The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in deserted newsrooms throughout the world, as many journalists shifted from working in an office to operating remotely.
This was according to Chantel Erfort, editor-in-chief of the Cape Community Newspapers. The changes brought about by Covid-19 also affected the Cape Community Newspapers, including the Southern Suburbs Tatler (the Tatler), according to Erfort.
The Tatler is a free weekly newspaper that is distributed in the Southern Suburbs area in Cape Town every Thursday, according to the Tatler’s website.
Life in the virtual newsroom
The journalists at the Tatler, like many others, are working from home, according to Erfort. The onset of the pandemic not only pushed the news team to work remotely, but to also communicate more effectively, she said.
While the Southern Suburbs Tatler, a community newspaper in Cape Town, focuses on hyperlocal news, it also engages with global and national stories. The newspaper aims to bring these stories down to a “grass-roots level” to show their impact on local communities, according to Chantel Erfort, editor-in-chief of the Cape Community Newspapers. PHOTO: Tamsin Metelerkamp
“It becomes so much harder to make sure that your staff is doing okay,” said Erfort, referring to staff working remotely. “I think many of us underestimate the impact that kind of isolation […] can have on people. Certainly, for me, communication became key.”
During lockdown, the journalists at the Tatler needed to become more creative when sourcing information, as they were sometimes advised not to go out on stories, said Erfort.
“It’s almost counter-intuitive,” said Erfort. “As journalists, we always learn that you have to go and see for yourself, […] and here we were advising people to do the opposite.” As a result of this, the news team’s fact-checking needed to be beyond reproach, she added.
The Tatler, which is available both online and in print, relies on advertising for its revenue, according to Erfort. The newspaper features advertisements for both local and national businesses. While the Covid-19 pandemic did result in less income from advertising, there was always enough revenue to produce and distribute the newspaper each week, she said.
“I don’t think any news media was spared the cutbacks in advertising spend, but we’ve picked up really well,” said Erfort. “We’re almost back to our pre-Covid budgets.”
The Southern Suburbs Tatler, a community newspaper in Cape Town, covers a range of stories on topics such as local schools, non-governmental organisations, crime and human interest. During the first three months of hard lockdown, there was a tendency for Covid-19 to dominate coverage, as many subjects became Covid-related, according to Wesley Ford, a journalist at the Tatler. However, the stories have returned to covering a wider range of topics, he said. PHOTO: Supplied/Wesley Ford
The role of a community newspaper
As a community reporter, it is important to consider how to make your stories relevant to the community, according to Wesley Ford, a journalist at the Tatler.
“That’s the most important part of being a community reporter,” said Ford. “You build these good relationships with these organisations, and they will tend to come to you with the stories.” Social media has also been a valuable tool in finding leads, he said.
At times when Covid-19 restrictions made it difficult to find stories on the ground, relationships between community journalists and sources were particularly important, according to Ford.
“Our unique selling proposition is that we focus on hyperlocal news,” said Erfort. “Often, what’s also a key contributor to the success of our paper is that we are able to connect communities,” she added.
The Tatler keeps the community well-informed on everything that happens locally, according to Erica Murison, a Pinelands resident who reads the Tatler.
“I look forward to [the Tatler] on Thursdays, and miss it when it is not available,” said Murison.
When recruiting journalists for the Southern Suburbs Tatler and other Cape Community Newspapers, there is an effort to recruit individuals who live in the areas that the newspapers cover, according to Chantel Erfort, editor-in-chief of the Cape Community Newspapers. An upside to the community reporters working from home during the Covid-19 pandemic is that they are now based full-time in the areas that they cover, said Erfort. PHOTO: Supplied/Wesley Ford