Caxton News Group & CTP Publishers & Printers has begun testing artificial intelligence in its media division, using the technology exclusively for copyediting, not for content creation.
This was stated in the group's financial results for the period up to June 30, 2026, which were published on Friday. These reports indicate a deliberately cautious approach to implementing new technologies.
Caxton Media reported that it has started piloting various initiatives using AI, specifying that copyediting processes have been implemented, not content generation, and that there are additional opportunities to improve efficiency in the group's newspapers. Caxton publishes The Citizen and also manages a large number of local newspapers.
The financial situation may have prompted interest in AI tools. Caxton's local newspaper business lost 11% of revenue over the year. Advertising expenditure from national retailers decreased by 9.7%, and local advertising, which funds small local publications, dropped by 14%. The company attributed this to advertisers facing survival difficulties and being unable to afford advertising.
Operating costs in this segment decreased by 7%, but profitability still declined. Across the publishing, printing, and distribution segment, total revenue fell by 191.4 million rand, or 6.4%, and operating profit before depreciation dropped by 18.1%. Another part of the group, dealing with packaging and stationery, increased revenue by 1.9% over the same period.
Dividends
The digital division is the only part of the publishing business showing growth. Caxton's digital resource portfolio increased revenue by 17%, more than doubled the number of annual users, and raised page views by 23%. The Citizen publication showed an 8% revenue increase, a 25% increase in users, and a 30% rise in page views, which, according to the company, exceeded overall market trends.
Despite this, the group has sufficient financial resources to determine a strategy for using AI in its editorial offices. Over the year, the group ended the reporting period with cash reserves of 3.1 billion rand, increased its final dividend to 80 cents per share (from 70 cents), and paid a one-off interim dividend of 1 rand per share. The group's total revenue decreased by 1.8% to 6.59 billion rand, and earnings per share fell by 5.7% to 168.6 cents.