COLUMN: Print is source of truth in misinformation era

The winter wind snapped at my fingers, yet joy warmed my soul as I watched Farrarmere Gardens residents converge at the weekly soup kitchen, established solely for their benefit.

Children squealed and played while adults immersed themselves in conversation.

Standing just within earshot, I heard the upbeat chatter from a community that, until recently, felt forgotten.
I heard these residents share stories of new hope and opportunities knocking at their doors.

As a community journalist, I am privy to many such exchanges. I see, hear and truly experience the heartbeat of my community.

I have witnessed families pop in at The Animal Guardians (TAG) to deliver a couple of bags of dog food because they read one of my stories in the newspaper about the organisation needing help.

I recently sat in Derek and Joyce Dingwall’s picturesque waterfront home in Alphen Park because the couple wanted to use our publication to bid farewell to Benoni and her residents.

My phone has exploded with messages from excited learners informing me that they have finally raised enough money to attend an overseas tournament and have seen droves of people show up in support of Clean Projects or Homestead Helpers for Benoni because the weekly ‘rag’ encouraged support.

News that publications such as Beeld, Daily Sun and Rapport will migrate to online platforms and that copies will no longer be available in print format sent shockwaves through the journalism fraternity.

Many asked whether print media is still relevant.

Citing loss in revenue due to dwindling advertising and mounting printing costs, Media24 confirmed it had to relook its business model and opted to ‘go digital’ to remain sustainable.

For nearly 103 years, the Benoni City Times has undergone many changes and, in jest, suffered an informal name change. However, our objective has remained unchanged.

We are tasked to provide residents, businesses and organisations with relevant, accurate and local content.

Distributing 39 000 copies of our newspaper through bulk drops or delivered directly to your door, we strive to publish stories that inform, delight and sometimes infuriate.

Through our words and passion, we share the accolades of local athletes and celebrate your neighbour’s milestone anniversaries.

By capturing our readers’ interest, we have drummed up actionable support for those who set out to build communities or lighten the burdens of those who have endured hardships.

We take our roles as the mouthpiece of our city seriously and rejoice when the Jewel of the East Rand shimmers and shines.

Yes, we are a business that relies on support in the form of advertising. This ensures we can ‘print another day.’

It is a fact that the space available to us to tell your stories is dictated by the amount of advertising space sold.

Standing on a dusty piece of ground in Farrarmere, surrounded by members of a hopeful community, I am reminded that Samaritans heeded their call for help after reading of their plight in the City Times.

If the carefully constructed words contained in its pages can inspire others to step up and assist, surely it has the power to prompt locals to support the tucked-away coffee shop that prides itself on offering the best ‘ooey gooey” brownies.

Our community trusts us with their news, organisations with their appeals, schools with their upcoming events and athletes with their accomplishments, so, surely this is a bio worth local businesses’ trust, too.

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