SA Jewish Report is online & interactive

STAFF REPORTER

The launch today of the South African Jewish Report Online – www.sajr.co.za – is the culmination of a process which began with a decision of the newspaper’s board of directors some seven months ago. While this milestone does indeed mark the end of a process – it would more correctly be considered the beginning of one – for two specific reasons.

Firstly, because it constitutes the first phase of the website’s developmental evolution – over the coming weeks and months many new features will be added to the website, many of them already planned and in development, others that will be in response to user feedback.

The second reason why this should best be considered a beginning, is because a website never dies – it’s content lives on forever. It becomes an internet history of its community of users. This website already includes a digital directory of every edition of the print edition of the SA Jewish Report going back to January 2006 – all searchable and available for users to access.

Why the need for SAJR Online?

 The historic decision by the directors was made because it had become clear that the “cost of printing and distribution were impairing the sustainability and viability of the Jewish Report,” says board member Howard Sackstein, who has championed the project.

Within the 16 pages that the newspaper could afford to print each week, says Howard, there was “insufficient space to reflect the depth, diversity an abundant activities and interests of our broad community.”

Financial constraints, he says, “had forced us to reduce the size of the paper from 32 to 16 pages – while the competition for space and coverage in the newspaper had remained constant.”

At the same time, says Sackstein, the board recognised that the physical edition of the newspaper is crucial to allow members of the community to “read the news over Shabbat, and for older members of our community who may be less comfortable with reading internet editions.”

But, Sackstein hastens to add, “the sustainability of the physical newspaper will very much depend on how much advertising gets placed in its pages and on the website.”

The board of directors had explored the fact that many international hard copy publications have set target dates to stop publishing physical editions of their publications. But, he says emphatically, “the Jewish report has not!

“We see the physical edition and the website as completely complimentary to each other.” The website, he says, will be the immediate and interactive medium and have the ability to cover a broad range of issues in depth, while the hardcopy edition will cover these issues in a more formal and traditional style of journalism as it has done in the past.

Engage, debate, even argue – on broad range of topics

 “In keeping with international trends,” explains Howard Sackstein, “we felt the need to be able to carry more and more of the Jewish community content by providing not just a newspaper, but a portal which will be accessible to the entire community. A place where people would be able to engage interactively about issues, where they can comment, debate, even argue with one-another, on a far broader range of topics than can ever be cover in the 16-page limitation of the physical edition.”

Howard says that there has always been enormous interest from SA Jewish expats in keeping abreast with SA community news, just as there is among governmental, religious and NGO Jewish groups worldwide. “This will give them far greater connection, a broader insight and a means to engage with the activities of SA Jewry, he says.

Howard says that it is hard enough for any physical publication to be sustainable in the modern era. “But when you provide this service free of charge,” he says, “the challenges are enormous.”

For this reason, Sackstein believes that the survivability of the hard copy edition of the Jewish Report will depend on the support and advertising of the community and corporates.

SAJR Online has been built by the best for the best community

 “Five months ago Ant Katz, the publisher of MyShtetl, joined us in order to bring the Jewish Report Online to life,” says Sackstein.

“We are delighted to have a veteran journalist and an online media guru as part of the Jewish Report team. We are convinced he will uphold the enormous professionalism of the Jewish Report and the editorial integrity for which newspaper has been renowned.”

PIC RIGHT: “We see the physical edition & the website as completely complimentary … the website will be the immediate & interactive medium & … cover a broad range of issues in depth, while the hardcopy edition will cover these issues in a more formal & traditional style … as in the past” –HOWARD SACKSTEIN

Sackstein says the directors believe that Katz “will reflect the broad interests and diversity of the Jewish community in South Africa.” Not being bound by the constraints of the physical edition, he says, SAJR Online will allow Jewish thinkers, organisations and leaders direct channels of communication through to the community – with daily updates throughout the year.

“We will be able to provide large numbers of columnists, bloggers, commentators as well as hard news that we believe will result in a unifying platform for our entire community,” said Sackstein.

While Katz was able to bring his know-how to bear to designed and developed what he knew Jewish online readers wanted, Sackstein was also full of praise for Alon Berman – who was able to make SAJR Online into a physical reality.

“None of this would have been possible without the remarkable contribution of Alon Berman and his talented team at Firewater Interactive,” says Howard. “Firewater has proven itself over a period of time to be some of the most talented web developers in the country,” he says.

And, adds Sackstein, “Alon’s generosity in setting up the SAJR online at no cost to us will forever endear Firewater to the Jewish community.”

Howard Sackstein says that “the Jewish Report remains the only national and trusted source of news for the SA Jewish community – and the online edition will no doubt extend its reach both locally and internationally – and grow to become one of the greatest assets that our community will ever produce.”

From his mouth to G-d’s ears…