On Friday (01/07), Expressmarked a milestone that yet again amazed.
This publication celebrated its 31st year of existence.
The dream is alive to survive and thrive in a time of change and great uncertainty, underpinned by South Africa’s ailing socio-economy.
This era of gloom has seen plenty of free print local weeklies closing due to the pronounced slump in advertising and the stagnant economy.
Also, the future has dawned in another respect: The era of digital.
As we move into the future, equally an era of uncertainty, we pay homage to a pioneering group of men and women who founded this publication in a storeroom at 4 Mimosa Street, East End.
One of them is Andy Galloway, who sadly passed away at age 60 at his home in Strand in the Western Cape on 8 January.
For 19 years he was at the helm of Express. The highlights of his tenure include receiving prestigious awards for the publication’s role as trusted source of information and advancing community development.
Andy was born and raised in Postmasburg. He matriculated at the Postmasburg High School and studied at the University of the Free State (UFS).
He described the founders of Express as, “a small group of freethinkers who wanted to do something meaningful with our lives, even before South Africa crept closer to the historic 1994 elections”.
This happened to be an era of uncertainty as well, coinciding with a newspaper boom.
These torchbearers not only crafted this publication during that the era, but also ensured it thrived.
Their work ethic inspires us – the current team – to keep alive the dream, vision and mission, and be resilient in order to also thrive during uncertainty.
Newspaper printing had to advance with the times, to participate in the industry.
As we continued the journey, navigating the unknown, we have gladly embraced the challenges and opportunities brought about by the digital era.
This is to bolster the offering made available to readers and advertisers, considering the access to Express created on digital platforms such as News24 and Facebook.
The free access provided on these platforms adds value for advertisers and readers alike.
These innovations resonate with Andy’s wish: “My personal wish is that Expresswill continue contributing to a community we can be proud of as new generations emerge.”
Express
will at all times try to present news on all its platforms in such a way that it does not offend, is not defamatory or does not violate a person’s privacy.
This publication is dedicated to seizing opportunity without fail, and will continue doing so well into the future.
The era of digital technology is equally alive with possibilities.
– Teboho Setana, Express editor
