Announcement

Daily Maverick DM168 Slow Down to Catch Up Competition

Competition details: 

Share your weekend reading ritual with us and stand a chance to win a 2-night stay* at the One&Only Cape Town. Over the next four weeks, get each new edition of DM168 and snap a photo of how you’re slowing down to catch up. Post to social media each week with the tag #DM168catchup. The reader with the most collective likes for their photos wins!

*Terms and conditions apply.

Announcement

Mid-level Cross Disciplinary Designer

Role:
Mid-level Cross Disciplinary Designer (Minimum 3-5 years experience)
Permanent
Cape Town

We are looking for a creative genius designer with an interest/experience in motion design, GIFs and HTML. The ideal candidate will be driven to push the boundaries of design whilst working closely with Daily Maverick’s award-winning marketing team to deliver high impact campaigns and projects. You will have the opportunity to work across divisions in a fast paced environment with a collaborative team. This role is the perfect opportunity for a designer who would like to see their work have a meaningful impact: the support and success of quality, independent journalism.

Requirements:
Tertiary education within design essential
Will be working in both digital(primarily) and print.
Able to design quickly at a high level.
A basic understanding of HTML.
Adaptable and eager to learn.

Proficient in:
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe InDesign

Not essential but definitely a plus:
Adobe After Effects
HTML

Extra credit:
Adobe Premiere Pro

Attributes:
Great team-player with a can-do attitude
Organised and efficient
Enjoys multi-tasking
Innovative
Enthusiastic
Ambitious and self-driven

References
Please include 2-3 references from previous employers

CV/ Portfolio
Show us what you’ve done! Include any awards you’ve received, innovative projects you’ve worked on and examples of your work.

Salary
Market related and dependent on experience.

Please email your CV, cover letter and portfolio to [email protected]

Announcement

MAVERICK451 BOOK PUBLISHER

Daily Maverick is on the hunt for a great self-starter blessed with common sense, a great work ethic and a maverick mindset to run our book publishing division, Maverick451. We’re looking for someone who thrives on innovation and who isn’t afraid to approach book publishing from a new perspective.

Reporting to the CEO and General Manager.

Remuneration: Dependent on experience (mid-senior level position)

Starting date: ASAP

Detailed tasks: 

• Identifying and securing new books that align with the Daily Maverick brand 
• Coordination of the entire production process from initial pitch to delivery from printers
• Budget management 
• Liaise with the marketing team on marketing and PR campaigns 
• Liaise and coordinate with the event team on book launches and other opportunities
• Liaise with third-party suppliers and sales consultants
• Stock management 
• Rights negotiation and coordination

SKILLS & ATTRIBUTES 

• Commercially minded, adept at cost control, strong negotiation skills
• Innovative – the ideal candidate will be inspired by the prospect of approaching book publishing from new and unique angles
• Enthusiastic team member with the interpersonal skills to build and nurture relationships within the company and with external writers and partners
• Strong prioritization and time-management skills
• Flexibility and Adaptability
• Solutions orientated, with an ability to approach problems logically and with structured thinking.
• Solid Writing/Editing ability an advantage 
• Multi-tasker who is not afraid to get their hands dirty and go above and beyond to ensure the completion of a project. 
• Ideal candidate will love working with people as much as working with manuscripts. 

Interested candidates please send your CV and cover letter to [email protected]

Announcement

Daily Maverick 168 pilot edition launch a success

Daily Maverick has successfully defied the odds, piloting its weekly print edition with 8,800 copies in the hands of South African readers. Copies were distributed across 20 Pick n Pay stores, in Johannesburg and Cape Town. The newspaper is free to customers who swiped their Pick n Pay Smart Shopper cards, with a cover price of R20.00 per copy.

Previously a digital-only publisher, Daily Maverick raised eyebrows with its announcement about the venture into print when media titles around the globe face enormous pressure after a decade of disruption and the impact of COVID-19.

The pilot edition was overwhelmingly well-received by readers. Over 6,200 copies, or 70%, were taken up in the 20 stores with 96% of readers swiping their Smart Shopper cards to access the benefit of a free copy.

