Today marks the beginning of something new. Sorry, I take that back. There is nothing new under the sun. Most of the innovations we have today are just a re-combination of what has been ─ as many trend experts will tell you. But when I say something new, I mean a new way of making you enjoy what you are already familiar with. I heartily welcome you to the world of TheCable, Nigeria’s top-class online newspaper conceived to deliver knowledge-based journalism.
What’s new? We have set out to be professional, to be innovative and to be fair-minded in the way we practise our journalism. We want to make journalism an enjoyable experience for the reader. We want citizens to be fully involved in finding solutions to our common problems. We want knowledge and reason to be the foundation of public discourse in Nigeria. We want less of emotions and prejudice in the way issues of national importance are discussed. We want a better society ─ where the leaders and the people can have a consensual, mutually beneficial relationship.
Why did we choose online journalism? I have been asked this question again and again. Having been a newspaper journalist all my life, I am naturally expected to set up a newspaper. In that case, TheCable is a newspaper. But it is not a printed newspaper. Just imagine TheCable as a newspaper without the newsprint. The same way you listen to music these days without playing a cassette or a CD. It is still music, isn’t it? Now we’re on the same page.
My romance with journalism has a bit of a long story. I developed interest in journalism at a very tender age. My earliest memories date back to the 1983 elections. I was a little boy in secondary school then and I was on holiday in Lagos. I watched Verdict ’83 on NTA every night to monitor the election results. As the results were being announced, my grandmother started lamenting bitterly to me that the elections had been rigged by President Shehu Shagari.
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What happened next? I was so angry and sad that I tore four pages from my 2A exercise book and started writing to attack the Federal Electoral Commission (FEDECO). I can’t remember if I wrote in Yoruba or English. If it was in English, it must have been some pretty nonsense. I started getting drawn to reading newspapers. My uncle always brought home a bunch of papers from the office. I was reading more than 10 newspapers a day. Daily Time alone was printing more than 500,000 copies in those days.
Today, no newspaper prints 500,000 copies. More people are reading news online. I started buying newspapers in my secondary school days. Today, I just wake up in the morning, pick up by smart phone and read all the papers without leaving my house. By 7am, I am fully informed of what is in the papers. As news breaks during the day, of course I cannot afford to wait till the following day to be fully informed. I visit several websites to keep myself up to date.
TheCable is positioned to be Nigeria’s preferred online newspaper. Our dream is to be the most popular online newspaper in Africa. That is some ambition, right? We are determined to get there. We have given ourselves a one-year target to establish ourselves in the market and become a dominant player. Just remember: dreams can come true.
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Kolawole is the Founder & CEO of Cable Newspaper Ltd
Views expressed by contributors are strictly personal and not of TheCable.
66 comments
Good one Kolawole. You have made your mark in this day, and I believe the cable will definitely be a success too.
Congrats Simon & crew.By God's grace u will make it & set a pace.Having conquered print journalism,u made a right choice by taking a new challenge.Once again,Congrats & God bless.
SK, you beat me to it. For the past five years, I've been following the conversation about the future of newspapers in the digital age. Online journalism is great, except for the costs. Ads — classified ads — come in trickles. Readers want everything for free. So who pays the bills? I'll keep watching you. The Cable has something in common with Cutix Cable made in Nnewi: the best in Nigeria. Congratulations!
Dear Simon, dreams do come true and I wish you well with TheCable. I have no doubt in my mind that you will succeed because you have started well. I was seeing some distinguished Nigerians in one of the papers this morning who attended the inauguration yesterday, a clear pointer of your public relations and marketing sense, apart from being a great writer. Congratulations. -Ehi Braimah
congrats simon for taking a bold step
Big congrats on the launching of TheCable. Knowing you, I have no doubt it will be a success.
Congrats Mister Kolawole. I see this growing into something great.
Congrats,sir.Counting on you!
