In a media ecosystem reshaped by technology and artificial intelligence, community and small commercial media across broadcasting and publishing must evolve or risk marginalisation. The imperative is clear, but is the sector adequately prepared? Does it possess the technical skills to digitalise its operations, integrate emerging technologies into editorial and business processes, and leverage digital tools to strengthen audience reach and revenue generation?
Despite sustained interventions over the years, the Community and Small Commercial Media sector continues to face significant structural and financial challenges. Many community media outlets struggle with limited resources, declining advertising revenues, and slow digital adaptation, threatening their long-term sustainability.
Recognising these realities, the MDDA developed a comprehensive digital strategy in 2024 to strengthen the digital capabilities of community radio stations, television broadcasters, independent publishers, and online platforms. The strategy seeks to position these organisations to compete effectively in an increasingly digital and data-driven media environment, while fulfilling the agency’s mandate to support a vibrant, diverse, and inclusive media landscape.
However, digital readiness across the sector remains uneven. While some community media organisations have embraced digital tools, many still lack adequate infrastructure, technical skills, and coherent digital strategies. This disparity underscores the need for a coordinated, multi-stakeholder approach aligned with global best practices.
In response, the MDDA issued a clarion call to public and private sector partners to support the sector’s transition towards digital resilience and long-term sustainability. Speaking at the launch of the Sustainability Model on 29 October 2024, MDDA chief executive officer Shoeshoe Qhu emphasised the importance of strategic partnerships: “Our aim is to create a thriving community media sector that serves as a reliable platform for local voices and promotes diversity in media ownership. Getting the right partnerships will ensure that digital initiatives aimed at the community media sector deliver the essential impact for survival and sustainability.”
This call found a meaningful response from Google, which partnered with the MDDA and Daily Maverick to deliver a series of local-language publisher workshops across South Africa. These workshops focused on digital skills development and artificial intelligence training, tailored to the linguistic and operational realities of community newsrooms.
This collaboration aligned seamlessly with the MDDA’s broader mandate to promote indigenous languages. By supporting media projects that publish and broadcast in languages other than English, the agency contributes to cultural preservation, social inclusion, and democratic participation. The partnership therefore advanced both technological and linguistic empowerment.
Through this initiative, the MDDA and Google rolled out a targeted digital training programme for community media practitioners, delivered in South African languages. The programme addressed pressing challenges such as audience growth, content monetisation, platform optimisation, and ethical use of AI in journalism. It enabled grassroots media practitioners to navigate a rapidly digitising news ecosystem with greater confidence and competence.
From Google’s perspective, the partnership represented a strategic investment in local media ecosystems. By collaborating with trusted public institutions, the technology company was able to deliver practical, accessible training on digital tools, audience analytics, and sustainable business models, adapted to the constraints and opportunities of community newsrooms.
Participants from five provinces, Gauteng, Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and Limpopo, benefited from interactive case studies led by Daily Maverick journalists, as well as live demonstrations of Google’s AI-powered products in a dedicated mobile training facility. These hands-on engagements bridged the gap between theory and practice, empowering participants to apply new skills directly in their work.
Importantly, the partnership moved beyond once-off training interventions. It contributed to building a culture of digital innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning within the CSCM sector. By strengthening editorial workflows, enhancing online visibility, and improving revenue-generation strategies, the initiative reinforced the sector’s capacity to serve its communities sustainably.
In conclusion, the MDDA–Google partnership represents a compelling example of how public institutions and private-sector players can collaborate to address systemic challenges in the media industry. It has strengthened the digital capability, competitiveness, and resilience of South Africa’s community and small commercial publishers.
As the media landscape continues to evolve, such partnerships will remain essential. They ensure that community media, often the first and most trusted source of information for millions, are not left behind in the digital age, but are empowered to thrive, innovate, and amplify local voices in a global information society.
The Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) was established through the MDDA Act No. 14 of 2002 to promote ownership, control, and access to information and content production by historically disadvantaged communities. Funded through annual government grants and Universal Service and Access Fund (USAF) levies from commercial broadcasters, the agency plays a pivotal role in nurturing South Africa’s community and small commercial media sector.