The pilot was designed to test the production, printing, distribution, marketing and content mix ahead of the official launch, and to establish reader demand levels. The results will also help determine volumes, and launch stores across the country, using the more than 17,000 votes submitted by Daily Maverick readers for their preferred Pick n Pay store.

“It’s fantastic to see Daily Maverick 168 challenging conventional wisdom and customers responding with so much enthusiasm. We had as many as 1 in 8 customers collecting the newspaper in some pilot stores, which is extraordinary. We were excited to give our Smart Shoppers another programme benefit, and to see how this develops into a key part of their weekend routines,” John Bradshaw, retail executive: marketing at Pick n Pay.

Daily Maverick CEO, Styli Charalambous, reflected on a hugely successful pilot weekend. “We had a few important things we needed to test, but foremost was the question of whether we could successfully leverage our highly regarded online publication into a special weekend print edition, and whether readers still wanted a tangible news product in their hands. The answer was a resounding yes!

We had reports of readers waiting for stores to open to get a copy, and we received hugely supportive feedback on social media and through our own direct channels. 95% of survey respondents said they intended to become regular readers and gave the content mix the high rating scores. We’re excited for the official launch of our print edition on 26 September across 100 Pick n Pay stores nationwide, and already seeing how demand could grow to multiples of our 25,000 launch circulation quite quickly.”

For press queries and interview requests with the Maverick Insider team, please contact Phumlani Malinga.

Email: [email protected]

Daily Maverick is hiring: Photographic Editor

Daily Maverick is looking to hire a Photographic Editor to take overall responsibility for the photographic aspects of the organisation’s editorial offerings, across a range of publishing platforms.

Role details:
Salary Range: Dependent on experience (min 3yrs exp)
Employment equity preferred: Yes

Location: Preferably Johannesburg
Work from home and/or our Johannesburg office

Est. Hours: 11am-8pm
Days: Monday to Friday

Overview

The successful candidate will work closely with editors to conceive of visuals to accompany and enhance stories to be published on Daily Maverick platforms. Develop and manage a freelance team of photographers to meet the needs of the organisation.

Job Description

• • Source pictures for all online section heads and the newspaper from wire services and stock pictures we subscribe to.
  • Help section editors visualise stories
  • Identify and source photo essays that add to the content mix of Daily Maverick products
  • Manage, renew and update photographic wire services to serve Daily Maverick’s publishing platforms
  • Assign freelance photographers within budget to photograph stories as decided by the diary meeting, and section editors
  • Assist in selecting and editing photos for publications platform
  • Able to work with layout designers to achieve high-impact visual language

Experience

• • At least three years experience in a similar role
  • Previous print and online experience preferable
  • Expert knowledge of Adobe Photoshop suite

Send your application with short motivation via email, with “Photographic Editor Application” in the subject header by 27 July 2020.

Daily Maverick is hiring: Production Editor

Daily Maverick is looking to hire a Production Editor to take responsibility for the production processes of the organisation’s editorial offerings. It is a hands-on, multi-faceted job in a tight operation so all-round news editing and meticulous production experience are essential. Patience, open-mindedness and access to a meditation app are highly recommended.

Role Details:

Starting date: ASAP
Location: Ideally Jo’burg or Cape Town-based. Good, reliable internet access a necessity
Estimated work from home: 90%

Salary Range: Dependent on experience (min 5yrs exp)
Employment equity preferred: Yes

Approx Work Schedule: 4pm -12pm
Days: Monday to Friday

Overview:
The production editor would devise a production workflow with strict deadlines for particular pages to enable designers, graphic artists and copy sub-editors enough time to craft the best possible product. 

Manage a team of sub-editors, both internal and freelance, to ensure proper subbing capacity to meet the different needs of the organisation.

