by Herman Manson (@marklives) It’s been a turbulent time at the Mail & Guardian but its newly appointed editor-in-chief, Verashni Pillay, believes the newspaper has hit the bottom of the curve, following falling circulation and revenue numbers, a voluntarily retrenchment drive and the disastrous implementation of a paywall strategy that has left readers out of the equation.
At age 31, she will be the youngest editor in the paper’s history. Refreshingly upfront about the the challenges facing this iconic media brand in this interview with us, Pillay discusses the evolution of the role of a newspaper editor, her plans to reinvigorate the product (both print and digital), financing journalism and getting the news brand back at the forefront of South Africa’s media landscape.
What is the current positioning of the Mail & Guardian in the SA media landscape and how will you evolve it under your editorship?
Verashni Pillay: The M&G currently is primarily read by the upper LSM groups and prides itself on in-depth and investigative journalism. I want to maintain the focus on smart journalism, while better reflecting the debates and events that are happening in our national conversation and making [them] more accessible to a new generation of readers who will be reaching us across various platforms.
It’s near impossible to get younger readers to buy a newspaper but the M&G has a strong history of digital innovation which we need to fire up again to get South Africans reading our stories wherever suits them best.
You are taking the reins during a turbulent time at the M&G, what with a number of retrenchments, the loss of a number of senior personnel, and a decline in revenue and circulation all contributing to a sense of destabilisation at the organisation. How do you motivate a newsroom under such circumstances and how quickly do you believe the business will stabilise again?
VP: Things have been very difficult as you say, and I thought long and hard before I said yes. We’re at the bottom of the curve right now, and we can start rebuilding and that’s a very exciting opportunity. Yes, the retrenchments were difficult and affected staff morale, but interestingly enough the journalists and senior staff left in the newsroom have really rallied together and I believe they are very invested in making things work.
With a permanent editor in place, consultation, more resources and a strong vision going forward, I think the business will definitely stabilise again. The world has, of course, changed dramatically from when the Weekly Mail first started in 1985. We’ve been cut down to the bare minimum but the up side is that this creates a fresh start for us, and we can rebuild the M&G to suit the current environment and be more agile to changes.
For example, we’ve always talked about convergence but, when I led the online team, it essentially acted as a parallel publication within the newsroom, given the legacy issues. That’s changed and can change even more. We now have the chance to build that capacity across sections so that our journalism is consistent in its tone across our platforms.
Nope, this is not your grandparents’ M&G. Not when the incoming editor-in-chief introduces herself via video. http://t.co/tXzRmfE6Jf
— Phillip de Wet (@phillipdewet) October 5, 2015
Do you believe the role of editor has evolved beyond the newsroom and into the business side (as opposed to just the content side) of a news organisation?
VP: Absolutely. This is a sensitive issue as journalists are generally allergic to the idea of mixing business with content. I am very committed to keeping that Chinese wall up between advertising and editorial. At the same time, I have always understood that we need a revenue model that works to create the journalism this country needs.
I intend on building a strong editorial team who I know will create that great journalism while having a firm hand in how we create revenue so that it is a) ethical and b) actually works. We all know the traditional revenue model is on the decline and I have a few ideas I want to explore to fund great journalism, including creating better subscription models [plus] drawing on the power of funded journalism, which has already made great things possible for our health unit, Bhekisisa.
How is the digital-first strategy the M&G has been implementing over the past two years been progressing and is this a strategy you will maintain?
VP: It worked well at one point but, in the past two years, we have to be honest and say it’s taken a knock. But as I mentioned before, this actually gives us an opportunity to rethink things. The team, which I was a part of, had great energy and was really innovating and winning awards.
But we need to integrate that capacity into every level of the publication. The demands of modern audiences means we absolutely have to be digital-first but we have to find a way to make that work for the entire publication. That means, at first, on not trying to do everything but focusing on what we can do well in the digital space. One of those things is good comment and analysis, and my first project will involve turning that around across our platforms.
Do you have a paywall strategy in place for your digital products and, if so, what does it entail?
VP: A paywall was put in place recently but it was done during a tricky time between permanent editors and it was not communicated well with audiences. One of my first priorities when I get into the office is to firstly apologise to our readers and then take them along with us on a process to figure out how best we can monetise our unique content.
Unfortunately, there are too many examples of this sort of thing failing across the world — and in SA. It shouldn’t be done in a rushed manner and we have to rectify that.
Should readers expect any further changes in the newsroom or in the product?
VP: For now, we’ll be working to stabilise everything. We’ll still have our popular report cards at the end of the year and bumper end-of-year edition, and planning for that will start immediately. Any changes will hopefully entail an uptick in quality and a bolder voice for the M&G, and deeper engagement with the various debates taking place in our national conversation, as well as a reorganisation of our comment and analysis sections, but more on that later.
You’ve spoken about a new sense of boldness and character at the M&G. What will this entail and why was it lost in the first place?
VP: I’m not sure that it was lost, but the publication is 30-years-old and has evolved in various ways. I’ve been thinking about how we first started: by a bunch of cheeky journalists. I want to recapture that essence of the M&G, where there was a strong sense of who we were.
When the publication became more of a business, there were more resources to grow and try new things and we did so. But when things got financially tight, we had to keep doing a lot with very little. We’re coming out of that financial dry spell now but we still have to really focus and do a few things really well, instead of trying to do too much.
But, as we experience growth again — which I believe we will — we can then start to rebuild once more and expand, having reestablished a stronger sense of identity and vision across every department.
Herman Manson (@marklives) is the founder and editor of MarkLives.com. He was the inaugural Vodacom Social Media Journalist of the Year in 2011 and has, over his 20-year-plus career, contributed to numerous journals and websites in South Africa and abroad, including AdVantage magazine, Men’s Health, Computer World and African Communications.
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