Farewell to Andrew Trench, a ‘creator of ideas’ and a ‘maker of stories’

PICTURE: Netwerk24

The Executive Director of the Press Council of South Africa, Phathiswa Magopeni, members of the Council and its adjudicators unite with our colleagues in media around the country in mourning the passing of beloved journalist Andrew Trench.

We extend our deepest condolences to his wife, Gill Moodie, his daughter, Gemma, and their widest community.

Well-remembered and admired by those who worked with him when he was an Editorial Director, an Editor and News Editor, and before that, a respected investigative journalist, Andrew was diagnosed with stage four oesophageal cancer in January.

He faced his illness with tremendous courage together with Gill, Gemma, other family members, friends and supporters, many of whom saw such profound value in Andrew’s life that they joined his Back-a-Buddy campaign to gain access to a treatment which his medical aid would not fund.

Andrew passed away in Cape Town on Friday night in a hospital room decorated by Gemma. News24 reported Gill as saying, ‘he knew we were there and that he was greatly loved’.

Writing in March this year in News24 about his diagnosis and the battle that lay ahead, Andrew drew parallels with open-water swimming, which had become a passion of his in recent years.

‘When I first started open-water swimming … the greatest fear I had to overcome was when you slide from the shallows into the colder, deeper, darker water. At that moment, you surrender your life to uncertainty.

‘The disease of cancer is an utter bastard, shattering your world, your hopes and dreams in an instant. But unlike pitting yourself against the ocean’s dangers, where I can at least trust in my training, my own courage and tenacity … a corporate entity holds the power to [my] life and death in its hands …

‘This stands in stark contrast to ordinary South Africans, who, based on my experience, must be among the kindest people on Earth … For now, I am happy to say I am privileged to experience what ubuntu really means’

Adriaan Basson, News24 editor, spoke of how Andrew left ‘a proud legacy’ and how he had ‘pioneered the use of access to information legislation to unearth government malfeasance’. A visionary, Andrew set up the first digital newsroom at News24.

An independent communications strategy, content and technology consultant at the time of his passing, Andrew was an Editor-in-Chief at News24, Editor at Times Live, the Sunday Times’ London Bureau Chief and Editor of The Witness and the Daily Despatch, with colleagues at those publications celebrating him as a tenacious journalist and a most generous human being.

He was previously a member of the Press Council of South Africa, representing IAB South Africa, and an author of a new multi-platform code for the media industry.

Upon his appointment as Times Media Group’s Digital Editor in 2016, Bizcommunity Media asked Andrew to describe ‘the ideal newsroom model’.

He answered: ‘It’s the one which puts the interests of the audience it serves first, ahead of legacy, industry traditions and complacent habit.’

‘What the structure of that newsroom might be will differ from place to place, and the needs of the audience. But if the primary goal is to delight the people we are serving then that’s okay’

Asked to name the most important attributes needed to do his job, he said, ‘I think there are several: a passion for the practice of journalism (otherwise what’s the point?); the ability to keep calm in chaos; trust in the judgement of others and having a healthy sense of humour. Everything seems to fall into place if those attributes are [there].’

Andrew’s profile on his X account summarised how he saw himself, as a ‘Digital bon vivant. Creator of ideas. Maker of stories. Still believes journalism matters’.

He will be greatly missed.