Job description

• • Co-ordinate publishing cycle for publishing on multiple platforms
  • Manage and assign stories to sub-editors
  • Manage a sub-editors roster
  • Manage deadlines and copy flow for all platforms
  • Load pages online
  • Work with pictures desk and multimedia journalist to ensure best possible images for online
  • Edit copy
  • Add to the existing DM style guide for Daily Maverick products
  • Proofread and sign off final pages 
  • Write catchy headlines and blurbs
  • Ensure the publication’s standards are met
  • Managing the production flow of DM online by overseeing layout and finding ways to streamline and improve the production process.
  • Ensuring adherence to DM style, tone and ethics
  • Prioritising the news list on the front page in discussion with Editor 
  • Archiving and other backend production processes

Experience

• • At least five years experience in a similar role
  • Previous print and online experience preferable
  • Knowledge of production and design systems including WordPress 

Apply with short motivation email and C.V to this address with “Production Editor Application” as the subject, before 27 July 2020.

Maverick Citizen is recruiting

In September 2019, Daily Maverick will launch Maverick Citizen, a news section focusing on human rights and social justice and the people who fight for it – in South Africa, Africa and the world. We are looking to hire two journalists to join our team but not just any journalists!

If you are a journalist who is called to tell the stories of our country’s people, to tell stories that could play a role in changing these and other facts; if you believe the people who work towards a better life for all need to be reported on with the same rigour as the reporting on politics and business, then please apply. If you believe journalism is a force for good and involves engaging with audiences and readers rather than just broadcasting. If you wake up in the morning with a fire in your belly. If you are a journalist with a passion for reporting on social justice issues and the people who are affected, then send your CV.

If you believe that all news is equal but often it seems that some news is more equal than other news. If you believe that we need journalists who try to rectify this imbalance by telling stories that should count, then consider joining Maverick Citizen.

We are looking for journalists who will tell the stories of individuals and organisations that swim against the stream, and in many different ways, visible and invisible, try and realize the constitutional vision of social justice in South Africa.

We are looking for journalists who want to find those people who make and shape the news, but usually don’t get into the news until there’s a court case or a crisis or a tragedy. We are looking for journalists who believe our country is also about the people and organisations whose efforts hold our society together and often prevent despair. We are looking for journalists who want to listen to the people of South Africa and tell the stories of people who invoke their and others’ constitutional right to campaign for a cause, the unseen participants in our participatory democracy.

If reading this advert makes your heart beat a little faster, then we would like to hear from you.

Skills and attributes required include experience as a journalist or high-level communicator in the social justice field, a readiness to travel our country to tell its stories, critical, independent thinking, experience in, and appreciation for investigative stories, global and national political insight and understanding, multimedia skills, social media skills, ability to work under pressure, to multitask and retain high quality, work weekends, evenings and early mornings.

Criteria

We are recruiting for 1 x senior level journalist and 1 x mid-senior level. Remuneration is dependent upon experience and employment equity candidates are preferred.

Your application should include a 500-word article telling us why this advertisement spurred you to apply for the job (We aim to Maverick Citizens in Cape Town and Johannesburg.) Also include references – at least three, including their full contact detail – a CV and links to examples of your work. Please send applications to [email protected] by
28 August 2019.

Announcement

Award-Winning Journalist Sikonathi Mantshantsha joins Daily Maverick

Award-winning financial journalist Sikonathi Mantshantsha has joined Scorpio, the Investigative Unit of Daily Maverick, as of 1 July 2019. In addition, Mantshantsha will contribute to Business Maverick, one of the latest additions to Daily Maverick’s growing stable, which focuses on the business stories driving South African economic landscape. 

Since 2016, Mantshantsha held the position of Deputy Editor at the Financial Mail. One of his many accolades includes the 2017 Sanlam Journalist of the Year Award.

Says Mantshantsha:

“It’s a great opportunity to be joining a start-up that has played a great part in SA journalism in the relatively short time it has been around. Daily Maverick has really punched above its weight, particularly exposing the many shenanigans of State Capture. I am privileged to be joining such an ambitious team.”

Business Maverick Editor Tim Cohen looks forward to working with Mantshantsha who will be a valuable member of the team. 

Says Cohen: 

“I’m delighted that Sikonathi will be joining the team, primarily as a member of the Scorpio team but helping out too on Business Maverick on an ad hoc basis. Sikonathi is widely recognised as an astute journalist and a bold voice in business journalism, and we at Business Maverick will be honoured to publish his work.

