Dhlomo closure a wake-up call for media in SA
The business models of some of the world's leading publishers have been shaken up
The surprise closure of Khanyi Dhlomo's Ndalo Media, publisher of Destiny and Elle, is a symptom of SA's struggling magazine industry, hit by falling circulation figures as younger readers turn to social media platforms for their fashion, celebrity and health news. The trend has seen the rise of new digital-based players, and the fall of old publishing houses that have failed to make the digital leap. The business models of some of the world's leading publishers have been shaken up. In the case of Ndalo, the loss of its contract to produce SAA's in-flight magazine Sawubona is thought to have made the business unsustainable. In October, Associated Media Publishing (AMP), which publishes Cosmopolitan and House & Leisure, decided not to renew its licence to continue producing women's magazine Marie Claire locally. In the US last month, Condé Nast, publisher of Vogue, Vanity Fair and the New Yorker, announced the end of its monthly print edition of women's magazine Glamour. The company ...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.