SA’s ‘Jewish Report’: Closure rumor is false

South Africa’s only Jewish newspaper writes editorial saying it has budget problems but is not closing down.

By GIL STERN STERN SHEFLER
Cape Town, South Africa 390 (photo credit: Thinkstock/Imagebank)
Cape Town, South Africa 390
(photo credit: Thinkstock/Imagebank)
South Africa’s only Jewish newspaper on Friday denied rumors it might have to close because of financial troubles.
The weekly Jewish Report admitted in its editorial that it had difficulties balancing its budget of late but rejected claims that it might go under.
“The Jewish Report is not closing down,” it declared. “We are aware of rumors going around about the paper’s impending demise. They are not true.”
The paper said a precipitous drop in advertising had taken a toll on its revenues, forcing it to make significant cuts.
“Articles are shorter and crisper and space constraints mean we cannot cover as much as we would like to,” it said. “But we still mirror the Jewish world’s diversity well.”
The paper said its mission of providing community news to South Africa’s roughly 70,000 Jews was imperative and that its board of directors remained deeply committed to its continued viability.
It also announced plans to revamp its website, which currently displays the paper in basic PDF format, in order to reach readers overseas.
The Jewish Report was founded 13 years ago and is published in Johannesburg, where the majority of South Africa’s Jews live.
Its woes mirror those of many other Jewish newspapers around the world that have lost advertisers, which used to be their main source of income, to the Internet.
The newspaper could not be reached for comment on Sunday.