TimesLIVE (aka TshisaLIVE) is a South African online newspaper that started as The Times daily newspaper. The Times print version was an offshoot of Sunday Times, to whose subscribers it was delivered gratis; non-subscribers paid R2.50 per edition in the early years. It has been owned by Arena Holdings since November 2019 and is the second-largest news website in South Africa.

TimesLIVE
TypeOnline newspaper
Owner(s)Arena Holdings
HeadquartersHill on Empire, 16 Empire Road, Parktown, Johannesburg, South Africa
Sister newspapersSunday Times
Websitetimeslive.co.za
Logo of the newspaper in 2008

Overview

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The Times of South Africa was a daily printed newspaper that was delivered free to 137,054 (according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations statistics) Sunday Times subscribers five days a week. Tabloid in size, it was South Africa's first totally interactive newspaper, published in tandem with the TimesLIVE website.[1] In The Times's newsroom, reporters worked alongside multimedia producers and photographers to produce content for the newspaper and the website. The Times was also available for purchase at a cover price of R4.00 in limited quantities, later at R5.50. The last editor of The Times was Andrew Trench.

In November 2017, the then owner of The Times, Tiso Blackstar Group, announced its intention to shut down the print version of the paper.[2] It was replaced with a premium digital-only daily edition, Times Select, in early 2018, while TimesLIVE would continue to supply free content.[3] Times Select was later renamed Sunday Times Daily to align it more closely with its print counterpart, the Sunday Times, the biggest Sunday newspaper in South Africa.

The TimesLIVE website publishes free breaking news, sport, entertainment and more, as well as video, audio and photo stories. It also hosts all Times Select, Sunday Times Daily and TshisaLIVE (entertainment and celebrity news) digital content.

In 2019, Arena Holdings acquired all the media assets of Tiso Blackstar for R1.05 billion.[4]

Supplements

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  • Motor Mania (came out on a Friday)

Former distribution areas (print edition)

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Distribution
2008 2013
Eastern Cape Y Y
Free State Y Y
Gauteng Y Y
Kwa-Zulu Natal Y Y
Limpopo Y Y
Mpumalanga Y Y
North West Y Y
Northern Cape Y
Western Cape Y Y

Former distribution figures (print edition)

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Circulation
Net Sales
Oct - Dec 2015 100 360[5]
Jun - Aug 2015 109 480[5]
Jan - Mar 2015 140 647[6]
Jan - Mar 2015 140 647[6]
Jan - Mar 2014 142 603[6]
Oct - Dec 2012 146 956
Jul - Sep 2012 140 078
Apr - Jun 2012 142 383
Jan - Mar 2012 142 111

Former readership figures (print edition)

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Estimated Readership[7]
AIR
– 12 January December 2012 287 000
July 2011 – June 2012 342 000

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "TimesLIVE". www.timeslive.co.za. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
  2. ^ "The Times is dead. Long live The Times". Retrieved 27 September 2018.
  3. ^ "Times Select launches paywall and smart new app". Retrieved 7 November 2018.
  4. ^ "It's official: Arena Holdings is the new owner of Sunday Times, Business Day, Sowetan". Retrieved 10 September 2020.
  5. ^ a b "ABC Q4 Presentation". Audit Bureau of Circulations. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  6. ^ a b c "ABC Analysis Q1 2015: The biggest-circulating newspapers in South Africa •". 8 May 2015.
  7. ^ SAARF AMPS (Industry Presentations)
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