Cape Town's own city centre newspaper, the CapeTowner, has a double reason to celebrate. From February 3, it becomes a weekly (instead of bimonthly) and it will also be extending its footprint into one of the country's most successful developments, the V&A Waterfront.
"Right from the launch of the CapeTowner just over two years ago, it has been our ambition to go weekly," says Cape Community Newspapers editor David Hill. "We've been coming out twice a month but from now on every Thursday will be CapeTowner Day! Frequency is so important."
the CapeTowner, one of Cape Community Newspapers' stable of 14 free community newspapers, reflects the amazing resurgence of the CapeTown CBD. "It's really buzzing. Buildings are going up so fast, we published a story about running out of cranes," says Hill who is relishing the prospect of serving the 120 000 new well-heeled residents moving into the city centre by 2008 with an upmarket, lifestyle and business-focused newspaper. "Add to that, that we will be the community newspaper for the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront - home to 400 retailers, including 70 restaurants, some of the country's top-rated hotels and 600 wealthy residents - then you can see why we are excited about the CapeTowner's potential."
Hill says the CapeTowner has been warmly welcomed by Waterfront management. "When we approached them with our CapeTowner plans they were delighted. They said they had been thinking for some time that they ought to have a community newspaper. Now, on top of all the city centre news, the CapeTowner can tell the stories about the Waterfront which is bursting with fascinating personalities and flourishing businesses."
From the beginning of February, the CapeTowner will distribute 25 000 copies a week - 8 000 of them to the Waterfront.
Hill is also rather chuffed about sending a few copies of the CapeTowner to Robben Island. "There's a small community of 150 people there with a unique lifstyle. We'll feature snippets of their news as well, and be sending off copies to the island on the ferry every Thursday.
"Of course, it's a world heritage site visited by millions of people every year. What a pleasure - and what prestige - to be able to say that the CapeTowner is the newspaper for central Cape Town, the Waterfront - and Robben Island!"
Cape Community Newspapers, part of Independent News and Media, distributes 558 895 copies a week. It publishes 14 free titles: Athlone News, Atlantic Sun, the CapeTowner, Constantiaberg Bulletin, False Bay Echo, Helderberg Sun, Plainsman, Sentinel News, Southern Suburbs Tatler, Southern Mail, Tabletalk, Tygertalk (Goodwood/Parow), Tygertalk (Bellville/Durbanville) and Vukani.
