Jonathan Ancer Explained

Jonathan Ancer
Birth Place:Johannesburg, South Africa
Alma Mater:Wits University (1992), Rhodes University (1995)
Occupation:Writer, editor, journalist, author, podcaster, media trainer
Notable Works:Betrayal: The Secret Lives of Apartheid Spies, Spy: Uncovering Craig Williamson
Awards:Media24, Mondi-Shanduka, Alan Paton (longlist)

Jonathan Ancer is a South African journalist, author, podcaster and media trainer. He wrote Uncovering Craig Williamson,[1] which was on the longlist for the Alan Paton literary prize. Ancer wrote Betrayal: The Secret Lives of Apartheid Spies which was released in 2019.

His latest book is Joining The Dots: An Unofficial Biography of Pravin Gordhan[2] (Jonathan Ball Publishers), which he co-wrote with Chris Whitfield.

Early life

Jonathan Ancer was born in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1970. He matriculated from Highlands North Boys High in 1988 and graduated with a BA degree (majoring in Law and Political Studies) from Wits University in 1992. He then completed a Post-Graduate Journalism Diploma from Rhodes University in 1995.

Family

Jonathan has four children. He is married to Jean Luyt,[3] a clinical psychologist, they live in Cape Town with their three children. In 2015 their middle daughter Rachel[4] was diagnosed with a rare bone marrow failure disease called Pure red cell aplasia (PRCA). After four bone marrow biopsies and more than 50 blood transfusions a donor was found; the chances of finding a genetic match were 1 in 100,000. In 2017 Rachel received a bone marrow transplant; the procedure was a success and today Rachel is a healthy, active young girl thanks to the SA Bone Marrow Registry,[5] The Sunflower Fund[6] and Worldwide Bone Marrow Donors.[7] Rachel wrote a book on her experiences, Rachel's Second Chance(e-book).[8]

Career

Author: non-fiction

Ancer's most recent book  Betrayal: The Secret Lives of Apartheid Spies (NB Publishing)[9] was published in August 2019. It followed his 2017 book Spy: Uncovering Craig Williamson (Jacana Media),[10] which was on the longlist for the Alan Paton literary prize.[11]

Journalist/writer/editor

Ancer worked as the features editor for Directions magazine from 1996 to 1999 where he wrote profiles and features. He was also the editor of Active, the magazine's adventure supplement. From 1999 to 2006 Ancer worked as a sub-editor, reporter and news editor at The Star Newspaper in Johannesburg. He worked as a sub-editor on the night shift, and as a general news reporter, specialising in narrative journalism on deadline and news features. .

Ancer worked as Grocott's Mail editor from 2006 to 2008, growing the newspaper's circulation. Under his editorship, he saw the paper awarded the country's best small-town newspaper of the year at the Sanlam Awards for Community Journalism.

As deputy of Best Life magazine South Africa from 2008 to 2009, Ancer wrote, commissioned and edited long-form journalism pieces He worked as a deputy editor of Bicycling magazine from 2014 to 2016. He currently works as a freelance journalist contributing articles to the Sunday Times amongst other publications.

He also co-founded the.news.letter[12] – a daily digest of what you need to know.

Training and mentoring

During his tenure as Editor at Grocotts Mail, Ancer was charged with training and mentoring fourth-year and post-graduate students from Rhodes University's Journalism and Media Studies Department[13]

From 2009 to 2014 Ancer worked for Independent Newspapers as Group Training Editor where he trained editorial staff including junior reporters, senior reporters, news editors and sub-editors. He also set up and ran the group's Cadet School.[14]

In addition, he ran news editor conferences, media law training and narrative journalism workshops. He also wrote op-eds, leaders, news stories and features for newspapers in the Group as well as a weekly satire column that appeared in the Cape Times and Saturday Star called "Angry Utterances (10)".[15] The column was a finalist in the national newspaper awards[16] two years in a row.

During this time he sat on the executive committee of the South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF)[17] and from 2010 to 2014 chaired SANEF's Training & Education subcommittee. He now provides writing and media training on a freelance basis.