Since its launch in late 2009, Daily Maverick has seen steady growth in readership and influence. This year alone has seen the launch of two important divisions, Business Maverick and Maverick Life. Co-Founder Branko Brkic says their growth is attributed to Daily Maverick’s uncompromising approach to journalism.

Says Brkic:

Our mission is to Defend Truth in these difficult and testing times for our young democracy, with no fear or favour. Sikonathi is universally respected as a great journalist and fearless man and I personally very much look forward to working with him.

Daily Maverick’s innovative approach to media and their stance on defending the truth, no matter the cost, has gained them much respect among politicians, business leaders and the general public. It is this reputation that will continue to attract quality journalists within the media industry.

Event

The Membership Puzzle and Daily Maverick audience engagement and membership workshop

If you work in an African news organization and you’re exploring how to deepen relationships with your audience members, we hope you’ll join the Membership Puzzle Project and Daily Maverick for a workshop on audience engagement and membership models on Aug. 21 & 22, in Cape Town.

Journalism is evolving and membership models are helping news organisations improve through community building and generating revenue. This workshop will give you the inspiration, tools, and thought partners you need to begin and succeed at this work.

Who we are:

The Membership Puzzle Project is a public research project at New York University studying how to optimize a news organization for trust, primarily through membership in its many forms. They run the Membership in News Fund, which supports promising experiments in membership around the world. Daily Maverick is one of their grantees and together are hosting this workshop.

Daily Maverick is an independent news, analysis and investigative digital publisher based in South Africa. In August 2018,  DM launched Maverick Insider, a membership program and less than a year later, have gained more than 6,500 paying members. DM has also launched new editorial products that have deepened their relationship with their readers.

What we have planned: 

The agenda is a work in progress, but expect sessions on the following:

• The state of membership worldwide
• An in-depth look at Year One of the Daily Maverick’s Maverick Insiders membership program
• Catalyst talks highlighting inspiring audience engagement projects from around the world
• How to do your own audience research
• How to develop and grow newsletters – and use them to support better journalism
• How to develop your own membership offering
• Open times on the schedule for attendees to pitch discussions on topics of their choosing

Costs

The workshop will begin at 9 a.m. on Aug. 21 and will conclude in the early afternoon on Aug. 22. Registration is free, although attendees will have to cover their travel costs and hotel accommodation. Breakfast and lunch will be provided.

Who can apply?

Registration is open to any staff member of an African news organization, but in order to make this a fairly hands-on workshop, we are planning to limit attendance to 60 people. We ask that each news organization send no more than two people.

It is our mutual belief that you do not have to be a startup or an organization with a membership program to find this workshop helpful. The skill of designing for community and getting closer to audience members will be beneficial for any news organization trying to figure out a sustainable business model in 2019.

Interested in joining us? 

Register for the conference here. If you have any questions, please email Ariel at [email protected] and Fran Beighton at [email protected].

We will update this page in the coming weeks with additional logistical information, including hotel information, and a more detailed agenda. We’ll also e-mail that information to registered participants.

Looking forward to seeing you in Cape Town.

The Membership Puzzle Project and Daily Maverick

Winners of our newsletter sweepstakes competition

Thanks to all who participated in our Newsletter Referral Programme. The draw took place on Friday 17th May and the winners are:

* His and hers Bell&Ross watches: Sharon Adlem, Kelin Brak River

* 10X Investments R15,000 Unit Trust: Gary Purtell, Durban
Gary said of his participation in the Newsletter Referral Programme, “I wouldn’t have spread the news if I didn’t think Daily Maverick’s content was worth it!”

* R2,500 Book Hamper: Dhasagan Pillay, Johannesburg
Dhasagan was thrilled to hear he was a winner and said: “You guys are an awesome, awesome read.”

We appreciate the support from our readers so much. After all, we wouldn’t exist without you.

The Henley 3 year MBA is still – after 5 draws – looking for its owner. None of the 5 names that we drew were able to take up the MBA, so we’ll continue to draw names and update readers here.

We’d like to extend a huge thank you to all our sponsors, partners and readers for helping us #spreadthenews.