Daily Sun (South Africa)

This article is about the South African newspaper. For other newspapers, see List of newspapers named Daily Sun.

Daily Sun

Type	Daily newspaper
Format	Print and Online
Owner(s)	Media24
Publisher	Media24
Editor-in-chief	Amos Mananyetso
Language	English
Headquarters	Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
Sister newspapers	Sunday Sun
Website	www.snl24.com/dailysun

The Daily Sun was a tabloid daily newspaper in South Africa.^[1] It had a circulation of more than 28,006 copies making it the second largest daily newspaper in the country to the Sunday Times in terms of largest circulation among all papers.^[2]

"Daily Sun" is based in Randburg, Johannesburg. It targets readers in and around the major urban centres. These readers are predominantly black, English-literate with high-school or further education, and working-class earners – the economic core of South Africa.^[3]

Daily Sun has also transitioned to digital, with a monthly pageview count of 4.7 million and an active user base of 3 million in 2023. The last print edition was published on Friday 20 December 2024. It's still available online.[1]

History

The Daily Sun was launched on 1 July 2002 by Media24, a division of the Naspers group. It was the brainchild of veteran journalist, Deon du Plessis, who remained its publisher and minority shareholder until 11 September 2011, when he died suddenly at his Johannesburg home.^[4] The newspaper has been overseen by editor Amos Mananyetso since 2022.^[5]

In June 2024, Moneyweb reported the newspaper would cease print in October.^[6] Media24 declined to comment.^[7] A month later Media24 announced it will suspend the planned closure until the Competition Commission approves of its plan to sell newspaper distribution company On-The-Dot to Novus, which was the reason behind the paper's planned shuttering.^[8]

Distribution areas

Distribution^[9]

	2008	2013
Eastern Cape	Y	Y
Free State	Y	Y
Gauteng	Y	Y
Kwa-Zulu Natal	Y	Y
Limpopo	Y	Y
Mpumalanga	Y	Y
North West	Y	Y
Northern Cape	Y	Y
Western Cape	Y	Y

Distribution figures

Circulation^[10]

	Net Sales
Jan – Mar 2015	265 993[11]
Jan – Mar 2014	283 216[11]
Oct – Dec 2012	322 324
Jul – Sep 2012	336 319
Apr – Jun 2012	348 265
Jan – Mar 2012	375 185

Readership figures

Estimated Readership^[12]^[13]

	AIR
Jan 2012 – Dec 2012	5 554 000
Jul 2011 – Jun 2012	5 669 000

See also

• List of newspapers in South Africa

References

1. "Tabloid Journalism in South Africa". Indiana University Press. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
2. "SA's media: The old is dying, the new is struggling to be born – NEWS & ANALYSIS | Politicsweb". politicsweb.co.za. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
3. "Daily Sun Advertising Site". Archived from the original on 2 September 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
4. "Respected newsman Deon du Plessis dies". News24. 11 September 2011. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
5. "Meet our new editor, Amos!". Daily Sun. 13 June 2024. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
6. Maggs, Jeremy (13 June 2024). "End of an era: Media24 to close iconic newspapers". Moneyweb. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
7. Cronje, Jan (13 June 2024). "Media24 'continuously reviews operations', won't comment on report about newspaper closures". News24. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
8. "Media 24 agrees to suspend newspaper closures". The Witness. 11 July 2024. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
9. "Daily Sun Website". Retrieved 21 June 2013.
10. Audit Bureau of Circulations (S.A)
11. "ABC Analysis Q1 2015: The biggest-circulating newspapers in South Africa •". 8 May 2015.
12. SAARF AMPS (Previous Presentations)
13. SAARF AMPS (Industry Presentations)

External links

• Official website