Jerm Switches Channels

FROM EWN to eNCA

Less than a year since Jerm took up a position as South Africa's first online editorial cartoonist with dynamic media group Prime Media's Eyewitness News (EWN), the cartoonist has accepted an offer from competing news service, eNCA.

The cartoonist told africartoons that he agonised over the decision, as he was very happy at EWN, but the prospects of crossing over to television had won him over. He'll be drawing four cartoons a week for the news channel's website, and has hinted at a TV offering as well. 

Jerm's short career has been punctuated by many firsts:
- He became the first editorial cartoonist to work at 'The Times' after the daily tabloid was launched.
- He then moved to 'The New Age' where he pioneered their cartoon space, before being dismissed after editorial differences with that paper.
- EWN soon snapped him up to innovate South Africa's first digital cartooning space, creating talking points for their associated radio stations.
- And now eNCA has invited Jerm to pioneer its online cartoon offering, which it will carry over to their TV news network.

Read Jerm and eNCA's statements here...

 Jerm's announcement: 'CHANGING THE CHANNEL'

A year ago I accepted what would become the first regular online political cartoon position in the South African media landscape. The print industry is dwindling and, by extension, so are cartoon positions. (Unfortunately, it’s a global trend.)

Eyewitness News and I innovated a digital space never before seen in our news sphere. It was a gamble and a successful gamble it has been, thanks to a superb editor (Katy Katopodis) and her superb editorial team. As a result, the online cartoon space is gradually expanding (which should come as a relief to my colleagues).

Following an invitation from eNCA, I excitedly considered the prospects of “drawing for TV”, after being the first cartoonist to “draw for radio”. The sad news is that I will no longer be drawing for EWN. The happy news is that, in another first, I will be drawing for eNCA.

One might say that I am, you know, changing the channel.

My eNCA cartoons will appear on eNCA’s website - and related media – from next Tuesday. (Did I hear you ask about television? My lips are sealed, yo.)

Tune in next week to follow the next episode of my rollercoaster career.

eNCA's Announcement:  'A JERM INVASION AT eNCA'
Jeremy Nell, otherwise known to South Africans as Jerm, is joining eNCA.com as our official editorial cartoonist.
 
He began his cartoon career in 2005 after leaving his corporate job and went on to win a number of awards. He's also been recognised as one of the 'Top 200 Young South Africans' and one of the 'Top 40 under 40' media personalities during 2013.
 
Jerm's work has appeared in a number of newspapers, magazines and online publications.
 
He now joins South Africa's biggest television news network.

ALSO READ: DailyCartoonist.com: South African cartoonist “Jerm” joins eNCA network

Look out for Jerm's first cartoon on enca.com on Tuesday, 8 October.

Posted on Oct 03, 2013 by Africartoons