Wikipedia

News24 (website)

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News24 is a leading South African English-language digital news platform, established in October 1998 by Naspers as part of the company’s internet strategy under then CEO Koos Bekker.[1][2] Owned by Media24, a subsidiary of Naspers, News24 has grown to become the country’s most trusted news brand[3] and the largest subscription-led news website in Africa.[4] Its editorial team, led by editor-in-chief Adriaan Basson, operates from key cities including Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban and Gqeberha.[1]

News24
Trusted News. First.
TypeContinuous digital news
FormatOnline newspaper
OwnerMedia24
FounderNaspers
PublisherBen Viljoen
Editor-in-chief
Adriaan Basson
FoundedOctober 1998; 27 years ago (1998-10)
LanguageEnglish
HeadquartersCape Town, South Africa
CountrySouth Africa
Sister newspapers
"Netwerk24", "Daily Sun"
Websitenews24.com

History

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News24 was launched during the early days of the Internet 1.0 era and quickly became one of South Africa’s most recognised digital media platforms.[5] The platform initially focused on breaking local news while relying on wire services for international coverage.[2]

Arrie Rossouw was appointed as News24’s first publisher. Initially based in Johannesburg, the platform relocated to Cape Town in 2001 to integrate into the newly formed Media24 Digital division under Russell Hanly. This move was part of a broader restructuring of Media24’s digital operations, which also saw the News24 team reduced from 30 to 18 employees, with Douw Steyn as business manager and Cobus Heyl as editor.[6]

In April 2020, News24 launched a revamped mobile and desktop website, introducing a free subscription option that included access to 20 newsletters, personalised traffic alerts, weather forecasts, and bookmarked articles.[7][8] This marked a significant step in adapting to South Africa’s growing mobile-first audience.

Today, News24 has a team of more than 100 journalists based in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban and Gqeberha.[1]

Digital subscriptions

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News24 launched a paid digital subscription service on 8 August 2020, offering investigative journalism, opinion and analysis while keeping breaking news free. News24 surpassed 100,000 paying subscribers in January 2024[9][10] and by June 2025 reported more than 110,000 subscribers.[11]

Editorial approach and initiatives

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The Reuters Institute’s Digital News Report identified News24 as South Africa’s most trusted news brand for seven consecutive years, from 2018 to 2025.[12][13] In February 2025, News24 launched a full-time “Disinformation Desk” focused on fact-checking and combating misinformation.[14]

Audience

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According to News24, citing Google Analytics, the site had approximately 6.6 million monthly users in June 2025.[15] Independent IAB South Africa audience data, reported by MyBroadband, placed News24 at the top of South Africa’s online news publications by daily active users and monthly page views in May 2024.[16]

News24’s audience leans slightly male – about 55% men to 45% women – with its biggest age group being 55–64. Its main competitors are IOL, TimesLIVE, Daily Maverick, The Citizen, EWN, BusinessTech, SABC News, The South African, eNCA and Moneyweb.[17]

Content and platforms

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News24 publishes across news, business, sport, lifestyle and entertainment.[1] It also serves as a digital hub for several Media24 English-language titles: a 2015 migration moved numerous English newspaper sites into the 24.com network (to News24)[18], and subscription access includes journalism from City Press, YOU, DRUM and True Love. In 2023, WAN-IFRA named News24 “Best News Website” at the Digital Media Awards Africa.[19]

References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 "About Us". News24. Retrieved 23 April 2026.
  2. 1 2 "News24 turns ten". News24. Retrieved 23 April 2026.
  3. ↑ "South Africa | Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism". reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 23 April 2026.
  4. ↑ "News24 joins top global publishers as it reaches 100,000 paid subscribers". Bizcommunity. Retrieved 23 April 2026.
  5. ↑ eCommunications (9 July 1999). "News24 becomes default news page for relaunched MWeb and 24.com portals". ITWeb. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
  6. ↑ "'Then came September 11...'". News24. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
  7. ↑ "News24 has a mobile app - discover all the exciting new features". News24. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
  8. ↑ "News24 launches brand new website". News24. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
  9. ↑ "News24 joins top global publishers as it reaches 100,000 paid subscribers". Bizcommunity. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
  10. ↑ Smith, Janet (3 June 2025). "News24 publisher tells New York gathering how company 'reframed thinking'". The Press Council of South Africa. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
  11. ↑ Reporter, Staff. "News24 tops list of trusted SA news brands for seventh consecutive year". News24. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
  12. ↑ "South Africa | Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism". reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
  13. ↑ "News24 leads trust in South Africa for the 7th year running - Media24". Bizcommunity. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
  14. ↑ "But is it true? News24 launches full-time disinformation desk to debunk fake news". News24. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
  15. ↑ Reporter, Staff. "News24 tops list of trusted SA news brands for seventh consecutive year". News24. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
  16. ↑ Writer, Staff. "South Africa's top online news publications revealed". Retrieved 24 April 2026.
  17. ↑ "news24.com Traffic Analytics, Ranking &". www.similarweb.com. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
  18. ↑ "Newspaper titles move into 24.com network". Bizcommunity. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
  19. ↑ Benitez, Elizabeth (13 April 2023). "WAN-IFRA announces the winners of the Digital Media Awards Africa 2023". WAN-IFRA. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
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