Congratulations on this great achievement, I am an ardent follower of your sunday column on thisday and I mostly align with most of your views. I wish you success and I pray that you will surpass your target in 6 months rather than the 1 year you proposed
Wishing you all the best as you embark on this new journey waters of this industry as one of the finest journalist in the country with God by your side we know you will do well
Yeah, dreams do come true if well followed. You follwed your dream even after leaving Thisday. We all know you to be a unique and intelligent Editor. A master in his field. I acknowledge that. When I was young, I never wanted to work in 2 places – a Media house and an Audit firm. I found myself working in an audit department of a food processing company immediately after my NYSC, and – wait for it – here I am working in a media house. Should I say that is destiny? Only God can tell.
I hereby congratulate you Mr. Simon for this wonderful step. May God in infinite mercies continue to lead you to an unlimited success.
Kudos Simon Kolawole! You are an amazing columnist and journalist par excellence. I've enjoyed over the years your intelligent analysis and unbiased criticisms of government policies. I know you'll do well in this foray into online newspaper. I wish you nothing but success!
SK
I wish you and Cable good success
Just believe and you will see it happen
Congrats
This is lovely! Keep up the good work.
I believe this online medium by Simon is going to be a soft power for a positive change in a democratic Nigeria. Simon Kolawole's columns on thisday reflect the brilliance and straight thinking of a relatively young Nigerian with full independent mind, not one those being paid by our corrupt politicians for image laundering. Congrats Simon, you will surely reach and surpass your targets if you keep to be sincere in your independent opinions as we have known you.
Congratulations, Mr. Kolawale. Your backpage column in Thisday has turned me into an ardent fan of yours. I have no doubt you'll continue to impact your readers with TheCable. In between, "why did you choose to do online journalism?" At least for one you don't have to worry about the cost of production–which is a great factor in going print. Haha.
Congratulations sir. Great concept and a vision come true for you.
Thanks.
Congrats SK….the sky is TheCable's limit.
I start my Sundays reading your column wherever I am in the world, I thoroughly admire the quality of your mind and your thought processes. You do inspire me to be a better person everyday. I wish you only the best in this sojourn. Online is indeed the future. Well Done Simon!
Thanks.
Thanks.
God himself will guide you and give you wisdom of management to scale new height in this new adventure.
Congrat.
Great Editor, sorry Publisher, hearty congrats on this voyage. I've been perusing TheCable since I woke up this morning and I can see the hands of the inimitable SK! Congrats sir and may TheCable blossom beyond our imagination IJN.
Congratulations!!! I journey to redefining good journalism and balance information is growing and catching fire all over. Wishing you the very best.
Mr Simon Kolewole, the very first day i set my eyes on you , i could see that you are embodiments of talent. Dreams do come true for those who believe in it . You have shown to the millions of Nigeria Youths that if only they are ready to the pay the price of greatness , sky is the starting point them . I join the rest of the world to congratulate you. Bravoooooooooo
Congrats SK, this is awesome. Wish you and your team all the success you need. Truly, dreams do come true.
Congrats SK, this is awesome. Wish you and your team all the success you need. Truly, dreams do come true. Now, i can be reading Simon Kolawole Live everyday and not wait till Sunday
Congrats Sir, this is awesome. Wish you and your team all the success you need. Truly, dreams do come true. Now, i can be reading Simon Kolawole Live everyday and not wait till Sunday
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Congratulations, sir. I bid you God's speed.
You talked the talk about youths charting their destiny and being self sufficient. Godspeed as you walk this walk – You will never walk alone!!!!
Brother, you have in the past talked the talk on youth going out there to create "something" in the private sector, now as you walk that walk……. You will never walk alone!!!
CONGRATULATIONS
Congratulations on this very important step. Wishing you every success to achieve your goals and I look forward to becoming a regular 'Cabler.'
