approach to change is usually steady and evolutionary. Over the past several years, we’ve introduced numerous design enhancements and deepened our coverage on issues that truly matter for business.

Now, like we did in 1985 when this newspaper launched, we are making a bold and eye-catching statement. It’s our way of saying, “We heard you.”

Have you tried reading a broadsheet on the Gautrain without elbowing or encroaching on the personal space of your neighbour? Exactly.

That’s one reason we made your newspaper easier to handle. From the comfort of your home to a crowded aeroplane, the new compact size ensures you can enjoy your daily news, thoughts and analysis without spatial constraints. 

But it’s not just about size. The refreshed design goes beyond aesthetics. We know your time is stretched thin. That’s why we’ve added features like more briefs and summaries, seamlessly integrating with our online content. 

Think of it as your daily dose of news, distilled and ready to go. No fluff, no filler — just the insights you need to stay ahead.

And while the format may have changed, our mission hasn’t. Business Day remains your sanctuary from the noise of modern life.

For decades, Business Day’s coverage has strived to throw articles forward, to look ahead, not just recount yesterday’s events but also analyse their implications and what might happen next. This forward-thinking approach continues to define our journalism today.

We believe that you value our approach to understanding the news and explaining events, or what we, in journalism parlance, refer to as the “so what”.

It’s an approach that puts you, the reader, front and centre of our daily operations because at Business Day, every story is your business. Each piece is crafted with your needs in mind, connecting the dots between the news and its effect on your world. 

Yes, we’ve had our fair share of blunders — who hasn’t? — but we never shied away from owning up to them. When we stumble, we don’t sweep it under the carpet — we fix it, learn from it and move forward. That’s the trust you’ve placed in us, and we take it seriously.

Now, these changes are not blind to the threat facing the Fourth Estate. Newspaper revenues have plummeted, jobs have been shed and closures have followed — casting doubt on the commercial logic of print journalism and thrusting us into the ad-driven digital battleground.

Here, Big Tech sets the rules, biased algorithms shape what thrives, and the once-celebrated digital utopia darkens under the guise of convenience and empowerment.

Still, dismissing print journalism as a relic of the past overlooks its unique and enduring value. For one thing, far from being obsolete, print is evolving. Beyond the quiet magic of holding a physical newspaper, newspapers offer a refuge from the digital storm and slot positively into the narrative about the dangers of excessive screen time.

For another, print journalism remains a hidden spot for curation. The front pages of Business Day, the Financial Times and the New York Times are deliberate selections, crafted to inform, prove claims and inspire reflection. On inside pages, you often stumble on unexpected gems — like a piece in the Washington Post about Spotify launching a playlist for your furry companions. It’s the kind of serendipitous encounter that defies algorithms.

We’re here to cut through the clutter of misinformation, clickbait and influencer opinions. Thank you for being part of this journey. Together, we will keep shaping the conversation for SA business professionals — today and for decades to come. 

• Motsoeneng is Business Day’s acting editor.