Impact of Covid 19 on Media Sustainability https://zimbabwe.misa.org The crisis The impact on the news media of the Covid-19 pandemic in many countries in the world was felt almost immediately, with the assessment by digital media expert Craig Silverman of the media impact as a “media extinction event” quickly becoming currency.14 15 The impact of the Covid-19 crisis globally was twofold. First, the regulations, including lockdowns, affected the ability of news organizations to distribute newspapers and the mobility of readers to buy newspapers. With shops and transport hubs closed, many newspapers in the UK, for example, reported circulation declines for April, the month many countries were in lockdown. The circulation of the world-renowned Financial Times dropped by 39% and a range of other titles were down between that extreme and minus 12%.16 In South Africa, the strict lockdown saw declines in newspaper purchases and distribution, and initially a complete ban on magazines.17 It might be imagined that consumers in the region were financially stretched and considered print products an unnecessary expense. Will street sales rebound, especially given that the income of many readers has been slashed thanks to the Covid-19 crisis? Those interviewed for this survey put more emphasis on the advertising crisis, though the reduction in disposable income must be a factor. As important as cost, it seems 14. Silverman, “The Coronavirus Is a Media Extinction Event,” Buzz Feed News, March 23, 2020, https://www.buzzfeednews.com/ article/craigsilverman/coronavirus-news-industry-layoffs. 15I. FPM, “International Fund for Public Interest Media,” accessed October 4, 2020, https://luminategroup.com/ifpim. 16. Mark Sweney, “UK National Newspaper Print Sales Plunge amid Coronavirus Lockdown,” The Guardian, May 21, 2020, sec. Media, https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/may/21/uk-national-newspaper-print-sales- plunge-amid-coronavirus-lockdown. 17. Reg Rumney, “SANEF’S COVID 19 Impact on Journalism Report (Interim)” (Johannesburg: South African National Editors Forum, June 1, 2020), 10. 8