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Africa Media Perspectives 2026 brought together global media leaders to explore journalism, AI, sustainability and the future of African newsrooms.
By HASANAIN ABDULLAH and YASEEN BARDIEN
What began as a conversation between the Food For Mzanzi Group, Media Hack, and the Media Development Investment Fund on creating and sustaining an independent media landscape has grown into a thriving conference now in its fourth year.
Africa Media Perspectives creates a platform where key role players in the media industry from South Africa, Africa, and across the world come together to engage and discuss the state of the industry.
The two-day conference was held at the Paarl Town Hall in the Drakenstein Municipality, where moderated discussions, fireside chats, and masterclasses facilitated dialogue between session moderators, speakers, and the audience, making for robust engagement. These comprised seasoned journalists and media house stakeholders who are shaping the future of journalism and media in South Africa and abroad.
According to conference convener Ivor Price, ‘the event is a meeting point for media professionals from across Africa, including SADC countries such as South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Kenya, Egypt and Nigeria, with speakers coming from Mexico, USA and Finland.’
This event has relevance, according to Price: ‘Media is changing at a rapid pace and continues to evolve daily. It presents an opportunity as media professionals are discovering new formats that did not exist five years ago.’
With advertising revenue increasingly shifting to global digital platforms such as Google and Meta, income for smaller, community-based publications has significantly reduced, leading to shrinking or closing newsrooms, job losses, and leaving communities without vital sources of news. In South Africa, smaller news publications are increasingly struggling to stay afloat, as declining revenue and rising operational costs make sustainability more challenging than ever.
With the ever-evolving media landscape, digital media has become the primary platform for news consumption. This has affected how advertisers perceive value and where they invest their money when considering whether to support print or digital publications.
The deliberations at these events tend to be informative and thought-provoking, and this year was no different. Price stated that ‘the issue of media sustainability, the impact of artificial intelligence, and its application in day-to-day operations were raised’.
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The decline has serious implications for local accountability journalism, as fewer journalists on the ground mean less coverage.
Discussions of this nature share best-case studies and business models to serve as a foundation for media houses to survive. The media industry as a business is a complex maze to navigate, and conversations like these provide a means to network, regroup, strategise, and access opportunities for skills development and business growth.
The conference, through its themes, explored relevant topics affecting both the world and the media industry. Through shared inputs, participants were able to make sense of these phenomena.
Conflict reporting in Africa and beyond
The African continent has been experiencing civil wars, and the world has seen the outbreak of long-term conflicts across the globe. During the discussion theme ‘African conflicts through the press lens’, Tesfalem Waldyes, Ethiopian Insider journalist and founder, revealed that ‘reporting on conflict while in the field was challenging due to media blackouts’.
This included the disabling of mobile internet networks, which made it impossible to compile reports of unfolding atrocities by troops. He further added that ‘during the time of war, the first casualty is truth, and journalists had to contend with the trauma faced by victims as well as their own while reporting on the war’.
A similar pattern is seen during the Iran-Israel conflict, where there has been suppression of news when Iranian missiles fall on Israeli residential areas and key installations. Reflecting on the core values of reputable journalism, he stated, ‘it’s our duty to report facts and verify information’.
Furthermore, he reflected on the ever-changing media environment: ‘It’s easier to report in conflict war zones than to run a media house in the 21st century.’
Journalists have become casualties while reporting in the field, and he raised the need for ‘support for journalists reporting in conflict areas in terms of logistical support, especially when needing to flee to ensure their safety’.
Rebranding journalism – Thriving under pressure in African media
This theme afforded media leaders a platform to share how newsrooms are rebranding journalism through innovative means to inform, engage and build trust in a changing world.
Sanja Gohre, a seasoned media professional and host of the African Optimist Podcast, moderated the session.
Gohre said, ‘journalists don’t know how to brand themselves’, highlighting a key requirement for professional growth.
She added, ‘this event was a rare opportunity for media professionals to meet, share and grow’. Most of the time, media professionals find themselves in the field chasing stories and meeting deadlines; having everyone in one room is rare and necessary.
Gohre highlighted a valid point raised by Gadija Patel, who stated that ‘social media influencers fall short in reporting on news and fulfilling their roles as journalists due to a lack of foundational media knowledge’. While influencers are effective at creating awareness for brands, they often fall short in objective reporting.
Podcasting as a business
The session ‘Podcasting as a business – Turning voices into revenue’ explored the emergence of podcasting as a sustainable revenue generator.
Podcasting is fast becoming a popular means of content and current affairs consumption, with shows like SMWX, hosted by Dr Sipho Walsh, setting a high standard.
Roland Perold, CEO of Volume Podcasts, began his media journey at the height of the Covid-19 outbreak. His breakthrough came when he was commissioned by Access to produce a series on the Rohingya massacre.
Patricia Tembo from Food For Mzanzi stated that ‘by raising key problems faced by farmers through storytelling, a deep connection with the audience is forged’. Sharing meaningful stories continues to contribute to their growth.
Selly Thiam, who manages AQ Studios in Kenya, said that ‘podcasting affords access to an international audience’, particularly those in the diaspora. The medium has levelled the playing field, allowing smaller media houses to compete globally.
Quan Dambuza, Pondoland Times editor from Bizana, Eastern Cape, noted that ‘their audience consumes both print and digital content, with 5 000 print copies distributed and one million website impressions recorded’.
He added that their publication is in English as it is the preferred language of consumption, and that ‘digital content, including a weekly e-newsletter to 12 000 subscribers, has assisted with audience retention’. Artificial intelligence has also been incorporated into their workflow.
What’s next for community journalism
The panel titled ‘What’s next for community journalism?’ was facilitated by Harlan Cloete, founder of Radio KC.
The discussion explored whether community media can remain financially sustainable without compromising editorial independence.
Khutso Tsikane, Print and Digital Media Manager at the Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA), noted that community media can adopt social entrepreneurship models with diversified revenue streams, including hosting events and conducting research.
She added that trust is strengthened when media organisations are transparent about their funding sources.
In poorer or rural communities, where internet access is limited and data is expensive, print remains essential. Ben Burger and Anetta Mangxaba both emphasised that audiences still rely heavily on print publications.
‘For Dizindaba, print is not dying,’ Mangxaba said. ‘We service people who can’t afford R10 data.’
Ananias Ndlovu highlighted tensions between community media and local government, noting that critical reporting can lead to reduced support. ‘As community stakeholders, we are being reduced to beggars,’ he said.
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Dao Nguyen, Senior Vice President and Head of Digital Advertising Products at The New York Times, shared insights into sustainable media models.
She emphasised that ‘a strong media ecosystem is required to stimulate a thriving media industry’ and highlighted the importance of skills development and investigative journalism training.
Nguyen noted that breaking news drives high engagement in search engine marketing, reflecting the role of journalism in the attention economy.
The rise (and risks) of Africa’s news creators
This panel explored how digital creators are reshaping news and politics.
Nicola Bergsteedt, founder of NB News Wrap, explained that her platform delivers ‘fast, digestible content tailored for mobile audiences’, focusing on uplifting stories.
She emphasised that ‘fact-checking remains a core journalistic responsibility’.
Stephen Horn, creator of ‘Politically Aweh’, described the platform as exploring ‘the chaos and reality of living in South Africa through factual satire’.
David I. Adeleke highlighted the value of long-form content, noting that ‘trust is built through time-intensive storytelling’, supported by revenue streams such as events and research.
Conclusion
The future of journalism has been fundamentally challenged by rapid technological advancement. However, through resilience, innovation and a commitment to core principles, journalism will continue to evolve and thrive.
The Africa Media Perspectives conference contributes to building a cohesive media ecosystem through collaboration, innovation and strategic adaptation.
For more information, visit:
https://www.africamediaperspectives.com/
https://pondolandtimes.co.za/
https://sizwempofuwalsh.com/smwx
https://www.seen.tv/
https://nbnews.co.za/
https://www.politicallyaweh.co.za/