Podcaster

Ancer has produced and produces numerous podcasts: These include Extraordinary Lives,[18] a biographical series about people who have made South Africa a better (and more interesting) place. He also created Amabookabooka,[19] a podcast series featuring South African authors which were hosted by the Daily Maverick; the podcasts were also published by Okay Africa, a digital media platform dedicated to African culture, music and politics.[20]

Awards and honours

Selected works

Books

Articles

Podcasts

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Ancer, Jonathan. Spy: Uncovering Craig Williamson. 2017. Jacana Media. 978-1-4314-2149-7. en.
  2. Web site: Jonathan Ball Publishers: Joining The Dots: An Unofficial Biography of Pravin Gordhan. 2021-09-27. jonathanball.co.za.
  3. Web site: Jean Luyt. 18 October 2020. Therapists Online. en-US. 20 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201020222216/https://therapistsonline.co.za/listing/jean-luyt/. dead.
  4. Web site: 17 January 2019. Rachel Ancer (2017). 18 October 2020. The Sunflower Fund. en-ZA. 23 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201023020144/https://www.sunflowerfund.org/2019/01/17/rachel-ancer-2017/. dead.
  5. Web site: South African Bone Marrow Registry. 19 October 2020. en-CA.
  6. Web site: The Sunflower Fund non-profit organisation stem cell donors blood disease. 19 October 2020. The Sunflower Fund. en-ZA.
  7. Web site: BeTheMatch.org. 6 May 2020. Join the bone marrow registry. 18 October 2020. bethematch.org. en.
  8. Web site: Rachel's Second Chance (ebook). 19 October 2020. en-CA.
  9. Web site: NB Publishers Authors. 13 October 2020. www.nb.co.za.
  10. Web site: Spy: Uncovering Craig Williamson Jacana. 19 October 2020. Jacana Media. en-ZA.
  11. Web site: Sunday Times Literary Awards Longlist 2018 announced. 12 October 2020. TimesLIVE. en-ZA.
  12. Web site: 19 October 2020. PressReader.
  13. Web site: 20 July 2011. JMS. 12 October 2020. Rhodes University. en-US. 1 November 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201101134715/https://www.ru.ac.za/jms/. dead.
  14. Web site: 9 November 2020. PressReader.
  15. Web site: 4 October 2007. Angry utterance (9)*. 12 October 2020. Thought Leader. en-US.
  16. Web site: Reporter. T. M. O.. 29 August 2012. The winners: newspaper journalism awards. 12 October 2020. The Media Online. en-US.
  17. Web site: Sanef: Statement by the South African National Editors Forum, rejecting the proposals for a state-appointed media tribunal (25/07/2010). 9 November 2020. www.polity.org.za. en.
  18. Web site: The Homebru Podcasts with Jonathan Ancer and Dan Dewes Exclusive Books Blog. 13 October 2020. en-US.
  19. Web site: MultimediaLIVE. Amabookabooka: The Quarantine Chronicles. 13 October 2020. iono.fm. en.
  20. Web site: 5 August 2016. 7 South African Podcasts You Should Be Listening To. 13 October 2020. OkayAfrica. en.
  21. Web site: 26 March 2013. Finalist.
  22. Web site: Adventures of an AWOL Chequebook. 13 October 2020. Jancerjancer's Blog. en.
  23. Web site: All the Media24 Magazine Excellence Awards winners. 13 October 2020. www.bizcommunity.com. en.
  24. Web site: Bloom. Kevin. 31 August 2010. Grocott's Mail: Small-town paper, big-time rep. 13 October 2020. Daily Maverick. en.
  25. News: Mondi Shanduka Journalist of the Year Awards – preview. en. Media Update. 13 October 2020.
  26. Web site: Mondi Shanduka Newspaper Awards main winners. 13 October 2020. www.bizcommunity.com. en.
  27. Web site: 2001 Mondi Paper Magazine Awards Winners. 13 October 2020. www.bizcommunity.com. en.
  28. Book: ANCER, JONATHAN. WHITFIELD, CHRIS. JOINING THE DOTS : a biography of pravin gordham.. 2021. JONATHAN BALL PUBLISHERS. 978-1-77619-105-5. [S.l.]. 1268111496.
  29. Web site: Ancer. Jonathan. 14 August 2019. BOOK EXTRACT: Olivia Forsyth: The spy who never came in from the cold. 13 October 2020. Daily Maverick. en.
  30. Web site: Adventures of an AWOL Chequebook. 13 October 2020. Jancerjancer's Blog. en.
  31. Web site: Let this be my grave. 13 October 2020. www.iol.co.za. en.
  32. Web site: 13 October 2020. PressReader.
  33. Web site: Former anti-apartheid activist Tim Jenkin looks back on great escape. 13 October 2020. TimesLIVE. en-ZA.
  34. Web site: 'Life is wonderful': What Denis Goldberg told the 'Sunday Times' in 2018 on the eve of his 85th birthday. 13 October 2020. HeraldLIVE. en-ZA.
  35. Web site: 12 July 2018. Our Legendary Interview With Cycling Beast Mark Cavendish. 13 October 2020. Men's Health. en-US.
  36. Web site: PODCAST Amabookabooka: The Quarantine Chronicles. 13 October 2020. TimesLIVE. en-ZA.
  37. Web site: The Homebru Podcasts with Jonathan Ancer and Dan Dewes Exclusive Books Blog. 16 October 2020. en-US.

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