SA media group takes aim at Namibian market

A LEADING South African Publishing Group is making inroads into Namibian media by buying a 50 per cent shareholding in Democratic Media Holdings (Pty) Ltd (DMH), which is soon to launch a weekly newspaper to be known as Namibian Sun.

Media24 has gone into partnership with DMH which owns the Afrikaans language daily publication, Die Republikein, as well as the German daily, Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper plus a printing press and radio station, Radio 99. The DMH group is now adding a new newspaper to its stable and it’s launch edition is expected to appear on streets on Thursday.The weekly English language newspaper, to be called Namibian Sun, comes in the aftermath of the 50-50 business partnership concluded recently between DMH and Media 24 in South Africa.In a letter recently put out to retail outlets, Willie Olivier, Namibia Sun Editor, confirmed the launch of the new newspaper by DMH.He added that the tabloid would be English language and would cater for the 18-40 age group.It will appear on Thursdays and will be distributed with the Republikein and Allgemeine Zeitung, according to a letter put out to prospective newspaper retail sales outlets recently.Media24 describes itself as “Africa’s leading publishing group” with interests in newspapers, magazines, internet businesses, book publishing, private education, printing plants and distribution companies.Media24 also has many international and local sister companies in the media industry through its holding company, Naspers.Naspers, was established in 1915.Its first product was the daily newspaper Die Burger, published the same year the company was founded.Later a printing plant was established, after which several book publishers, magazines and numerous other titles were either launched or acquired.Directors of the DMH Group include Dirk Mudge, Chrisna Greef, Andrew Theunissen, H Awaseb, and two South Africans D Steyn and L Retief have recently been brought on board following the merger.The DMH group remains controversial.Its roots lie in the pre-independence apartheid slush funds of the former white South African government, which injected some N$4 million into the DTA grouping with the aim of starting a newspaper to stop the Swapo movement coming to power.The money was used to start Die Republikein newspaper.After questions were asked in the Namibian Parliament some years back by DTA MP, McHenry Venaani, who alleged that the funds which were earmarked for the DTA had ended up in DMH, Dirk Mudge held a press conference to say that the SA Government had wanted left over monies returned after the elections, but that he had negotiated the money be donated to the Democratic Media Trust (which in turns owns the DMH) “for promotion of a free and independent press in Namibia”.Mudge also claimed at the time that the Democratic Media Trust had in turn funded the DTA to the tune of N$8,6 million prior to independence.Some media analysts are concerned that big South African media houses are gaining a foothold in Namibia.”What future impact that is going to have on the media in the country remains to be seen” said Martin Buch Larsen, a researcher from Denmark who recently conducted a survey on media ownership in Namibia for the Media Institute of Southern Africa (Misa), when he presented his findings.A full-page advert in Die Republikein this week announcing the launch of the new newspaper, charges that the “Sun rises only on Thursdays”.The DMH group is now adding a new newspaper to its stable and it’s launch edition is expected to appear on streets on Thursday.The weekly English language newspaper, to be called Namibian Sun, comes in the aftermath of the 50-50 business partnership concluded recently between DMH and Media 24 in South Africa.In a letter recently put out to retail outlets, Willie Olivier, Namibia Sun Editor, confirmed the launch of the new newspaper by DMH.He added that the tabloid would be English language and would cater for the 18-40 age group.It will appear on Thursdays and will be distributed with the Republikein and Allgemeine Zeitung, according to a letter put out to prospective newspaper retail sales outlets recently.Media24 describes itself as “Africa’s leading publishing group” with interests in newspapers, magazines, internet businesses, book publishing, private education, printing plants and distribution companies.Media24 also has many international and local sister companies in the media industry through its holding company, Naspers.Naspers, was established in 1915.Its first product was the daily newspaper Die Burger, published the same year the company was founded.Later a printing plant was established, after which several book publishers, magazines and numerous other titles were either launched or acquired.Directors of the DMH Group include Dirk Mudge, Chrisna Greef, Andrew Theunissen, H Awaseb, and two South Africans D Steyn and L Retief have recently been brought on board following the merger.The DMH group remains controversial.Its roots lie in the pre-independence apartheid slush funds of the former white South African government, which injected some N$4 million into the DTA grouping with the aim of starting a newspaper to stop the Swapo movement coming to power.The money was used to start Die Republikein newspaper.After questions were asked in the Namibian Parliament some years back by DTA MP, McHenry Venaani, who alleged that the funds which were earmarked for the DTA had ended up in DMH, Dirk Mudge held a press conference to say that the SA Government had wanted left over monies returned after the elections, but that he had negotiated the money be donated to the Democratic Media Trust (which in turns owns the DMH) “for promotion of a free and independent press in Namibia”.Mudge also claimed at the time that the Democratic Media Trust had in turn funded the DTA to the tune of N$8,6 million prior to independence.Some media analysts are concerned that big South African media houses are gaining a foothold in Namibia.”What future impact that is going to have on the media in the country remains to be seen” said Martin Buch Larsen, a researcher from Denmark who recently conducted a survey on media ownership in Namibia for the Media Institute of Southern Africa (Misa), when he presented his findings.A full-page advert in Die Republikein this week announcing the launch of the new newspaper, charges that the “Sun rises only on Thursdays”.