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Big names talk about state of media and publishing industry in SA

23 June 2022 | Story Rulanzen Martin | Photo Rulanzen Martin

Ivor Price and Nelleke de Jager — Ivor Price (left) and Nelleke de Jager during the discussion session in the Senate Hall of the Centenary Building.

Click to view document Lees: Groot name praat oor stand van media- en uitgewerswese in SA

Ivor Price, seasoned journalist and media man, and Nèlleke de Jager, fiction publisher at Human & Rousseau, are two of the big names serving on the advisory panel of the Department of Afrikaans and Dutch, German and French. On 27 May 2022, Price and De Jager presented a discussion on the state of the media and publishing industry in the country.

Students and lecturers from the department who attended the discussion had the privilege of witnessing the expertise and experience of the advisory panel first hand. The other two members of the advisory panel are Mariska van der Merwe, a teacher at the Meisieskool Oranje, and Wyno Simes, Curator of the National Afrikaans Literature Museum and Research Centre (NALN) in Bloemfontein. The University of the Free State (UFS) has introduced the concept of practice panels in its faculties and academic departments to provide practice-based expertise to students as well as advice to lecturers.

Two prestige bursaries were also presented to two postgraduate students. Lynthia Julius, author of the award-winning book Uit die Kroes, is the first recipient of the JC Steyn Prize, and Corné Richter received the Marius Jooste Prize from the SA Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns.

Important role of the media threatened

Price – who worked as a journalist at Die Burger and made a name for himself in media and television circles, and who is also the owner of the online news publication Food for Mzanzi – said “a democracy is nothing without the media”. He referred to some of the biggest news events in recent times where the media has played an important role in exposing crime and corruption in the highest circles of executive government.

Examples of this are the Gupta/state capture scandal, the Zuma corruption, as well as the asbestos fraud by Ace Magashule and the Free State government. “This says something about a country where people steal money to implement idleness,” Price said.

He also warned that things were not ‘going well’ with the media in SA and that the media – also internationally – are in danger. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the media will be with us for a long time. “The circulation figures of daily newspapers fell by about 40% of the total sales.” Sunday papers can, to some extent, keep their heads above water thanks to government advertisements. Price also believes that niche markets are the future.

Publishing industry changing in SA

In turn, Nelleke de Jager talked about the challenges that publishers must overcome today. “Educational publishers are publishing the largest number of outputs in SA,” she said. She also mentioned that retail publishers such as Penguin Random House and Pan Macmillan are changing the landscape for the better. “The South African publishing industry is changing, not waning,” said De Jager.

From the left Lynthia Julius; Prof Heidi Hudson, Dean of Faculty of the Humanities and Corné Richter.
(Photo: Rulanzen Martin)

Book lovers will remember with great nostalgia that Leserskring/Leisure Books was the leader in terms of book sales a decade ago. “The closure of Leisure Books damaged the outputs and turnover of NB Publishers,” said De Jager.

De Jager also told students about the skills that are needed to survive in the industry. “It is important to master a variety of skills, such as writing and reading skills, project management, and editorial know-how.” She also jokingly said that anyone interested in the publishing industry should first work as a waiter, since it teaches one to be humble.

News Archive

And the Best Managed Residence is…

2014-10-27

As examinations draw near and the end of the year is around the corner, residences want to know who the best of the best is.

During the 2014 Residence Awards on 22 October, the UFS announced their best managed residences of the year at the Bloemfontein Campus.

Wag-’n-Bietjie walked away with the spoils of the evening, winning both best managed female residence, and best managed residence overall. Armentum claimed the title of best managed male residence, while Sonnedou was named as the best managed day residence.

Further results for overall best managed residences and other categories are as follows:

Best Managed Residence
Male Residences:

Armentum
JBM Hertzog
Karee

Female Residences:

Wag-‘n-Bietjie
Roosmaryn
Soetdoring

Day Residences:

Sonnedou
Imperium
Marjolein

Overall Ranking:

Wag-‘n-Bietjie
Armentum
Roosmaryn

College

South College (Armentum, Emily Hobhouse, Marjolein, NJ vd Merwe, Villa Bravado)
East College (Arista, JBM Hertzog, Kayalami, Roosmaryn, Legatum, Sonnedou)
and North College (Madelief, Tswelopele, Vergeet-my-Nie, Veritas, Welwitschia)
Central College (Akasia, Kagiso, Karee, Soetdoring, Wag-‘n-Bietjie)
and West College (Abraham Fischer, Conlaurês, Imperium, Kestell, Outiniqua)

Environmental Affairs
Male Residences:     JBM Hertzog
Female Residences: Wag-‘n-Bietjie
Day Residences:        Sonnedou
Overall Winner:           Sonnedou

Diversity
Male Residences:                               JBM Hertzog
Female Residences:                          Akasia
Day Residences:                                Arista
Best Improved Male Residence:         Villa Bravado
Best Improved Female Residence:    Kestell
Overall winner:                                    Akasia

Executive Portfolios
Male Residences:                               Tswelopele
Female Residences:                          Wag-‘n-Bietjie
Day Residences:                                Imperium
Best Improved Male Residence:         Tswelopele
Best Improved Female Residence:    Marjolein
Overall Winner:                                   Imperium

Academics
Male Residences:                               Outeniqua
Female Residences:                          Wag-‘n-Bietjie
Day Residences:                                Imperium
Best Improved Male Residence:         Imperium
Best Improved Female Residence:    Marjolein
Overall Winner:                                   Wag-‘n-Bietjie

Finance
Male Residences:                               Armentum
Female Residences:                          Roosmaryn
Day Residences:                                Imperium
Best Improved Male Residence:         Villa Bravado
Best Improved Female Residence:    Kestell
Overall Winner:                                   Armentum

Culture
Male Residences:                               Abraham Fischer
Female Residences:                          Wag-‘n-Bietjie
Day Residences:                                Sonnedou
Best Improved Male Residence:         Armentum
Best Improved Female Residence:    Akasia
Overall Winner:                                   Wag-‘n-Bietjie

Sport
Male Campus and Day Residences:           Armentum
Female Campus and Day Residences:      Wag-‘n-Bietjie
Best Male RC Sport:                           Armentum
Best Female RC Sport:                      Sonnedou

First-Years
Male Residences:                                                       Armentum
Female Residences:                                                  Welwitschia
Day Residences:                                                        Sonnedou
Best Improved Male and Female Residence:            ConLaurês and Outeniqua
Overall Winner:                                                           Armentum

Prime
Male Residences:                               Tswelopele
Female Residences:                          Wag-‘n-Bietjie
Day Residences:                                Arista
Best Improved Male Residence:         Tswelopele
Best Improved Female Residence:    Arista
Overall Winner:                                   Tswelopele

Social
Overall Winner: Karee
Best Improved Residence: Kestell

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