What News24 does

News24 is South Africa's leading digital news publication, owned by Media24 (part of the Naspers group) and headquartered in Cape Town. It delivers breaking news, investigative journalism, opinion, and lifestyle content covering national affairs, world news, business, sport, entertainment, and arts across web (news24.com) and native mobile applications for iOS, Android, and Huawei Gallery. Its editorial franchise includes high-impact investigations such as Phala Phala, the Eskom Files, Gupta Leaks, and Zondo Commission coverage, which have established a brand-equity moat reinforced by eight consecutive years as SA's most trusted news source per the Oxford Reuters Institute.

The business operates a hybrid freemium model. Breaking news remains freely accessible while investigative reporting, opinion, documentaries, podcasts, e-publications of Media24-owned magazine titles (YOU, Fairlady, Drum, True Love, go!, City Press, home), audio articles, and personalized newsletters are gated behind subscriptions. Pricing is R119/month (Standard) or R169/month (Globetrotter, which bundles News24 with The New York Times All Access), with a 14-day free trial driving conversion. A second revenue stream is display advertising across the news website, and a third is branded partner content with South African corporates including Nedbank, Standard Bank, FirstRand, Takealot, iStore, and Lula.

News24's go-to-market is predominantly product-led and consumer-direct, leveraging its trusted-journalism brand for organic acquisition and using partner content plus a multi-platform social presence (TikTok, Twitter/X, Instagram, Facebook) for top-of-funnel reach. Sub-brands and add-on modules include News24 Games (crossword, sudoku, wordflower), audio articles, podcasts, and a whistleblower protection platform (news24.com/tips). The Globetrotter partnership with The New York Times represents the most significant recent distribution and product expansion, adding international content and a higher-tier price point.

Name

News24

Legal name

News24

Website

https://news24.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

News24 is South Africa's leading digital news publication, owned by Media24, delivering breaking news, investigative journalism, and multimedia content via web and mobile apps under a freemium subscription model (R119/mo standard; R169/mo Globetrotter bundle with NYT).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital News Publishing

NAICS

Newspaper Publishers (513110), Periodical Publishers (513120)

SIC

Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Investigative & Nonprofit News Organizations (MPAJADAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

News, Politics & Current Affairs Magazines (MPAJAEAO), News Streaming Platforms (MPACAAAF)

Keywords

• Digital news publishing
• Online journalism
• News subscription service
• Investigative journalism
• Digital media platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Cape Town

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Digital Subscriptions: Monthly and annual subscription fees providing access to exclusive journalism, investigative reporting, opinion, analysis, podcasts, video documentaries, e-publications and personalized newsletters. Recurring billing model with 14-day free trial for conversion.
2. Advertising: Display advertising on the news website across various content sections and categories
3. Partner Content: Branded content and partner-sponsored sections including branded stories and partner showcases

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

News24 is a South African digital news publication delivering breaking news on national, world, business, sport, entertainment, and arts affairs through its website and mobile apps. The platform operates a freemium subscription model: breaking news and live updates are freely accessible, while investigative journalism, opinion, analysis, documentaries, podcasts, audio articles, and digital editions of magazines (YOU, Fairlady, Drum, True Love, go!, City Press, home) are reserved for paying subscribers.

Product overview

News24 is a comprehensive digital news and media platform offering a tiered subscription model. The core product is the News24 digital news platform providing breaking news across national, world, business, sport, and entertainment content. Subscribers access exclusive investigative journalism through Standard subscription, while the premium Globetrotter Bundle adds New York Times All Access. The platform extends through sub-brands including YOU Magazine, Drum, True Love, and go! travel magazine, each covering distinct lifestyle segments. Additional offerings include News24 Games (crossword, sudoku, wordflower), podcasts, e-publications, and audio articles. A recent technology launch includes whistleblower protection tools for investigative journalism sources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Globetrotter: Premium subscription tier offering News24 content combined with New York Times access

Products and services

• News24 Digital News Platform

Quantifiable outcome

• Self-described as SA's most trusted news source for 8 years running (Oxford Reuters Institute)

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The New York TimescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNews24 Globetrotter bundle offers combined subscription to News24 and The New York Times. The partnership provides News24 subscribers with access to The New York Times All Access including Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter and The Athletic at a discounted bundle price.
• Naspers LabsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership focused on empowering young South Africans through technology initiatives.
• Nedbank Commercial BankingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerClimate Resilience in Action partnership featuring climate-focused content and initiatives.
• FirstRandminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEmpowering People, Unlocking Progress partnership focused on social impact initiatives.
• Standard BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSustainable Impact partnership featuring sustainability and impact-focused content.
• Takealot Fulfilment SolutionsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerE-commerce logistics partnership showcasing Takealot's fulfilment capabilities.
• iStoreminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTechnology partner showcasing iPhone and Apple products.
• LulaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBusiness Class Funding with Lula - financial services partnership.
• Media24coreOthersParent company Media24 owns News24 along with other publications including YOU, Drum, True Love, go!, Property24, Careers24, AutoTrader, and various other media brands.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Daily Maverick: Leading South African digital news publication with a subscription model and strong investigative journalism focus, directly competing with News24 for the same paying audience and advertising spend in the SA market.
• Mail & Guardian: Established South African news publisher with digital subscriptions and a long-standing investigative journalism reputation, competing with News24 for both premium subscribers and advertiser relationships.
• Independent Online (IOL): Major South African digital news portal covering national and world news, sport, and business, competing directly with News24 for mass-market news consumption and advertising inventory.
• TimesLIVE: Digital arm of the Johannesburg Times newspaper group, providing general news, business, and sport coverage to South African readers in direct competition with News24.
• Business Day: South Africa's leading business-focused daily publication with a digital subscription product, competing for the same premium business reader and executive subscriber segment that News24 targets.

Broad incumbents

• The New York Times: Global digital news subscription leader and News24's Globetrotter bundle partner; comparable as a subscription-driven, advertising-supported digital news business with a similar paywall + free content hybrid model.
• The Guardian: Global digital news outlet with a reader-funded subscription model and strong investigative journalism, comparable to News24 in its mix of news, opinion, and a free/paid content strategy.
• BBC News: Major international news publisher offering comprehensive breaking news, investigative journalism, and multimedia content — comparable as a multi-platform, multi-format news subscription/free hybrid model.
• Reuters: Global news and wire service with a strong digital subscription business; comparable to News24 in its focus on breaking news, investigative reporting, and multimedia content distribution.

Others

• Spotify: Audio content platform relevant because News24 is investing in audio articles, podcasts, and audio documentaries — overlapping as a distribution and discovery surface for spoken-word content.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/news24
• Facebookfacebook.com/10227041841
• Instagraminstagram.com/news24
• TikToktiktok.com/@news24
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/news-24

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about News24