Ore, Olorun a ba yin sise. Aseyori l'oruko Oluwa
Congratulation on your new organisation, more greese to your elbow, I pray that God will Strengthen you on this path you have chosen
Simon, we thank God for the grace to take-off. My prayer, along with the other well-wishers, is you will succeed excellently well, in the name of Jesus. My advice is, don't be anybody's megaphone, write and analyse the story/news from an objective point of view and draw a line between facts, fiction and faction. Don't let any politician, fool/defraud you, they are a bundle of principle-less, conscience-less and a-moral human beings. To the typical Nigerian politician , anything goes once they achieve their immediate objective. If you follow these rules, heaven, not the sky, will be your limit. You will get there in the name of Jesus.
Simon et al., CONGRATULATIONS. It's great to follow your heart & pursue your dream. I have no doubt The Cable will do well. The road may be bumpy in the beginning, like in all new ventures. Just remember sunshine even on your darkest day; and please dare to be different. Some of us will do our very best to support intelligent endeavors like yours. Good luck.
This is a breath of fresh air and the best news for me in the last two weeks for some obvious personal reasons!!!!! So happy that you have fulfilled a dream and as a good dream maker, i trust that you will make the cable the preferred online newspapers. Wish you well brother.
Wish you the best. Please don"t deviate from your goal "To deliver knowledge-based journalism. Good luck
You have done well in your backpage column with thisday newspaper(simeon kolawole live)am fully engrossed reading it and always makes my day complete on sundays.The cable has come and at the end,i pray the purpose of establishing it will manifest.kudos to you Simon
Congratulation simon.
I believe you sir. Congrats. TheCable will do a new thing.
Great one,my brother Simon. Congrats!
Congrats Simon.I know you will make my generation proud.
Seemed like a dream when you shared this idea with me over lunch in London. I had no clue it was anything this big. Now I see why you wanted that one interview bad! God bless you and please keep up the great work.
Wow! I always knew you'd go places, the sky is your limit! My favourite writer and editor, anytime anyday. Well done, may you prosper more each day, and may you be rightly guided as you forge further, amen! Wisdom, always… Cheers!
Well-done our great editor, mentor, brother and leader. You will always be a success and generations will recount your greatness by God's grace!
Yes. dreams come true! That is why young men and women MUST never stop dreaming.
Uncle Simon.
This a good dream that has come through.
We have always known you for your quality thinking, writing and expression. The Lord will continue to inspire you. Congratulations.
SK, Great job! Congratulations!
Congratulations!
Congrats Simon. make success of it and be celebrated. we know you can.
Congratulation Simon, good, bold and inspiring move for journalism. Possible to roll back your pages here ! I hail
Congratulations my brother. The Cable is not just refreshing but innovative. As much as possible, let truth and fairness guide TheCable in this world of partisant media.Let TheCable deliver not just knowledge-based but also result-focused journalism. I wish you and the Team the very best as you toild in the societal vineyard for the development of Nigeria and the world at large.
My brother, it's indeed a dream come through. Your write up void of sentiment and emotion. That means you are real and sincere to what you do.
I know you will do well, one year will be too long to become the most prefer online news paper. You have all it takes.
congrats mr kolawole, pls always strike a balance in your reports. Do not tread the "preposterous" path of sowore of sahara, for he has lost touch with balance!
Congrats my brother. This is no mean feat.
Congrats once again MAN OF GOD. I am persuaded you have brought something unique on board- a unique way of making us to laugh while we consider serious issues. Go ahead and manifest brother!
Tempo a big congratulation to you.
Dear Editor,
Congratulations to you as you embark on this new journey. I pray that God Almighty will empower you to exceed your expectations. Shalom!
Good one Bode. Good words of encouragement to an Old friend of yours. Please be more focus Mr Simon
Dreams do come true. I so much believe in dreams but we must work hard to see that dreams of ours come to reality. One day, it will surely come to past.
Congrats…..cable on.
Thanks for sharing your info. I really appreciate your efforts and I am waiting for your further post thanks once again.