Introduction |
The Newspaper Association of South Africa (NASA) is the oldest communication industry association in South Africa. The Association was established on 27 November 1882 and named the Newspaper Press Union. Newspaper proprietors gathered on that day to establish a collective body to promote all aspects and joint interests of the press in South Africa. Nearly 124 years later the same principles apply and, although the name of the association has changed, NASA continues to represents the collective interests of the newspaper industry. It is a not-for-profit association and currently represents the interests of the majority of the participants in the newspaper industry in South Africa. Its membership comprises a combination of urban and metropolitan daily, weekly and monthly newspapers as well as sold and free mainly weekly community newspapers. NASA is also a member of an umbrella organisation, Print Media SA, which was established to represent the collective interests of a broad range of print media publications which include all types of newspapers; and magazines ranging from consumer, trade, technical, professional to other specialist magazines. South Africa is one of the few countries in the world where newspapers and magazines are collectively represented under one umbrella organisation. The two other organisations represented under the Print Media SA banner are the Magazine Publishers Association of South Africa (MPASA) and Association of Independent Publishers (AIP). NASA membership is through individual titles and currently comprises 42 national and regional newspapers and 180 community newspapers. These titles are owned by the following companies: ◦ Although the affairs of NASA are managed by the permanent staff appointed by Print Media SA, it has a board of directors which provide leadership and guidance to the association. The board comprises the chief executives, managing directors or senior managers of the newspaper companies. |
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