Every plane needs a pilot for a test flight and, this weekend, we’ll be testing our systems – from production, distribution and marketing to our integration with Pick n Pay and Smart Shopper. We’ll also be asking you, our readers, to join us for this special test run, all with the aim of fine-tuning our instruments in anticipation of the official take-off on Saturday, 26 September.

Flight puns have taken us as far as we can go, so we’ll stop now, we promise.

With Daily Maverick 168, we set out to create a newspaper that will wrap some of the most important journalism serving the country into a world-class newspaper experience. There will also be inspirational stories and three of the nation’s favourite cartoons – without having to add to your screen time. All in return for your trip to the supermarket and a swipe of your Smart Shopper loyalty card. This weekend is our first material step towards making weekends great again.

AD2020 has been a harrowing year. Covid-19 has taken its toll on more than just our physical well-being – it has stretched our mental and emotional fibre to breaking point. The irony of launching a newspaper during a pandemic was not lost on us while we were planning our way through this brand-defining project.

And yet, it is also the perfect moment: this newspaper will help you reclaim your own space and time from the ever-present and always-on devices. It is about stealing some time for ourselves, away from the uninterrupted noise, the distraction, the tension that we sometimes do not even understand we suffer from.

So put your phone face down, make yourself a cup of coffee, and read Daily Maverick 168. (Warning: Reading it may take some time. No chance of just paging through and then discarding it.)

We called it Daily Maverick 168 because we envisage it as a weekend newspaper that is crammed with so much quality and evergreen journalism that it will last you all week (and yes, there are indeed 168 hours in a week).

We’re delivering more copies to each store than any other newspaper normally would, but then again, there’s nothing normal about any of what we’re trying to achieve, so best not to leave it too late to pick up your copy. We’ve tallied the initial votes (more than 16,000 of them in less than three weeks), and made sure to have a decent spread of locations. You can collect your copy of Daily Maverick 168 pilot edition at the following Pick n Pay stores:

Cape Town

• Plumstead
• Fish Hoek
• Durbanville
• Gardens
• Sunningdale
• Constantia
• Plattekloof
• Longbeach Mall
• Pinelands
• Montclare Place, Claremont

Johannesburg

• Bedfordview
• On Nicol
• Benmore
• Hyper Norwood
• Lonehill
• Mini Market Columbine, Mondeor
• Summerfields, Boskruin
• Hyde Park
• Express Soweto Highway
• Darras Centre, Kensington

It’s an obvious statement that the success of this product will be determined by demand. So we’re counting on our loyal readers to help us out. After you’ve picked up your copy, you can spread the word by posting a picture of your favourite article on social media, tagging it #MakeWeekendsGreatAgain.

So, deep breath everyone. This may be a small step for news publishing, but it is a giant leap for Daily Maverick.

P.S. If your preferred store isn’t on the pilot list, don’t panic! We’re still collating votes in the run-up to the launch and you can increase the likelihood of it being stocked by your favourite store by asking friends and neighbours to vote at 168.DailyMaverick.co.za DM