Eastern Times incorporating Northern Times is a full colour, bilingual, tabloid size independent community newspaper that is published and distributed free of charge in the eastern and northern suburbs of Pretoria fortnightly.
Our Mission:
The paper is the voice of the community by reflecting local news/issues that are important to the different communities and the city of Pretoria, whilst creating an interactive platform for participation by the community. It also stimulates local economic activity by offering an advertising vehicle that is useful and valuable to the local and national business sector and the consumer.
Ethical Conduct:
We are committed to the ethical codes of the media industry and form part of the national media community through our affiliations with media bodies such as Print Media SA, Forum for Community Journalists, National Press Club, ABC, CAPRO etc.
Content Relevancy:
The paper effectively addresses the needs of the community by ensuring that a balanced variety of news content topics are covered in each edition. Content preference surveys are undertaken and these results are taken into account when planning themes and topics. Care is always taken to maintain a balanced and accurate reflection of news events. In addition to community news, some of our regular topics and themes include:
- Health and Wellness Schools and Education
- Environmental issues Home and Gardening
- Motoring News Finance and Business
- Sport Calendar of community events
- Arts, Culture and Entertainment
Reader Involvement:
Participative interaction between the newspaper and its readers is accomplished through publishing a reader’s column, opinion articles, reader’s competitions through which feedback can be given as well as an interactive website http://www.easterntimes.co.za where readers can participate on various levels from commenting on news articles to making use of a free business directory section etc. We are continuously improving our online presence.
Social Responsibility:
We meet our social responsibility obligations towards those less privileged in the community by active involvement and participation in community initiatives and outreach projects as well as ensuring media coverage to selected projects.
Proud Service to our Advertisers:
Trained and professional advertising consultants communicate with advertisers, focusing on their true needs, while smoothing the progress of advertisement composition and layout. We pride ourselves in our excellent graphic design services and the excellent print quality of the newspaper. We care about HOW the paper and your advertisement look! Competitive advertising rates are offered. Advertising campaigns or packages are also tailor-made according to advertisers’ individual needs.
Awards/Achievements:
Eastern News, (Eastern Times’ predecessor under the same editorship) in 2007, was the only Gauteng based participant that reached the Top 10 in the Sanlam/Cronwright Trophy for Community Press. Betsie van der Merwe, the paper’s editor, made it to the Top Ten in the same competition in 2008 for the writing category: columns. In 2009 she was one of the Top Ten in the category: Financial Reporting. In 2010 Eastern Times was the runner up in the country for best front pages and achieved an overall third place in the country for best paper in its category (small commercial newspapers).
Now incorporating Northern Times.
2013 DISTRIBUTION AND DEMOGRAPHICS:
Distribution: A total 30 000 newspapers are distributed fortnightly.
Eastern Suburbs:
The distribution area is the well-established, upmarket eastern suburbs of Pretoria. The average living standards measurement (LSM) is 8-10.
20 000 newspapers are hand delivered in the suburbs of De Beers, Newlands, Waterkloof Glen, Garsfontein (selective distribution), Lynnwood Glen, Lynnwood Park, Menlyn, Lynnwood, Menlo Park, Lynnwood Manor, Lynnrodene, Lynnwood Ridge, Erasmuskloof and Mooikloof. Newspapers are also distributed through stands/shelves in Menlyn, Newlands, Faerie Glen, Lynnwood, Wilgers, Silver Lakes, Monument Park, Mooikloof and Elardus Park.
Northern Suburbs:
10 000 newspapers are distributed in the well-established northern suburbs of Pretoria. The average living standards measurement (LSM) is 6-9. Areas of distribution include: Montana, Montana Park, Magalieskruin, Annlin, Wonderboom, Sinoville and Doornpoort.
Background and History:
Eastern/Northern Times is managed and operated by the same dedicated and experienced team who developed the Eastern News into one of the top ten community newspapers in the country.
The retrenchment of the complete staff complement of Citi Newsroom (publisher of Eastern News, Centurion News and Zambi News) resulted in the birth of the Eastern Times at the end of January 2009.
Under the co-ownership of Betsie van der Merwe (previous Group Editor of Citi Newsroom and Editor of Eastern News) and Adrian Henwood (Entrepreneur) Eastern Times was established to fill the gap that has been left.
The paper was published only in the eastern suburbs one a monthly basis until April 2011 and 20 000 copies were distributed. In May 2011 the frequency was increased to fortnightly. In the interim the northern suburbs were added and today the paper boast a total distribution of 30 000 copies.
Northern Times Newspaper Contact Details:
Tel (Office): 087 809 0196
Fax: 086 669 6265
After Hours: 074 158 0759 / 076 757 9984
Contact Person: Betsie van der Merwe
Tel (Office): 087 809 0196
Email: betsie@easterntimes.co.za
Email: adrian@easterntimes.co.za
