Pahad launches new daily newspaper
2010-07-22 22:48
Johannesburg - Former minister in the presidency Essop Pahad on Thursday launched a new national daily newspaper, The New Age, in Johannesburg.
The newspaper would be critical but constructive, Pahad told journalists in Sandton.
"The newspaper will gather reports and news from the 9 provinces of the country which most newspapers don't do," he said.
Pahad said his newspaper would ensure that it covered the good stories coming out of provinces that had been painted by media as having no stability and lacking service delivery.
These provinces included the Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, North West and others.
The newspaper would be a 32-page broadsheet and would seek to tell the story of South Africa from an angle of a "half-full glass" than "half-empty" - as other newspapers currently do, said the newspaper's chief editor, Vuyo Mvoko.
"The New Age would differentiate itself by presenting the widest range of information in a bold, accurate and balance manner," Mvoko said at the glittering launch of the newspaper.
'Gap in the market'
The newspaper would be published by Bennett Colemen & Co LTD which publishes the world's largest English newspaper, The Times of India.
It would be funded by the Gupta Group, which has close links to the ruling ANC.
The newspaper will have an initial daily print of 170 000 copies.
TNA executive chairperson Atul Gupta said the newspaper will be printed on the international broad sheet, which is narrower than local broad sheet newspapers.
"It's important to emphasise the product's positioning of an honest and balanced approach to news gathering, reporting and dissemination," said Gupta.
"There is certainly a gap in the South African market place for a new, fresh, innovative and critically constructive national daily newspaper. We are optimistic The New Age will have a positive impact on the South African market.
It will be sold for R3.50 starting from mid-September this year.
- SAPA
