The online news outlet Daily Maverick has commenced a 24-hour operational shutdown in an effort to raise funds and awareness.
Daily Maverick goes on ’24-hour’ shutdown to raise funds
Founded in 2009 by Branislav Brkic and Styli Charalambous, Daily Maverick has become a significant voice in South African media.
The shutdown, which the publication describes as a strategy to “raise awareness about the crisis in journalism,” is intended to emphasise the necessity of robust media coverage for a thriving democracy.
“For our economy to grow, we need a democracy that works for the people, not for a select few. The paralysing impact of State Capture continues to stunt our economic recovery today,” the publication noted.
The outlet underlines the importance of journalism in monitoring and investigating the nation’s critical institutions and leaders, asserting that such endeavours are vital for economic growth and the delivery of basic services.
“We can only fix our broken economy and shattered society if public interest journalism is sustainable in the long term. Imagine where we would be with a Zuma-led administration, a Tom Moyane-run SARS, a Malusi Gigaba finance ministry, and Ace Magashule vying for the presidency of the ANC. That scary thought experiment isn’t our reality, thanks to journalism’s impact.
“If democracy works, we all benefit. Less journalism means fewer resources to fight corruption and report on key institutions and fewer chances to wedge a gap open for the economy to grow again, benefitting all businesses and creating more jobs,” The Daily Maverick statement continued.
Brkic, originally a book publisher from Yugoslavia, migrated to South Africa in 1991.
He has been involved in various publishing ventures, including launching Timbila, a magazine for the South African National Parks (SANParks), and co-founding the IT business magazine Brainstorm.
Charalambous, awarded the Nat Nakasa Courage and Integrity Award in 2021, has been instrumental in establishing the Maverick Insider membership program, a model recognised globally for its success in supporting journalism financially.
Social media reacts to the online publication’s crowdfunding campaign
The decision to shut down has sparked a diverse array of reactions on social media. Supporters of Daily Maverick laud the publication for its commitment to independent journalism, with one user commenting:
“Well played [Daily Maverick]. Without independent journalism, we’re all getting played.”
Others expressed a less favourable view, critiquing the publication’s approach and accusing it of biased reporting.
One detractor stated:
“To be clear, the Daily Maverick is propaganda NOT journalism but let’s deal with their false claim quickly,” followed by a list of grievances including alleged political bias and misinformation.
Here are some of the reactions we picked: