FINAL_TheMediaApril2025

‘SATELLITE TV IS STILL MULTICHOICE’S FINANCIAL ENGINE’

Byron du Plessis

‘THE FUTURE IS UNPREDICTABLE, BUT BROADCASTING IN SA IS A PUBLIC GOOD’

Nadia Bulbulia

What

‘MARKETERS ARE FOCUSING ON EFFECTIVENESS AS THE NEW GOLD RUSH’ Gillian Rightford

‘WITHOUT AI AGENTS, AGENCIES ARE DOOMED’ Lindile Ndube

ON THE RECORD... G

reat news for the media fraternity in 2025 is that the MOST Awards are back. As the only awards event that celebrates those who work tirelessly behind the scenes on the commercial side of the media, MOST holds special relevance in South Africa’s robust media sector.

This legacy event turns 15 this year, cementing its relationship with media from the onset of a historic evolutionary shift that today, still continues at a staggering rate.

The MOST Awards has striven to reflect these shifts.

As Lyndon Barends, managing director of strategic partnerships and events at Arena Holdings, explains: “We are evaluating the categories to ensure they remain relevant to the evolving media landscape. There is also potential for introducing new awards and combining certain categories to better reflect industry shifts. Additionally, we are working on revamping the Awards evening experience to make it even more memorable.”

News on these changes will be revealed soon. Meanwhile, I was lucky enough to attend the Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant Awards recently. It, too, has undergone a revaluation of its offering, taking industry recommendations into account to create an event fit for its time.

While the food industry and the media business represent two different worlds (intersecting in magazines and on digital platforms), the atmosphere was extraordinarily similar.

Healthy rivalry was evident, but so too was the celebration of excellence in the products and services they produce – not just in their own restaurants and kitchens, but in the industry as a whole. For once, the people behind the scenes were front of house, taking a bow and relishing the accolades from their peers.

That’s the essence of the MOST Awards.

There are no juries or judges passing on their often subjective views. Media agencies rate media owners, and vice versa.

If you come out tops, well, your peers have voted you to that special place. On the topic of refreshing properties, we are also revisiting The Media magazine this year, evaluating where it has come from and where it is going. Our first issue is a look at what we need to be aware of as we navigate the technology, the services, the creativity, and the financial markets driving this crazy world right now.

We asked contributors to share what they think will be important, and canvassed the views of our audience on what we need to know. Thank you all for sharing your insights, your foresight and your knowledge.

The Media.

Got to love it.

Glenda

PUBLISHED BY

Arena Holdings (Pty) Ltd

Hill on Empire, 16 Empire Road (cnr Hillside Road), Parktown, Johannesburg, 2193

Postal Address: PO Box 1746 Saxonwold, Johannesburg 2193

Telephone: +27 11 280 3000

EDITORIAL

Editor: Glenda Nevill glenda.nevill@cybersmart.co.za

Content Manager: Raina Julies rainaj@picasso.co.za

Sub-Editor: Lucinda Jordaan

Content Co-ordinator: Natasha Maneveldt

Contributors: Bonita Bachmann, Zack Baddorf, Nadia Bulbulia, Candy Dempers, Byron du Plessis, Caryl Kalk, Palesa Mokomele, Lindile Ndube, Gillian Rightford, Shoeshoe Qhu, Ingrid von Stein, John Walls

DESIGN

Head of Design: Jayne Macé-Ferguson Project Designer: Anja Hagenbuch

SALES

Sales Manager: Tarin-Lee Watts wattst@arena.africa +27 79 504 7729

PRODUCTION

Production Editor: Shamiela Brenner

Advertising Co-ordinator: Johan Labuschagne

MANAGEMENT

General Manager, Magazines: Jocelyne Bayer

Copyright: The Media No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent of the publisher. The publisher is not responsible for unsolicited material. The Media is published by Arena Holdings. The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Arena Holdings. All advertisements/ advertorials have been paid for and therefore do not carry any endorsement by the publisher.

ON THE COVER

Byron du Plessis, Gillian Rightford, Nadia Bulbulia, Lindile Ndube

CONTENTS

13 A PUBLIC GOOD

In a 30-year industry overview, Nadia Bulbulia, executive director of the National Association of Broadcasters, takes a looking at drivers, inhibitors, and possible growth opportunities.

16 CREATIVITY’S CO-PILOT

06

MASTERING AGENTIC AI

Group strategic director of PHD Media, Lindile Ndube has been in the trenches with agentic AI – and says once you’ve experienced its transformative potential, you can’t look away.

08 AFRICAN INFLUENCE

South Africa has made significant strides in soft power, improving its ranking by two spots to 41st in the 2025 Brand Finance Global Soft Power Index, writes chairman of Brand Finance Africa, Jeremy Sampson.

10 VIDEO, SHIFTS

Multichoice CEO Byron du Plessis, believes video’s impact on traditional TV is encouraging a stronger focus on content quality, technology and the user experience.

The real AI opportunity lies in augmenting creative intuition rather than replacing it, writes Mediaheads 360’s Candy Dempers.

18 WORKPLACE MINEFIELD

The modern workplace is in chaos. If we don’t acknowledge it, we can’t fix it, advises communications expert Ingrid von Stein.

19 RELATIONSHIPS OVER ROBOTS

Eclipse Communications’ Caryl Kalk ponders the use of AI in public relations, asking whether and how it can cultivate vital relationships.

20

TIMES HAVE CHANGED…

…And so has community media, writes Shoeshoe Qhu, CEO of the Media Development and Diversity Agency, spotlighting a vital media sector struggling to stay afloat.

23

EXISTENTIAL EVOLUTION

Communications director of DKMS Africa, Palesa Mokomele, says it is becoming harder than ever for NPOs to market their messages to the public. Brand ambassadors can help.

25

THE ROI OF RADIO

Radio must step up and play a role at the bottom of the funnel –where Conversions, Sales, and ROI happen, writes Ultimate Media’s John Walls.

27

TRUST IS THE HEART OF EVERYTHING

Trust is being tested across every touchpoint, from digital ad fraud to client/agency relationships –and as executive director of the Association for Communication and Advertising, Gillian Rightford has a 360º lens on these challenges.

30

EMPLOYEE ENERGY

Bonita Bachmann, MD of The MediaShop in Cape Town, shows how brands navigating an increasingly competitive market are embracing employee advocacy to build trust and humanise their image.

31

NEWS MADNESS

We’re experiencing widespread news fatigue with massive implications that cannot be ignored, writes US foreign policy and security leader Zack Baddorf.

WITHOUT AI AGENTS, AGENCIES ARE DOOMED

The question facing media agencies is clear: will we continue playing defence, clinging to outdated models, or will we embrace AI agents, proactively shaping the industry’s next chapter? asks Lindile Ndube.

There’s a lot of noise about AI these days. It dominates the conversation in every boardroom, at every media conference, and drips with jargon from every LinkedIn post. AI is poised to ‘tranform everything’, we’re repeatedly told. But behind the hype, few genuinely understand what’s truly at stake – especially in the media industry.

I’ve been fortunate enough to work firsthand with Agentic AI, deep in the trenches, solving real client problems. And once you’ve glimpsed AI’s transformative potential, you simply can’t look away.

Consider a recent project where my team built an Agentic AI tool for radio, a platform traditionally overlooked in our digital-first conversations.

The objective was ambitious: capture real-time consumer dialogues across multiple South African dialects, translating chaotic radio discussions into actionable

insights. The outcome was revolutionary. We demonstrated clearly that traditional measurement methods – social listening, periodic surveys and fragmented reports – miss enormous chunks of real consumer sentiment and conversation.

That realisation was a technological breakthrough that revealed a troubling reality: for decades, media agencies have clung to outdated business models, billing clients for hours and presentations rather than intelligence and measurable outcomes.

THE TOOLS ARE HERE. THE EVIDENCE IS CLEAR. THE CHOICE – AND ITS CONSEQUENCES – ARE OURS ALONE.

Once you’ve glimpsed AI’s transformative potential, you simply can’t look away

So when AI agents can analyse data, produce insights and recommend strategies within minutes, what precisely are we selling?

The uncomfortable truth is that agencies have long struggled to demonstrate real value. CFOs and CMOs increasingly question agency spend, viewing it as an expense rather than an investment. And honestly, can we blame them? Agencies are often stuck providing vanity metrics – impressive-sounding numbers devoid of real financial substance.

Clients don’t need ‘engagement rates’; they need irrefutable proof that their media budget generates actual business returns.

Year upon year, the WARC Marketer’s Toolkit exposes declining trust levels between clients and agencies. Relationships become transactional, budgets shrink, and partnerships become strained.

This isn’t sustainable.

To survive – and thrive – agencies must pivot urgently from selling media placements t o selling measurable intelligence.

Recently, on an episode of BG2 podcast, Microsoft’s Satya Nadella outlined a future where AI agents render traditional software interfaces obsolete. As AI increasingly handles tasks previously done by humans, software designed for

human eyes becomes irrelevant. This is not just a technical shift; it’s existential. Agencies must rethink their entire value proposition.

Do clients genuinely crave another flashy ’’innovative campaign”, or do they need something deeper: solutions ready at 2am when X ignites, and their marketing team sleeps?

We have to acknowledge legitimate concerns around AI adoption. AI hallucinates; it can generate false information, propagate biases, and complicate already sensitive issues like privacy and data ownership. Brands rightfully fear reputational damage from algorithmic mishaps.

These challenges, while real, are rapidly being addressed through accelerating innovations in AI safety, data governance, and regulatory oversight.

Waiting until AI is flawless isn’t feasible because while we wait, Silicon Valley tech giants won’t hesitate. Agencies risk becoming obsolete, losing control of their futures and client relationships.

UNPRECENDENTED VISIBILITY

The choice is stark: embrace AI now, despite its imperfections, or watch helplessly as external players redefine the media landscape.

Agentic AI’s real promise for media lies in unprecedented visibility into every touchpoint along the consumer journey and the media value chain.

Imagine fully integrated data systems breaking down internal silos to connect fragmented insights into cohesive narratives.

This holistic view enables precise, measurable decision-making. Suddenly, agencies don’t just claim their worth –they irrefutably prove it.

Imagine entering client meetings armed not with vague numbers, but definitive evidence: “For every rand invested, here’s the precise incremental revenue generated, and here’s why.” Such transparency transforms agency spend from an expense into a strategic investment, reshaping relationships from cautious transactional exchanges into confident strategic partnerships.

Furthermore, AI-driven visibility unlocks entirely new revenue models previously inconceivable. Agencies can implement performance-based pricing, revenue-sharing models, or equity-based

IMAGINE ENTERING CLIENT MEETINGS ARMED NOT WITH VAGUE NUMBERS, BUT DEFINITIVE EVIDENCE: ‘FOR EVERY RAND INVESTED, HERE’S THE PRECISE INCREMENTAL REVENUE GENERATED, AND HERE’S WHY.’

partnerships – dramatically shifting their economic dynamics.

Agencies can cease being mere service providers and instead become indispensable business partners, directly accountable to measurable outcomes.

AI itself isn’t the ultimate differentiator; it’s merely a tool – albeit a powerful one – that creates conditions for human ingenuity, creativity and strategic thinking to flourish. AI provides transparency, precision, and actionable insights, but it remains human responsibility to interpret, strategise, and execute effectively.

EXTERNAL THREATS

Yet these transformative advantages won’t materialise without collective action. Agencies must urgently collaborate to set clear industry-wide standards and best practices.

Inspired by open-source platforms like GitHub, agencies should work transparently to create standardised benchmarks for accountability and trust. This collaboration elevates client confidence, ensuring relationships are strategic and not adversarial.

This urgency intensifies considering external threats. Tech companies with deeper pockets and fewer legacy constraints are eager to capture market share. They won’t pause to wait for traditional agencies to catch up. Agencies must seize control of the narrative around ROI, transparency, and client trust before external players dictate the terms.

also represent an opportunity to reclaim ownership of valuable intellectual property. Reuters recently warned of rampant AI web-scraping practices. Agencies could guide clients in protecting, structuring, and leveraging proprietary data assets, turning potential vulnerabilities into strategic advantages.

Agencies must elevate their role from traditional media buying to strategic intelligence partnerships.

Clearly demonstrating ROI transforms marketing budgets from perceived expenses into valued investments. Embracing transparency, collaborative innovation, and integrated data ecosystems positions agencies as trusted, indispensable partners.

THE QUESTION IS…

AI itself will not save the industry –but it does provide an unprecedented opportunity to redefine value and rebuild trust. By combining AI’s analytical strength with human creativity and ethical oversight, we forge deeper client partnerships, deliver measurable business outcomes, and establish a resilient foundation for the industry’s future.

The question facing media agencies is clear: Will we continue playing defense, clinging to outdated models, or will we embrace AI agents, proactively shaping the industry’s next chapter?

The tools are here. The evidence is clear. The choice – and its consequences

So where do we go from here? Media agencies need to stop playing defense and start building. AI isn’t coming, it’s here. We can either be part of shaping what comes next or wake up one day to find there’s nothing left to shape. The tools are ready.

Crucially, AI agents is group strategic director

The question is: are we?

Lindile Ndube

HOW AFRICAN MEDIA SHAPES GLOBAL INFLUENCE

Soft power, the ability to effect change and influence global perceptions through persuasion rather than force, is crucial for managing international relations, and the continent’s media is the ideal springboard, writes Jeremy Sampson.

American political scientist Joseph Nye coined the term ‘Soft Power’ long before he wrote the book about The Means to Succeed in the Political World, to describe how a country can achieve strategic objectives to increase its appeal, rather than resorting to force.

Nye believed that force and coercion stimulates resistance, while soft power encourages co-operation.

South Africa has made significant strides in soft power, improving its ranking by two spots to 41st in the 2025 Brand Finance Global Soft Power Index

As a regional leader in Sub-Saharan Africa, we have performed well across five of the eight key perception pillars, including ‘business and trade’ and ‘people and values’, highlighting our efforts to enhance global influence.

We also rank ninth globally for ‘future growth potential’ – and our BRICS membership, along with expanding sectors like technology, renewable energy, and financial services, bolsters our influence.

The country’s performance in the Media and Communication pillar also showed a statistically significant improvement in our ranking, with progress in three out of four attributes, with ‘trustworthy media’ seeing the biggest increase, up 18 ranks to place at 63.

Among key African nations, South Africa ranks second highest, just behind Egypt, on international perceptions about the country’s media.

BREAKING THROUGH

Positive perceptions of South African media among international audiences are key to boosting our country’s soft power. A trusted and influential media covering global issues plays a crucial role in shaping our national brand.

Over the past three years, trust in local media has notably increased, demonstrating the strength of a free and fair media landscape that supports our young democracy.

Our cultural impact, particularly in sports, is also noteworthy. We rank 21st globally for our leadership in sports, with national teams like the Springboks symbolising unity and resilience, enhancing our international standing and contributing greatly to our global brand.

While we have significant potential due to our historical legacy and democratic values, ongoing domestic issues hinder our ability to leverage these soft power strengths on the global stage.

Though challenges remain, improving global perceptions indicate we are headed in the right direction. By continuing to build on these strengths, we have a significant opportunity to strengthen our reputation as a regional leader and emerging soft power on the global stage.

In our globalised, tech-driven world, the media plays a crucial role in leveraging

soft power, as it encompasses our culture, political values and foreign policies, and shapes our identity and influence.

Unlike hard power, which can spark resistance, soft power uses cultural storytelling and public opinion to build a positive image and attract allies.

Understanding these dynamics, and the media’s role in shaping global narratives, is crucial for nations looking to strengthen their international presence.

This can be seen in the significant structural developments across Africa’s media landscape over the past two decades.

Traditional news outlets have systematically cut their foreign news budgets over the last two decades, leading to a radical reduction in the number of Western foreign correspondents posted abroad.

Many news outlets now rely on local journalists who were raised in the country they report on. This is particularly the case at major newswires such as AFP, AP and Reuters, who provide the bulk of the world’s raw news content and are important producers of international news about Africa.

While traditional Western media channels such as CNN, CNBC Africa and the BBC still have influence in Africa, their presence is more historical; concurrently, state-backed media from Russia and China have experienced rapid growth.

China’s African strategy focuses on infrastructure development, training, content production, and investment, primarily through two institutions: the China Global Television Network (CGTN) Africa and Xinhua News Agency. The impact of Chinese media on African journalists and audiences remains limited. Research in South Africa and Kenya suggests that deep-seated biases, rather than access limitations, hinder Chinese media’s influence. Although Chinese media’s positive coverage of Africa could challenge Western stereotypes, its role in advancing China’s soft power may remain low, for now at least.

Russia has also increased its media presence in Africa, using state-owned outlets like Sputnik and RT to enhance its soft power. These outlets offer an alternative to Western narratives, focusing on anti-imperialist themes. Russia has adapted to the digital age, using social media and local African outlets to spread its messages.

Another noteworthy entrant is Al Jazeera, an independent news organisation funded partly by the Qatari government. Priding itself on having a particular brand of journalism, it has gained a reputation for providing a voice to the voiceless, focusing on underrepresented stories from a subaltern perspective while building credibility among traditional media consumers, particularly in Africa and the Balkans.

RECLAIMING NARRATIVES

The digital revolution has provided powerful platforms for Africans to reclaim their narrative and challenge stereotypical coverage. A growing number of citizen journalists and content creators are doing so via blogs, videos and podcasts, across all social media platforms and channels, with engagement that informs, entertains and challenges misrepresentation.

Other players such as nongovernmental organisations are also taking control of their narratives, using technology to bypass traditional media and communicate directly with their audiences. This shift has reduced

their reliance on legacy media and journalists.

This emergence of different voices through independent media outlets and citizen journalism has empowered Africans to create their own content, with youth, religious groups, and bloggers producing stories that are distributed globally.

content, reach audiences and promote shared identities. However, the industry faces challenges in limited infrastructure, high content costs and a shortage of local offerings. Media owners are also under pressure to implement paywalls to sustain their businesses, and the impact of this on a continent with high levels of inequality remains uncertain.

Meanwhile, the African diaspora, spread around the globe, is also shaping narratives through their social media presence.

THIS EMERGENCE OF DIFFERENT VOICES THROUGH INDEPENDENT MEDIA OUTLETS AND CITIZEN JOURNALISM HAS EMPOWERED AFRICANS TO CREATE THEIR OWN CONTENT, WITH YOUTH, RELIGIOUS GROUPS, AND BLOGGERS PRODUCING STORIES THAT ARE DISTRIBUTED GLOBALLY.

LEVERAGING SOFT POWER

Media organisations and outlets are perfectly placed to leverage soft power and influence local and global audiences. By showcasing authentic African stories and cultural narratives, they can shape global conversations, inspire local pride, and attract international audiences seeking diverse perspectives.

South Africa demonstrates this potential through our established film industry and vibrant creative economy. Global award-winners like Tsotsi, The Snail and The Whale, District 9 and My Octopus Teacher show how storytelling can reflect a nation’s values and aspirations while drawing global audiences.

Local music genres like Afrobeats and Amapiano have also achieved global recognition, harnessing cultural soft power similar to the Korean Wave.

Digital platforms and mobile technology offer cost-effective ways for African media outlets to distribute homegrown

For example, sports broadcasting is mostly dominated by pay-to-view services, with limited coverage on national channels.

This diminishes sport’s potential for nation-building and restricts the reach of sponsorships, reducing their return on investment (ROI).

Similarly, news content is increasingly moving behind paywalls, making it harder to address the spread of misinformation and the echo chamber effect on social media – posing a significant risk to social stability and the quality of public discourse.

REQUIRED: COLLABORATION

Governments can do more to support African media companies by

• Protecting press freedom

• Providing tax incentives

• Funding training and development programmes

• Investing in technological infrastructure This will help position the media as leaders in the continent’s creative economy, attract investment, and strengthen Africa’s presence in the global media landscape.

With numerous angel investment opportunities available, media startups in Africa have significant potential for growth. By seizing these opportunities, African media businesses can leverage their soft power and strengthen their position on the global stage.

Jeremy Sampson is chairman of Brand Finance Africa. Brand Finance is the world’s leading brand valuation consultancy. Bridging the gap between marketing and finance, Brand Finance evaluates the strength of brands and quantifies their financial value to help organisations make strategic decisions. Headquartered in London, Brand Finance operates in over 25 countries.

Jeremy Sampson

VIDEO’S ONGOING EVOLUTION

Video may not have killed the radio star – but the world’s most loved form of entertainment’s impact on traditional TV is encouraging a stronger focus on content quality, technology and the user experience, writes Byron du Plessis.

Video is one of the most loved forms of entertainment in the world –and digi-tech advances have not only brough video entertainment into our homes, it’s now instantly accessible to us anywhere, anytime.

Over the last decade, the entire media and entertainment industry has fragmented, with consumers now overwhelmed by the volume of choices in what, how, when and where to watch what they want. It’s never been easier and faster to do so; whether live, linear or on demand.

SPOILT FOR CHOICE

With satellite, streaming and social media all providing video entertainment options, different platforms work for different market segments. Regions and income groups constrained by the availability of internet access, data costs and the quality of signal distribution rely heavily on satellite TV.

At the same time, streaming video is expanding its reach, especially in developed markets. As barriers to internet access decrease, streaming will draw bigger audiences – in line with first world trends –and will become the future of our industry globally in the medium to long term.

Adding another dimension to the video entertainment sector is how enthusiastically younger viewers have embraced short form video on social media platforms. There is a multiplicity of video entertainment available now and in this light, it is understandable why consumers are often confused as to what the best video service combination is for their wallet.

MULTI-PLATFORM OFFERINGS

In South Africa, satellite TV is still Multichoice’s financial engine, servicing

customers in urban, semi-urban and remote rural areas where there is limited or no internet connectivity, or data costs remain prohibitive – and most of our customers still watch our content using a decoder, encrypted smartcard and satellite dish.

Acutely aware of the inevitable shift to streaming, we serve the streaming market through DStv Stream and Showmax, with both expanding their reach and subscriber base over the last few years. We’ve recently rolled out several service enhancements for DStv Stream, including making a second free stream available to Premium, Compact Plus and Compact subscribers, at no extra cost from 1 April 2025.

We’ve done this to enhance viewing flexibility for customers, so that families can enjoy different content simultaneously, including on smart TVs, while sports fans can watch multiple games at once.

Other recent updates on DStv Stream include:

• Cloud PVR functionality

• Letting customers pause and rewind up to 24 hours of content without needing a decoder

• An improved ‘Watch from Start’ feature; and

• Cast and crew functionality for easier search capability.

Another key aspect of our streaming operations is to foster key data partnerships with leading mobile operators to make our products more easily and widely available.

Showmax launched a new UI as part of its transition to the Peacock platform, and numerous localised features such as

data-saving modes and local language subtitling. Showmax is the first streaming platform in Africa now available in Kiswahili, one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, with over 230 million speakers.

SPORTING ACUMEN

As a business, we’ve always been very focused on ensuring that our content offers real value to our customers. Live sport remains a key viewership driver among South African audiences, who are sport mad.

SuperSport continues to meet this demand for great sporting action and today offers more sport content than any other broadcaster in the world, covering athletics, boxing, cricket, cycling, football, golf, gymnastics, motorsport, tennis, rugby, swimming, wrestling and more.

Among the big drawcards are the local PSL, SA rugby and cricket, English Premier League, the UEFA Champions League, Formula 1 racing, Grand Slam tennis, all golf majors and all the major events such as World Cups and the Olympics.

Local sport is vital for viewership and continues to bring our country together

through epic sporting moments – who can forget the goosebumps of the Boks going back-to-back in 2023?.

In February, the Soweto Derby between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs became the most-watched fixture ever on SuperSport. According to Nielsen Sports SA, about 3.29 million South African viewers tuned in, marking a 28% increase in viewership in comparison to the previous year.

SuperSport had 24 cameras in operation on the day, including four robotic incommentary cameras, two RF (4K/UHD) wireless and ultra slow-motion cameras, a cinematic camera (cellular bonded wireless solution) and a drone with augmented reality graphics.

We brought fans every minute, and arguably every angle, live. We’re also very proud of our SuperSport Schools channel that’s dedicated to young up-and-coming stars, which has more than 1.1-million users on the SuperSport Schools app.

We have recently extended distribution even further, to DStv EasyView, DStv Stream Free as well as the SABC+ platform.

ENTERTAINMENT FOR AFRICA

Animation, comedy, drama, documentary, kids, reality, romance, telenovela, awards shows, game shows, talk shows and more – DStv and Showmax have a huge content slate of both standout local titles and international hits.

Homegrown content remains highly attractive to our customers and with over 84 000 hours of co-produced and commissioned titles across 45 languages, including over 6 500 hours added last year, we remain the largest producer of original content in Africa.

African storytelling continues to deliver outstanding viewership with our investment into local content also reflected in the global success of our productions.

Notably: Reyka (The Cane Field Killings) was sold to over 150 territories, including BritBox North America, CANAL+, Channel 4 in the UK, HBO LatAm and Sky Italia. White Lies was screened on Channel 4 (UK), SundanceNOW (North America) and Stan (Australia). Meanwhile Die Brug (2024), Two Sides (2023), Reyka (2022), The River (2019), and Is’thunzi (2017 and 2018) have all received Emmy nominations.

We’ve also actively co-produced with global giants like Acorn TV (Recipes for

Byron du Plessis

AFRICAN STORYTELLING CONTINUES TO DELIVER OUTSTANDING VIEWERSHIP WITH OUR INVESTMENT INTO LOCAL CONTENT ALSO REFLECTED IN THE GLOBAL SUCCESS OF OUR PRODUCTIONS.

Love and Murder), BBC (Devil’s Peak) and HBO (Trackers).

At home, we’ve won multiple SAFTAs (South African Film and Television Awards) and AMVCAs (Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards), recognising excellence in storytelling and production quality –and African Originals represented eight out of the top 10 Showmax titles since it relaunched in February 2024.

Our local content team continues to create flagship titles like Shaka Ilembe, one of the hits that drove appointment viewing as audiences eagerly tuned in weekly for brand-new episodes, and we are tremendously excited by the launch of season two in June 2025, which will be the group’s biggest ever local production.

Internationally, we continue to hold strong relationships with the world’s biggest content suppliers, with channels and programming from A&E Networks, Comcast’s NBCUniversal, Disney, Discovery Networks, Lionsgate, Paramount, Viacom, Warner and many more.

We intend to explore new content formats and partnerships to ensure superb viewing across our platforms.

AI-ASSISTED CUSTOMER-CENTRICITY

Our customers are the foundation of our business, so we remain on the pulse of their needs. With our content portfolio continuously expanding, helping them navigate the features of our platforms is a priority.

We’re using AI-powered recommendations to help make content discovery easier, by analysing their viewing habits and preferences.

We also use AI to enhance live TV recommendations by identifying content groups based on connected and unconnected DStv decoder and streaming data.

AI also improves content descriptions and search results, making it easier to find what you want to watch. So, if a movie’s synopsis doesn’t explicitly mention a superhero, AI can infer and update the metadata to improve discoverability.

We are also heavily focused on the UX and UI of both our satellite and streaming products – we want customers to understand our brand identities what is available to them fast, and to have clear signposting of how content is clustered. Our app suite is fundamental, especially the DStv app that allows customers to control their accounts and enjoy a rapidly increasing level of rewards through the DStv Rewards programme. Customers can pick the products that best suit them, have mobility across products as they need it and manage settings like parental control; resolve error messages, pay for services and more.

30 YEARS AND COUNTING

In DStv’s 30th year, we’re highly excited about what our business has accomplished and where we’re heading. We remain critically focused on customer service across our platforms, with multiple touchpoints for customer support. Our teams are constantly upskilled, and we will continue to empower them to use the latest technology to create better viewing and engagement experiences for our customers.

We will keep evolving our content pipelines so that our customers have access to the best live sport, excellent local entertainment, and outstanding international titles available.

Across the DStv and Showmax ecosystems we will continue to innovate and embrace technologies as they emerge. Our promise to customers is that we will continue to build on our legacy as Africa’s leading pay TV operator.

Byron du Plessis is CEO of Multichoice

(A FINE) STATE OF PLAY

While regulatory parity is urgently needed to level the playing field, South African broadcasters are rising to the challenge and serving audiences and advertisers with authentic, credible and relatable content, affirms Nadia Bulbulia in this broad overview of the industry.

The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) ended 2024 with the publication of the third edition of its State of the Broadcasting Industry Report, covering 2019 to 2024.

Initiated in 2014 to mark 20 years of democracy, the report has since been published in five-year intervals to track developments in the broadcasting sector. The report is supported by PwC, which conducted an independent survey of NAB members focusing on revenue generation, contribution to licence fees, taxes and levies, as well as investment in people, content, technology, infrastructure and corporate social initiatives.

CONTENT AND PLATFORMS

As the old adage goes: “local is lekker” and, arguably, nobody understands (and responds to) the needs and interests of South African audiences quite like the broadcasting sector.

The public can enjoy and engage with more services, channels and programmes, in more languages and more genres, across more platforms than ever before – and despite operating in an environment where unregulated content services compete directly with heavily regulated broadcasters, the overall story of broadcasting in our democracy is a good one.

Radio and television platforms remain the most viable mediums for content creators and advertisers, and the number of broadcasting services has also grown over the last five years (Fig.1).

The production and provision of diverse quality content is a strength that sets

traditional broadcasters apart from newer platforms. Key to this advantage is that ICASA-licensed broadcasters are deemed the most trustworthy platforms for news and information – an important vanguard in this age of mis- and dis-information.

Digital audio broadcasting has been trialled by the NAB and SADIBA for several years and awaits ICASA’s licensing process to unfold.

For television, BRC data on licensed terrestrial and subscription broadcasters estimated audiences at 32.5 million. These numbers are expected to change as the BRC releases new audience research.

Audiences in South Africa are spoiled for choice when it comes to content and are constantly seeking fresh content. To address the need for homegrown content, South African broadcasters invested roughly R20bn in local content over the period 2019 to 2023 – far beyond their stipulated regulatory requirements (Fig. 2).

In addition to this massive investment in local productions, ICASA-licensed broadcasters have increased their share of revenue directed towards regulatory requirements from 20% in 2019 to 23% in 2023 (Fig. 3).

PROUDLY SOUTH AFRICAN: INVESTING IN INFRASTRUCTURE, COMMUNITIES AND TALENT

The legislative requirement for BEE ownership of private commercial

Fig. 1

Fig. 3

Fig. 2

broadcasting services is 30% – and both TV and radio exceed this quota, with TV at an average of 46% and radio at an average of 55%. In addition, these services also generally exceed ICASA’s content regulations.

In the past five years, the sector invested R780 million in infrastructure, R62 million on research and development activities, and a further R1.4 billion in 1 747 corporate social initiative projects. Over the same period, broadcasters spent R370 million on direct costs related to load shedding, with the bulk of those costs during 2022/2023.

Permanent and contract-based employee levels contracted in the sector during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, investment in people and talent remains vital for the sector and workforce demographics suggest that 58% of employees in broadcasting are women, while efforts are underway to improve youth employment (ages 15-35) from just under 30% of permanent employees.

LEVELLING THE PLAYING FIELD

The media landscape has shifted in recent years, with social media, on-demand streaming services and podcasts offering consumers more choice. Broadcasters have responded to these developments by offering their own equivalent services. However, onerous regulation results in broadcasters competing directly with unregulated OTT counterparts – there remains an urgent need for regulatory parity if local broadcasters are to thrive in the digital era.

The Department of Communications and Digital Technologies is still finalising its Draft White Paper on Audio and Audiovisual Content Media Services and Online Content Safety and it is hoped that, once finalised, it will provide for a level

playing field for all content providers. New policies will enable ICASA to consider the regulation of OTT services.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND GEN-AI

The use of GenAI is set to play a valuable role for broadcasting businesses. Text generation tools can already translate concepts into stories and generate credible human dialogue. The speed at which high-quality content can be produced will increase as the related costs decline.

However, GenAI is unable to ascertain whether news content is mis- or disinformation, which affects the credibility of and support for actual, trustworthy news content.

ICASA is considering a review of its Broadcasting Code of Conduct to address areas such as AI – particularly in news production. Self-regulation through the BCCSA already caters for digital online content services through its Online Content Services Code, launched in 2023.

GREENING THE FUTURE

From an environmental standpoint, broadcasting can drive innovation and help reduce its industry’s impact by considering greener alternatives.

In total, 3% of global electricity is being used by data centres and this is forecast to increase to 8% by 2030. President Cyril Ramaphosa assented to the Climate Change Act 22 of 2024 in July 2024, aiming to establish a comprehensive legal framework for the regulation of the impacts of climate change, with the goal of achieving net-zero by 2050.

While the Climate Change Act is not yet in effect, sustainability measures will be vital for reducing a broadcaster’s carbon footprint and costs and enabling the sector to comply with South Africa’s goals of reducing greenhouse gases.

CONCLUSION

Self-regulation by the BCCSA will continue to be important for the regulation of areas such as AI and the protection of children and vulnerable sectors of society.

Notably, the Competition Commission’s Provisional Report on its Media and Digital Platforms Market Inquiry (February 2025) submits, in its provisional recommendations, that Google and Microsoft, should negotiate annual contributions to media oversight institutions, namely the Press Council and the BCCSA.

For over 30 years, our broadcasting industry has shown its commitment to helping grow the nation by investing in its human capital as well as contributing fiscally. The sector also advances our democratic ideals of inclusivity and diversity by ensuring that as many demographic groups as possible have their content needs met and are represented in broadcast media. The future is unpredictable, but what is certain is that broadcasting in South Africa is a public good and that it will continue to drive audiences and advertisers as an authentic and credible medium in a cluttered digital media space.

Read the full NAB State of the Broadcasting Industry 2024 Report here

Nadia Bulbulia is the executive director of the NAB . She has over 30 years of experience in public policy and regulatory practice in the communications sector. She has worked in broadcasting, telecoms, the creative industries and is a former regulator – an inductee of the Radio Awards Hall of Fame, and Lifetime Achiever of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Film Festival.

Nadia Bulbulia

The future is unpredictable, but what is certain is that broadcasting in South Africa is a public good

AI’S (UN)CREATIVE CROSSROAD

AI’s inability to imagine – or track the underground spaces where new genres, styles, and cultures are born – means it’s still very much the co-pilot to captains of creativity, writes Candy Dempers.

Advertising has always been about pushing boundaries – whether through disruptive storytelling, bold design, or experiential campaigns that capture consumer imagination. It’s an industry that blends outliers, visionaries, and the everyday into compelling narratives.

Advertisers understand the fine line between experimental and exponential, harnessing untapped imagination to make an impact.

AI is analytically powerful but does not inherently ‘imagine’. It remixes, refines and accelerates execution. AI is the executive assistant, the army, the Excel formula, and the thought starter you’ve always read about on LinkedIn but couldn’t afford or didn’t know where to find.

In 2025, AI’s role in the industry is shifting from experimentation to implementation. Agencies now use AI for media planning, dynamic ad creation, audience segmentation and real-time campaign optimisation. Mundane tasks, formulaic feedback, PowerPoint decks and campaign data analysis can all be handled with basic prompts. AI never needs a smoke break, a salary increase or steals a teaspoon from the company kitchen!

EFFICIENCY CREATIVITY

Creativity is borne through unexpected connections, challenging norms, and tapping into cultural nuances and undercurrents. It encompasses calculated risks, human intuition, and the ability to sense what will resonate.

AI can assist in pattern recognition, but it can’t read the subtle energy and emotions of people and places. It doesn’t get gut feelings, and it doesn’t have the lived experiences that shape true creative brilliance.

The real opportunity lies in AI augmenting creative intuition rather than replacing it. The value of lived experiences, emotional triggers, personal dreams, aspirations, and the psychology of people in action and thought can’t be prompted. AI can help us find trends, but it takes human ingenuity to make meaning out of them.

FROM AI TO BRAND NARRATIVE

AI-driven insights can help identify microtrends and community sentiment, but it takes human intuition to craft stories that

truly resonate. Consider Nando’s: known for its sharp, culturally relevant local campaigns; AI can help the brand track real-time social sentiment, but not translate that into an impactful message – for that, a creative team is still required.

A prime example is the recent ‘Nou Vat’ campaign, which launched immediately after the finance minister cancelled the Budget Speech due to a disagreement over a VAT increase. The creative team ran with the national zeitgeist to play on language and cultural nuances, in a flash.

No AI model could have produced that level of insight in real-time – it required human instinct.

REDEFINING PREDICTIVE PLANNING

Programmatic advertising has already reshaped media buying, but the next layer is predictive media planning, powered by AI. Platforms like Google’s Performance Max optimise ad placements across channels – but without strategic human input, campaigns risk becoming generic and impersonal.

Radio and television stations can also empower staff by using AI to compare audience data with available inventory, ensuring optimal ad scheduling. This fusion of data-driven efficiency with human strategy is where AI’s real potential lies.

THERE IS NO AI WITHOUT ‘I’

The best advertising doesn’t just sell; it provokes, inspires, and shifts culture. Independent thought knows when a campaign needs to be adjusted for culture, geography, or language.

Large language models are improving, but they are not optimised for our 12 official languages. Trend analysis remains complex and multi-layered, requiring a deep understanding of social, economic, and cultural dynamics.

AI can analyse past trends with the right prompts, but it cannot track underground movements – the bedroom producers, the street artists, the township designers shaping the next big thing. It’s in these spaces where new genres, styles, and cultures are born, often unseen by traditional data collection methods.

AI amplifies the creative process without rendering it obsolete. By automating the everyday grind and eliminating repetitive

AI CAN ANALYSE PAST TRENDS WITH THE RIGHT PROMPTS, BUT IT CANNOT TRACK UNDERGROUND MOVEMENTS – THE BEDROOM PRODUCERS, THE STREET ARTISTS, THE TOWNSHIP DESIGNERS SHAPING THE NEXT BIG THING.

tasks, AI frees up creatives to think bigger, dream bolder, and experiment more.

Many still see AI as a separate stack from technology and digital innovation, but those who can blend AI with human insight will be the early winners. AI provides efficiency, but human ingenuity brings the soul, intuition, and disruption that make creativity thrive.

Human ingenuity is shaped by emotional intelligence (or the lack thereof), curiosity, experimentation, and an innate desire to disrupt. When these elements intersect with efficiency, optimisation, and data analysis, creativity doesn’t just survive – it thrives.

Candy Dempers is the managing director of Mediaheads 360 , a specialist media and creative agency. With 26 years of experience in sales and marketing, Dempers thrives at the intersection of creativity and strategy, crafting impactful campaigns for brands.

Candy Dempers

ADULTING 101 FOR THE MODERN WORKFORCE

Tackle burnout and its impact at the core by addressing toxic leadership, and create environments where people feel valued, rather than disposable

Today’s workplace feels more like a minefield rather than one of progress, because we’ve lost the basic tenets of human interaction. It’s time to grow up, advises Ingrid von Stein.

Does your workplace feel like an ecosystem of collaboration, trust, and progress – or is it a battleground of clashing egos and flaring tempers, where a handful of people do the heavy lifting while others coast or claim credit?

If it’s the latter, you’re not alone. The modern workplace is in chaos. And if we don’t acknowledge it, we can’t fix it.

RECOGNISING THE REALITY

Here’s what characterises today’s workplace for too many of in the workforce: Mis(s )communication – We have more ways to communicate than ever, yet we’re failing spectacularly at it. Emails go unanswered, video calls are pointless, and messages are misinterpreted. Instead of clarity, we get confusion, micro-aggression, and polite dismissal. Real conversations are dying, and so is productivity.

Organisational silos – Departments don’t talk to each other. Groups operate like secret societies. Individuals hoard information rather than share it. The result?

A fragmented workplace where no one sees the full picture, and problems get stuck in an endless loop of ‘not my job’. Poseurs – Every workplace has them: the ones who show up for the applause but not the work; who say ‘I’ when for ‘we’; who skate by, contributing the bare minimum, yet somehow climbing the ladder. Hard work doesn’t always win in these environments – loud voices and politics do.

Misplaced values – Trust, respect & consideration are now endangered concepts, and basic decency is a luxury.

Trust is fragile, respect is conditional. Kindness? That’s for ‘soft’ people, right? Wrong. Workplaces thrive when these values are embedded in culture, not treated as optional extras.

Anger issues – The workforce, as a whole, is burnt out; short-tempered and exhausted, we turn on each other instead of fixing the systems that drive us to the edge. Frustration manifests as arrogance, tantrums and aggressive leadership. It’s workplace Darwinism, and it’s toxic.

CHANGING THE STATUS QUO

Nothing changes if nothing changes. If we want better workplaces, we must build them.

• Rebuild trust: Leaders need to lead with integrity, and teams need to operate with transparency. Trust isn’t a given; it’s earned, and building a culture of trust will boost morale –and productivity.

• Recognise core values: respect and consideration

Ingrid von Stein

as crucial principles; genuine appreciation of a job well done or a simple ‘thank you’ for any small effort has a profound impact.

• Communicate effectively: Be clear and direct; listen to understand, not just to respond. Understand that emails and messages – vital for today’s remote, global workforce – call for more care in delivery than live conversations.

• Encourage collaboration: Share knowledge; cross-pollinate ideas and work together – not in isolation –to effect real progress.

• Call out poseurs: Recognise the real contributors, and challenge cultures where visibility matters more than value.

• Banish burnout: Tackle burnout and its impact at the core; address toxic leadership, and create environments where people feel valued, rather than disposable.

The workforce isn’t broken beyond repair – but it is in desperate need of a reset. Workplaces that function need functional people: less ego, more accountability; less noise, more substance.

Because work should be challenging – but it shouldn’t be war.

Ingrid von Stein is the founder and CEO of Indigo Zebra Communications , leading strategic communications for over two decades. A podcaster and global peace ambassador, she has collaborated with some of the world’s top brands and earned numerous global and local awards for innovation and communications.

BOTS VS BRAINS – OR SENTIENT VS SYNTHETIC?

As artificial intelligence advances into all industries, one question still looms: will machines replace PR professionals? No, argues Caryl Kolk, outlining how AI lacks the creativity, empathy, and meaningful engagement that only the human touch can provide.

In the artificial intelligence era, marketing and communications professionals are drawn into the synthetic vs sentient debate, with some doubting their professional futures as the AI tide surges across global industry.

The impact of AI in the PR and communications sector has undeniably transformed the space, with algorithms capable of generating content, monitoring media uptake, analysing sentiment and even predicting the ideal timing for product launches.

So much so that insights from Prowley’s 2024 State of PR Technology report suggest that the rise of AI in research, analysis and reporting has surged, with AI-driven research increasing from 53% in 2022 to 67% in 2024, with analysis growing from 8% to as much as 31% in the same period.

And while PR teams are increasingly leveraging these tools, one question looms large: can the power and potential of machines truly replace the human touch?

The short answer is no.

QUICK ON DELIVERY, COLD ON CONNECTION

AI is undoubtedly unmatched in its ability to churn out rapid, data-driven solutions, yet it comes without the pulse of human understanding.

This is obvious in the customer service realm, where chatbots have taken over

traditional human interactions. While it may answer a query, it lacks the heart to resolve concerns and build lasting trust.

Similarly in the PR and communications space, automated processes can streamline operations but they miss the intangible elements that make campaigns impactful and meaningful.

In PR, success isn’t just about broadcasting messages; it’s about cultivating genuine relationships. Navigating and responding to crises or crafting memorable stories demands more than algorithms – it calls for the courage, moral compass, intuition and emotional intelligence that only people possess.

STORIES THAT STIR, NOT JUST SERVE

Storytelling remains one of PR’s most powerful tools, allowing brands to resonate with diverse audiences. While AI can generate content based on patterns, it cannot imbue narratives with authenticity, depth or emotional resonance.

This is particularly important given the demands of modern audiences who want more than messages driven by circuits and codes, and crave stories that connect heart to heart, not hard-drive to hard-drive.

RELATIONSHIPS OVER ROBOTS

PR isn’t built on formulas but on trust and rapport with clients, journalists, influencers and diverse audiences. Building these bonds requires a level of empathy, cultural sensitivity, and adaptability that no machine can replicate.

In moments of crisis, for example, AI may have the ability to suggest logical fixes, but it lacks

the ethical discernment and emotional agility required to navigate such delicate situations.

Furthermore, the creativity and strategic thinking that set creative campaigns apart and allow brands to stand out as the big fish in the PR fishbowl are uniquely human traits.

A PARTNER, NOT A PROXY

The question shouldn’t be whether AI will replace PR professionals but rather, how it can support them. AI isn’t going anywhere so rather than seeing it as a threat we should view it as a tool that amplifies our inherent human skills, instead of replacing them.

While its role will continue to grow in the coming years, it will be limited to an assistive role – enhancing but never replacing the strategic insight, creativity, and emotional cognisance that only humans bring to the table.

Brands need PR professionals to drive their communication endeavours, because genuine engagement cannot be manufactured. Communication

Caryl Kolk is managing director at Eclipse Communications

Caryl Kolk

PILLARS OF COMMUNITY

Building a sustainable community and small commercial media sector in South Africa is essential, writes Shoeshoe Qhu. The Media Development and Diversity Agency has identified six pillars to address the sector’s most pressing challenges.

Community media, whether via radio, television, or local publications, play a vital role in South Africa’s democracy, bringing to life the constitutional guarantees of access to information, freedom of expression and a right to freedom of conscience, religion, thought, belief and opinion.

These platforms serve as a lifeline for many communities, especially where mainstream media doesn’t reach.

There are over 200 licensed community broadcasters in the country and about 300 independent and local publishers, each reaching millions of people each week.

This year (from February 1995) marks 30 years since the licensing of the first community radio station in South Africa, paving the way for the development of the country’s third tier of broadcasting, alongside public and commercial.

For years, community media organisations have operated independently, relying on donor funding, grants, and advertising revenue.

Digital technologies, may present opportunities for community media, but have also led to disintermediation of information and a shift in advertising budgets to online platforms and, most recently, podcasts – which have disrupted traditional revenue models for the sector.

TIMES HAVE CHANGED

This shift, coupled with a sluggish economy – we know marketing budgets are often first to be cut – has community broadcasters and publishers struggling to stay afloat.

In October 2024, the Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) released a study: The Research and Development of a Sustainability Model for Community and Small Commercial Media

The findings are alarming: only 7% of community media organisations consider themselves fully sustainable, while 74% are just getting by, and 19% are not sustainable at all. Community television is in the most precarious position. The key obstacles? A lack of funding, limited revenue streams, high staff turnover, and governance challenges.

Because these organisations serve communities with limited financial resources, they struggle to generate local revenue. Support from local and provincial governments is also inconsistent, leaving many media outlets without a financial safety net.

SHARED SHOESTRING CHALLENGES

For years, the sector has been advocating for government to allocate a dedicated share of its advertising spend towards community media. This would significantly boost the sector’s revenue and financial stability and would be a significant achievement of the 7th Administration towards achieving a sustainable community media.

Revenue generation is another major challenge. Many of these organisations operate on a shoestring budget, barely managing to cover their monthly expenses.

For broadcasters, the burden includes signal distribution costs, employee salaries, rent, and utilities. Publishers, on the other hand, grapple with the high costs of printing, distribution, staff wages, and office space.

While these financial pressures vary from one organisation to another, the constant struggle to stay afloat remains a shared challenge across the sector.

They struggle to attract advertisers due to a lack of marketing expertise and data to prove their audience reach. This financial instability makes it difficult to hire and retain skilled staff, in turn leading to high turnover rates and a perception of unreliability, further discouraging advertisers from investing.

AUDIENCE MEASUREMENT

Audience measurement remains a significant challenge for community media. Unlike large commercial outlets, these organisations often lack the resources for

Far left: CEO and Board Left: Deputy Minister in the Presidency with the MDDA Board members and CEO for Women’s Day Above: Minister in the Presidency, Ms Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, (MP)

Consolodating Government Support

Audience

Measurement

audience research, making it difficult to demonstrate their reach and frequency to attract advertisers.

In response, the MDDA is working to secure additional funding for audience measurement. This initiative aims to strengthen the sector’s bargaining power in media buying, support data-driven programming decisions, and provide tangible proof of return on investment.

Enhanced audience insights will also bolster the MDDA’s advocacy for directing more resources to community and small commercial media.

Additionally, community radio stations must conduct qualitative research to gain deeper audience insights, ensuring they produce content that resonates with their listeners and meets community needs.

THE TALENT TOOLKIT

Another key challenge facing the sector is the struggle to attract and retain skilled professionals, as many community media organisations simply can’t afford competitive salaries. They rely heavily on volunteers who work for stipends or see the role as a stepping stone to better-paying jobs in the mainstream media or elsewhere.

While this creates a great pipeline for talent in the broader media industry, it leaves community outlets in a constant cycle of training and losing their best staff, making professionalisation very difficult.

While the sector has nurtured some of the industry’s greatest talents, it must also focus on retaining its own by offering competitive salaries and better working conditions. Sustainability and profitability are key to achieving this.

Other gaps in critical skills, particularly in sales and marketing, financial management, and governance, continue

to hinder growth. Addressing these shortcomings through training and capacity building will be essential in securing the sector’s long-term success.

Many community media organisations suffer from poorly structured boards, frequent conflicts between management and decision-makers, and at times political interference. Too often, board members are appointed based on popularity rather than experience, leading to mismanagement and a lack of strategic direction.

To address this, the MDDA is developing a toolkit which will cover governance designed specifically for community media, to help build more stable and accountable leadership structures. This is in addition to the governance workshops and interventions that the agency conducts.

Despite these challenges and many not discussed here, millions of South Africans still rely on community media for news and information, and the sector delivers on what could be termed as an unfunded mandate.

AN AUDIENCE OF MILLIONS

According to the Broadcast Research Council (BRC), community radio reaches about four million listeners weekly, while grassroots publishers collectively serve an audience of over five million readers, as estimated by the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC).

The organisation broadcast content in indigenous languages and historically diminished cultural group. Radio Riverside in the Northern Cape, for instance, has worked with the last speaker of the N|uu, Ouma Katrina Esau, to develop an audio dictionary. The sector simply cannot fail.

Some community media outlets have diversified their income streams by running branded funeral policies, offering media

training, renting out recording studios for music and podcast production, setting up digital Out of Home billboards, and even introducing membership fees. Strategic partnerships and digital innovation have also played a crucial role in keeping them afloat.

There is a lot of work, collaboration and support needed for community and small commercial media to be sustainable. To strengthen the sustainability of community and small commercial media (CSCM), the MDDA has identified six key pillars that address the sector’s most pressing challenges.

By aligning these pillars with UNESCO’s Viability Indicators, the MDDA has created a framework to assess impact, identify barriers, and implement targeted solutions that will help drive long-term resilience and growth (Fig.1).

While the MDDA plays a crucial role in supporting the sector to ensure that there is media development and diversity, real change requires a collective effort from government, the private sector, and civil society. The sector also needs to catch-up to technology and embrace digitalisation, strengthen governance, and foster new revenue models.

By ensuring the sustainability of community media, we would be safeguarding the very essence of South Africa’s diverse and democratic media landscape, in ownership and control, as well as plurality.

the Media Development and Diversity Agency, a statutory development agency for promoting and ensuring media development and diversity. It is a partnership between the South African Government and major print and broadcasting companies to assist in, amongst others, developing community and small commercial media in South Africa. The MDDA was established in 2003, in terms of the MDDA Act No. 14 of 2002.

Shoeshoe Qhu is the CEO of

Shoeshoe Qhu

PILLAR ONE Technology, Digital Innovation and Signal Distribution

PILLAR TWO Corporate Governance and Compliance

PILLAR THREE Content Generation and Professionalizing the Sector through skills and capacity

PILLAR FOUR Transformation of the Print Media Sector

PILLAR SIX

PILLAR FIVE

Building resilience and future-forward community and small commercial media sector

Fig. 1

THE MISSION REMAINS CLEAR

To remain effective communicators, non-profit organisations must embrace a multi-platform approach, writes Palesa Mokomele. Lives depend on it.

Pressured by evolving audience behaviour, economic difficulties, and increasing AI-generated content, traditional media platforms – TV, radio, and print – are losing relevance, with circulation figures falling, newsrooms shrinking, and publications folding as a result.

For non-profit organisations (NPOs) like DKMS Africa, that rely on storytelling to educate and mobilise the public, this presents both challenges and opportunities.

Even as earning media coverage becomes harder, with fewer opportunities and fiercer competition for visibility in an overcrowded information space, social platforms like Facebook, YouTube and WhatsApp now act as key news sources,

reshaping both the content people consume and how they engage with media.

But because algorithmic shifts have deprioritised organic reach, organisations now have to compete with brands, influencers, and paid content for attention. Media coverage is no longer just about

MEDIA COVERAGE IS NO LONGER JUST ABOUT GENERATING COMPELLING STORIES; IT’S NOW ALSO ABOUT ENSURING THOSE STORIES REACH THE RIGHT PEOPLE.

generating compelling stories; it’s now also about ensuring those stories reach the right people.

To remain effective, NPOs must embrace a multi-platform approach.

This includes:

• Owned media: Creating and publishing our own content across blogs, newsletters, and video platforms ensures we maintain control over our messaging. Case studies, personal donor-recipient stories, and behind-the-scenes insights keep our audience engaged.

• Strategic partnerships: Collaborating with independent journalists, influencers and strong brands allows us to continue telling impactful stories even as mainstream media resources dwindle.

DKMS Africa ambassador, Stormers rugby player, Seabelo Senatla

• AI and data-driven content strategy:

While AI threatens traditional journalism, it also offers new tools for NPOs. By using AI analytics to identify audience trends and engagement patterns, we can create content that resonates and adapts in real time.

PERSONALISING AUTOMATION

The conversation currently dominating the sector is what the rise of AI-generated content means for NPOs whose work depends on credibility and authentic human storytelling.

While AI tools offer efficiency, they lack the emotional depth and trust that non-profit stories require. Blood cancer patients, donors, and their families share deeply personal experiences; stories that drive action and inspire change. These narratives cannot be effectively replicated by algorithms.

DKMS Africa combines data insights with real-life experiences shared via video testimonials, first-person narratives, and interactive Q&As to ensure authenticity and create stronger connections.

The key to breaking through the noise in an AI-saturated media space is to deliver content that is not just informative but deeply personal and relatable.

NPOS ARE INCREASINGLY TAKING ON THE ROLE OF STORYTELLERS, WORKING ALONGSIDE JOURNALISTS TO PROVIDE CREDIBLE, WELL-RESEARCHED NARRATIVES.

COLLAB STORYTELLING

Another pressing concern for NPOs is the decline of investigative journalism, which has long been crucial in covering public health crises, systemic failures, and influencing policy change. Shrinking newsroom budgets, rising production costs, and widespread journalist layoffs have drastically reduced resources for in-depth public health reporting.

This shift is further compounded by the commercialisation of media and the growing emphasis on click-driven content. As outlets

chase engagement and virality, shareable stories often take precedence over accuracy and depth.

As a result, NPOs must play a greater role in bridging the gap, much like in Zimbabwe, where investigative reporting is increasingly funded by non-profits. We are increasingly taking on the role of storytellers, working alongside journalists to provide credible, well-researched narratives.

This includes pitching stories and equipping media professionals with the necessary context, access to experts, and patient testimonials to create compelling content.

Additionally, collaborations with independent and community media outlets help ensure that critical health information reaches underrepresented audiences. Given the lifesaving nature of blood stem cell donation, these partnerships are essential in sustaining awareness beyond the mainstream media cycle.

FUTURE FORWARD

The challenges in the evolving media environment also presents opportunities for innovation.

Non-profit marketing and communications an only benefit from:

• Building direct-to-audience channels: Investing in video content, interactive campaigns, and podcasts to engage audiences where they already spend time.

• Advocating for ethical AI integration: Ensuring AI tools are used responsibly in public health communications without compromising human connection.

• Strengthening relationships with independent journalists: Supporting quality journalism that aligns with NPO objectives.

In 2025 and beyond, the ability to adapt, diversify, and stay humancentred will define the success of non-profit storytelling.

For DKMS Africa, the mission remains clear: no matter how the media landscape shifts, we must continue finding ways to reach the right people with the right message – because lives depend on it.

Mokomele is head of community engagement and communications at DKMS Africa . For further information, get in touch with DKMS Africa at 0800 12 10 82.

Palesa

Left to right: Luvuezo Rafael João Antonio, Seabelo Senatla, Paul Treu, Clement Trout

Palesa Mokomele

DIGITAL INTEGRATION DRIVES A NEW ERA OF ACCOUNTABILITY FOR SA RADIO

The onus is now on the radio sector to develop models that can demonstrate attribution and prove its effectiveness in driving ROI, John Walls believes.

For years, radio enjoyed a relatively comfortable position in the marketing mix. Nobody questioned radio’s core deliverables in the marketing funnel: delivering Audience Impact (mass reach), Consideration and Intent (engagement).

Radio’s strength in delivering Audience Impact lies in its unique position as the only medium in South Africa that delivers over 70% penetration of the population. Radio’s strength in driving Consideration and Intent stems from its unique ability to build meaningful engagement between presenters and listeners.

But what happens beyond that?

Historically, radio’s role in the funnel has ended at its core strengths – creating Audience Impact and Engagement – while leaving Conversion to someone else.

That era is over.

Advertisers today demand more – rightly so. In an environment where every marketing dollar must be justified, brands and agencies need tangible proof that their media investments are delivering measurable business results. Audience Impact on its own is not enough. Engagement on its own is not enough. Radio must also step up and play a role at the bottom of the funnel – where Conversions, Sales, and ROI happen.

THE ATTRIBUTION CHALLENGE

One of the biggest hurdles for radio has always been attribution. Unlike digital platforms, where clicks, conversions, and sales can be tracked with precision, radio has never had an obvious way to prove its direct impact on business outcomes.

We know radio delivers, but going forward, advertisers are not going to accept “trust us, it works” as an answer.

The onus is now on the radio sector to develop models that can demonstrate attribution and prove its effectiveness in driving ROI.

This is where partnerships and integrations with digital platforms become essential. Radio’s unmatched audience impact and deep engagement must be paired with technologies that allow for measurable conversion tracking. The gap between the large audiences that radio delivers, and the platforms where conversion happens, must be bridged.

CLOSING THE GAP

At Ultimate Media, we have taken on this challenge directly by developing

THE GAP BETWEEN THE LARGE AUDIENCES THAT RADIO DELIVERS, AND THE PLATFORMS WHERE CONVERSION HAPPENS, MUST BE BRIDGED.

our own WhatsApp platform, designed specifically to enhance radio campaigns, gather entries, test concepts and measure impact.

More importantly, it has become a powerful tool for conversion.

Recent campaigns using our WhatsApp platform have delivered hugely encouraging results. For instance, a single campaign delivered over 45 000 entries to our WhatsApp platform.

The following campaign received 12 000 entries in just one day. For this campaign, we evolved the conversion process by migrating the listeners to our client’s own first-party WhatsApp platform. Incredibly, nearly 100% of the listeners were prepared to migrate to our client’s platform.

These numbers prove a critical point: when listeners are already engaged, they are far more likely to convert.

Radio has always been incredibly strong at building deep audience relationships and driving listeners to a point of consideration. What we have lacked is a way to track and prove it. Now, by leveraging tools like WhatsApp, we can close that loop and deliver measurable results.

A COLLABORATIVE CHALLENGE

This is not just a challenge for specialist agencies like Ultimate Media; it is an industry-wide imperative. Radio stations, media agencies,

Key areas of focus should include:

• Seamless digital integration: Radio campaigns must be designed with digital conversion in mind, directing listeners to platforms where attribution can be tracked.

• Data-driven insights: Radio’s impact should be measured not just in audience numbers but in actionable engagement metrics that tie directly to sales.

• Innovative conversion tactics: From WhatsApp and SMS-based call-toactions to QR codes, short URLs, and voice-activated interactions, radio needs to embrace new tools that make attribution possible.

IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE EVERY MARKETING DOLLAR MUST BE JUSTIFIED, BRANDS AND AGENCIES NEED TANGIBLE PROOF THAT THEIR MEDIA INVESTMENTS ARE DELIVERING MEASURABLE BUSINESS RESULTS.

Radio in South Africa must evolve beyond awareness and engagement to prove its impact on conversions and ROI. Attribution has long been a challenge, but digital integration offers solutions. Ultimate Media’s success with WhatsApp shows how combining radio with trackable tools can drive real business outcomes. Industry-wide collaboration is essential – embracing digital, leveraging data, and adopting innovative tactics will secure radio’s future in the modern marketing mix.

John Walls

Ultimate Media , the leading independent radio and audio advertising specialist agency, is a radio expert with over 30 years’ experience across multiple stations and media houses.

NAVIGATING THE TRUST FAULT LINES

Trust is a word bandied about our industry – some even say it’s advertising’s currency – and right now, it’s in short supply, says Gillian Rightford.

Whether it’s consumers wary of AI-generated content and algorithms; marketers grappling with the murky waters of digital ad fraud, green-washing, shrinkflation, or agencyclient relationships strained under the pressure to deliver more with less – trust is being tested across every touchpoint. As the executive director of the Association for Communication & Advertising (ACA), I witness these challenges from multiple angles. Our role as the official representative body of South Africa’s advertising and communications profession gives us a unique vantage point: we see the regulatory challenges, the business hurdles, the multiple stakeholders, the innovation-driven opportunities, and the human relationships at the heart of it all.

Through my work as a consultant working between marketing and agencies, helping them work better to make better work, because it works better, I’ve seen first-hand how fragile trust can be – and also how transformative it becomes when properly nurtured.

Research conducted by the IPA and Aprais in the UK showed the impact of a good relationship to be a 37% differential in the quality of creative output and 21% in media. A more recent study with WARC showed that award-winning clients and agencies had higher scores across all behaviours – and trust emerged as remarkably important.

This correlates with data from Aprais showing trust is consistently the highest-scoring behaviour among the best agencies and clients (Fig.1).

There’s as much as a 37%

differential in the quality of creative output between poor and good client-agency relationships.

Fig.

LET’S LOOK AT WHERE THE TRUST BATTLES ARE BEING WAGED

1.TRUST IN THE AGE OF AI: FROM FEAR TO GUNCTION

A year ago, the industry was still flirting with AI’s potential. In 2025, the relationship is getting serious. We’ve seen the progression from Generative AI to Agentic AI, and everything in between. As Zoe Scaman says: “In three years, AI has rewritten the rules of possibility: from Oracle to Orator, From Commands to Collaboration.

From creative ideation to media buying, AI is no longer an experiment; it’s a business imperative – one that is actively, widely used across the entire eco-system. But while AI promises efficiency, it also raises profound questions about authenticity.

… IF WE PRIORITISE TRUST – BUILDING IT, PROTECTING IT, AND PROVING ITS VALUE –OUR INDUSTRY WON’T JUST SURVIVE THESE CHANGES. IT WILL THRIVE BECAUSE OF THEM.

Consumers are already sceptical. Deepfake scandals and algorithm-driven misinformation have made the public wary of what they see and hear. For brands, this means that authenticity cannot be a buzzword – it has to be a lived experience. Transparency about how AI is used in content creation will be crucial. Brands that disclose AI involvement upfront and balance it with human creativity will be better positioned to earn and keep consumer trust.

Within agencies, AI is transforming workflows – but it’s also surfacing anxieties. There are legal and ethical concerns. Also, agencies are asking: are we enhancing creativity – or automating it out of existence?

The most forward-thinking agencies are using AI to supercharge, not replace, human ingenuity – automating the mundane so their best minds can focus on insight, empathy and originality.

This is the win-win, where agencies are remunerated and rewarded for high value, low volume work, and the high volume, low value work is automated. But trust between leadership and creative teams will hinge on how openly these changes are communicated and how fairly value is distributed. Also, at some point, we have to really evaluate the effectiveness of the digital firehose. Could we do less, and do it better?

2.AGENCY-CLIENT RELATIONSHIPS: RUGBY, NOT RELAY

A consistent theme in my consulting work is the breakdown of trust between agencies and clients. In an era where marketing budgets are under scrutiny, the tension between delivering results and managing costs has never been greater. Yet the most effective relationships understand one fundamental truth: it’s rugby, not relay. Unlike a relay race – where the baton is passed in a linear fashion –successful agency-client dynamics are a continuous back-and-forth exchange. Collaboration isn’t a handoff; it’s a scrum, and a kick forward to gain advantage. This means aligning on strategic objectives, fostering open communication, and ensuring mutual accountability throughout the entire process.

The erosion of trust often starts when agencies are treated as vend ors, not strategic partners. When procurement decisions prioritise cost-cutting over creativity, both parties lose. When processes and the lack of skills in core areas of the creative process get in the way of creative value creation, the strategic and creative value the client is able to extract from the agency diminishes. And diminished output gets diminished returns in the marketplace. You pay the same, but the output is worth less.

In 2025, the most resilient agencyclient partnerships will be those that co-create value. Agencies must become indispensable by proving their strategic worth beyond campaign execution. Clients, in turn, must view their agencies not as line items on a balance sheet but as extensions of their business ambitions. To do this, they must see themselves as part of the creative team, not on the other side.

3.THE CMO-C-SUITE DIVIDE: BRIDGING THE TRUST GAP

Nowhere is the battle for trust more visible than between CMOs and the rest of the C-suite. Marketing’s value is still too often measured in shortterm deliverables rather than long-term brand equity. And as AI transforms data capabilities, the pressure on CMOs to quantify their impact is intensifying.

The trust gap between marketing leaders and their executive peers is fundamentally a language problem. Finance talks in margins, operations talks in efficiencies – but too often, marketing talks in impressions, reach, brand love, salience, the long and the short. To bridge this divide, CMOs must become bilingual – fluent in both the language of creativity and the hard metrics of business performance.

In South Africa, I see leading CMOs shifting how they tell their story internally. They’re focusing on “effectiveness as the new gold rush,” framing marketing not as a cost centre – but as a growth engine.

This requires a disciplined approach to measurement, clear articulation of marketing’s role in delivering business outcomes, and a willingness to engage in tough conversations about trade-offs. Trust is built when marketing can consistently demonstrate both creative bravery and commercial acumen. But CEO’s and CFO’s also need to enter the chat.

A trend I see playing out in some the of the better and bigger companies is that the pressure to produce better quality creative because it works better is finally coming from CEO’s, because they realise they get more bang for their buck, placing pressure on the marketing teams to up their game.

However, the latest Marketing Week careers survey revealed just how under pressure and under-supported marketers are, with 58% of the more than 3 500 marketers surveyed stating they felt overwhelmed, 56.1% undervalued and 50.8% are emotionally exhausted. Marketing, and the output from agencies, drives revenue and value creation. Something has to change.

4.THE MEDIA TRUST CRISIS: FIGHTING BACK AGAINST DIGITAL AD FRAUD

The media landscape faces an even deeper trust crisis. With AI

… TRANSFORMATION, FROM A RACE AND GENDER POINT OF VIEW AT JUNIOR AND MID-LEVELS, HAS MADE GREAT STRIDES. IT’S AT THE SENIOR LEVEL WHERE FEMALE CREATIVE DIRECTORS ARE MASSIVELY UNDER-REPRESENTED.

threatening to upend how news is produced and consumed, 2025 could be a tipping point for media credibility. The Reuters Institute’s annual report warns of growing concerns around AI-generated content and the battle to protect intellectual property from tech platforms eager to scrape and monetise it.

In the advertising ecosystem, digital ad fraud remains an open wound. Studies indicate that up to 22% of global online ad spend is lost to fraudulent activity.

This not only wastes marketing budgets; it undermines confidence in the entire digital advertising supply chain. For local brands, this is both a risk and an opportunity.

The opportunity lies in doubling down on quality. Advertisers who invest in verified, premium environments – and demand greater transparency from media partners – will not only protect their spend but also earn consumer trust. It’s time to challenge the obsession with efficiency metrics like CPM (cost per thousand impressions) and prioritise effectiveness instead. After all, bots don’t buy baked beans or insurance policies.

A YEAR AGO, THE INDUSTRY WAS STILL FLIRTING WITH AI’S POTENTIAL. IN 2025, THE RELATIONSHIP IS GETTING SERIOUS.

5.TRUST AND INCLUSION: REFLECTING SOUTH AFRICA’S REALITY

In South Africa, the battle for trust cannot be separated from the need for transformation. With a majority Black population that was systematically excluded from the economy during apartheid, the advertising and media

industry has a responsibility to ensure its leadership and creative output reflect the country’s demographics.

Even after 30 years of democracy, industry leadership struggles to transform at the very senior levels. This disconnect erodes trust – not just with consumers who want to see themselves represented, but also with the next generation of talent who expect workplaces to be inclusive and equitable.

Having said this, transformation, from a race and gender point of view at junior and mid-levels, has made great strides. It’s at the senior level where female creative directors are massively under-represented, and ownership and leadership has yet to transform significantly from a racial perspective.

Building trust means more than meeting compliance targets. It requires a commitment to fostering diverse talent pipelines, amplifying underrepresented voices, and ensuring decision-making power is shared more equitably. The industry’s future hinges on whether it can move beyond surface-level compliance gestures toward genuine, structural inclusion.

WINNING THE BATTLE FOR TRUST

The battle for trust in 2025 is not an abstract one. It’s being fought in every strategy meeting, media plan and creative pitch. Winning this battle requires a fundamental mindset shift:

1. From automation to augmentation: Use AI to amplify human creativity, not replace it. The inputs and evaluation of outputs is still where the magic moves to the next level.

2. From vendors to partners: Treat agency relationships as collaborative, long-term partnerships. Bring them into the business. Change the way they are renumerated

and ensure your processes, professional practices and skills and the tonality of the relationship are there to enhance and co-create excellence.

3. From impressions to impact: Bridge the CMO-C-Suite divide by speaking the language of business. Teach business to speak Marketing too.

4. From cheap to credible: Combat media distrust by investing in quality and transparency. Do less. Do it better. Be ruthless about rooting out media waste. Use what you save to boost the way you use the best talent in your agencies.

5. From compliance to commitment: Embrace meaningful transformation and reflect the diversity of South Africa. South Africa’s advertising and media industry has always been resilient –navigating political uncertainty, the need for transformation (still a long way to go), economic volatility, and technological disruption. In 2025, that resilience will be tested again.

We have to look out of our own windows and look to the future. But if we prioritise trust – building it, protecting it, and proving its value – our industry won’t just survive these changes. It will thrive because

Gillian Rightford is the executive director of The Association for Communication and Advertising (ACA).

Gilian Rightford

INSIDE OUT: THE NEW BRAND AMBASSADORS

BONITA BACHMANN outlines how brands benefit from tapping into employee endorsements to amplify their social media presence.

South Africa’s digital ecosystem has increased momentum in social media engagement, with platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok shaping brand perception.

As brands navigate an increasingly competitive market, they are embracing employee advocacy to build trust and humanise their brands.

The shift from user generated content (UGC) to employer generated content (EGC) is on the rise and fast becoming the new “social proof”.

Consumers have become increasingly sceptical of Influencer marketing tactics, prompting a shift to employee endorsement as an authentic voice to engage audiences and heighten brand awareness on social media.

Brands should empower employees to become ambassadors to drive the company’s brand and culture through their personal social media channels.

content that resonate, feel authentic and credible to audiences – a game-changer in content marketing strategies.

Experience has shown that when employees endorse their employer, their words carry greater trust and more influence than traditional corporate messaging, fostering stronger brand loyalty, engagement and organic growth. This enables brands to break through the noise of oversaturated digital communication.

Research also indicates that when employees are empowered to share brand stories in their own voice, the message extends beyond anticipated audiences, enhancing its reach and impact.

Employees aligned with the company’s vision and purpose will effortlessly create

AUTHENTIC ADVOCACY

In an era where consumers prioritise transparency and purpose, employee-shared content evokes a more meaningful connection. Therefore, alongside a paid social media campaign, brands should leverage their employees’ networks to amplify messages. This approach not only reduces costs but also delivers

higher engagement than traditional paid advertising.

Employee advocacy is a powerful driver of employer branding, directly influencing how potential candidates perceive a company. Job seekers actively evaluate how current employees affirm their workplace. A company with engaged employees who openly share their experiences becomes more appealing to skilled professionals.

Employee voices are viewed as a stabilising force. Instead of relying solely on corporate press releases, brands with active employee advocates can act with agility address concerns albeit in or outside the organisation.

Key considerations for brands looking to harness the power of employee advocacy include:

1. Establish clear guideline use –Develop social media policies that empower employees to share content while ensuring professionalism and consistency with the brand’s voice.

2. Offer training & resources – Provide workshops, toolkits, and/or best practice guides to help employees navigate social media engagement confidently and responsibly.

3. Recognise and reward engagement –Foster participation by implementing recognition programs, incentives, or internal challenges that encourage employee’s involvement.

4. Lead by example use – Senior leaders and executives should actively engage in employee advocacy, setting the tone for broader involvement across the organisation.

As more South African brands embrace this approach, employee advocacy is set to become a fundamental pillar of digital strategies. Companies that successfully integrate this strategy will not only gain a competitive edge but also build stronger relationships with their customers and employees alike.

In a world where authenticity and trust are paramount, brands that empower their employees to be vocal, engaged, and proud brand ambassadors will ultimately thrive in the social media era.

The question is: will your company be one of them?

Bonita Bachmann is managing director of The MediaShop in Cape Town.

Bonita Bachmann

YOU ARE WHAT YOU READ: #JOURNALISMMATTERS

News avoidance is a growing issue with severe implications for the wellness of society, writes Zack Baddorf. He calls for greater awareness and support of quality journalism.

Aveteran White House reporter shared some interesting insight with Politico about news consumption:

“It feels like the people who were up in arms about Trump eight years ago are just worn out... Everyone is used to the Trump chaos after almost a decade of this, and a lot of people seem to be deciding they’re just not going to let the news dominate their day-to-day lives.”

This hits at a deeper truth about our relationship with information. We’re experiencing widespread news fatigue. But the implications are bigger than you think.

THE STATUS QUO

Here’s where we are at, worldwide, at a glance:

• News exhaustion is setting in

• Traditional media engagement is plummeting

• Social platforms are removing fact-checking

• Quality reporting struggles to break through

• Echo chambers are getting stronger

THE SOLUTION DOESN’T JUST LIE IN WHERE WE GET OUR NEWS; IT’S IN HOW WE CONSUME IT.

The result? A dangerous disconnect between quality information and its distribution.

(UN)CONSCIOUS CONSUMPTION

Think about it: a daily dose of high-quality journalism does for society what a regular diet of vegetables does for your body:

• Essential for a healthy democracy

• Not as instantly appealing as junk food

• Requires intentional consumption

• Often overlooked for easier alternatives (sensational, emotionally-driven headlines)

Here’s the key insight: the solution doesn’t just lie in where we get our news; it’s in how we consume it.

THREE ACTIONS WE CAN TAKE RIGHT NOW

1 Support quality journalism financially

• Subscribe to trusted sources

• Pay for quality news reporting

2 Share thoughtfully

• Verify before spreading

• Prioritise substance over sensation

• Break out of echo chambers

3 Create better incentives

• Engage with nuanced coverage

• Reward careful analysis

• Resist clickbait

IN TRUTH…

All nations need an informed citizenry –but being informed requires intentional effort. The future of quality information isn’t about platforms; it’s about our choices as consumers and creators. What steps are you taking to support quality journalism?

Zack Baddorf is a national security and foreign policy leader in Washington DC with more than 20 years’ experience on the frontlines of the world’s conflicts, including Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Central African Republic, Crimea, Kashmir and the West Bank.

Zack Baddorf