Caxton – So much more than “just a print company”

Caxton goes beyond being “just a print company”, having evolved into an all-encompassing, multi-platform, local media company over the years since it was first founded as a printer and publisher in 1980. Over years, Caxton has learnt the value in teaming up with communities, which is why heavy community involvement plays a pivotal role in Caxton’s company culture. The company goes further than just supplying local news, immersing itself in, teaming up with and uplifting communities – whether it’s taking part in local forums, fund-raisers, commerce organisations, sports clubs or service organisations.

 Caxton Local Media is a multi-media company and publishes content through various means, including newspapers, magazines, websites, events, custom printing and many more. “Our local newspaper offering includes the publishing of over 140 local newspapers, distributing over 3,7 million copies per week,” says Jaco Koekemoer, MD of Caxton Local Media & Coldset Printing. Caxton also offers printing solutions at its 10 strategic cold-set factories where the local newspapers, as well as various supplements and retail pamphlets are printed and either inserted or distributed to outlets.

Because Caxton adopts a philosophy of being immersed in the communities in which its papers operate, schools are considered important media partners and covering school-related events is included in their content strategy. Caxton also makes corporate social responsibility involving local businesses, investing in small and family owned businesses in the community. The company uses all its media platforms to create awareness of the various projects and initiatives in its communities.

“Our company also accepts its responsibility towards the business environment, so we engage in various efforts to improve society in some way or another. These include getting involved in fundraisers, taking hands with NGOs to strengthen their efforts, as well as initiating projects that would positively impact on the socio-economic challenges of the community,” says Koekemoer.

Adapting to the new age demands for digital accessibility, the company has also invested heavily in the development of digital media in the last few years, developing online platforms which offer advertising opportunities for specific markets such as motoring, property, vacancies and classifieds. The company has also developed 78 local websites off their local newspaper network, which are supported by social media platforms to enable community engagement and interaction.

“At Caxton Local Media, our core vision is to actively reflect the faces, voices and dreams of all the communities we serve across all our print products and hyper-local websites. We are entrenched and visible in our communities through all aspects of their lives in the space where they live,” says Koekemoer.