Deputy Minister Kenny Morolong: MDDA funders breakfast

Programme Director,
Funding partners and broadcasters,
Members of the MDDA Board and leadership,
Stakeholders
Ladies and gentlemen,

It is an honour to address this important gathering.

The good deal of what we know about our world, we know because of journalism. But new technologies, smarter phones and faster Internet connectivity and large multinational social media platforms are attracting audiences away from local content and rapidly reducing income for news organisations.

Audiences are also increasingly involved in both curating media for sharing and in commenting or in other ways augmenting, the media they share. As in many countries around the world, South Africans are finding new ways of being audiences, expressing new needs, and developing new ‘news habits’ that are radically reshaping the role of journalists and journalism.

Programme Director

It would be amiss of me if I do not talk about the sustainability of news industry and public interest journalism in South Africa. To that end, digital news consumption on mobile phone, and especially via social media on Smart Phones (SMSP) is fracturing audiences and reducing traditional sources of revenue.

Further, printed newspapers (community, small-commercial and commercial papers) some of the iconic titles have either closed while others have scaled down significantly at an accelerated rate, while community publishers are increasingly losing the struggle to survive.

While South African news organisations are developing some new business models and income streams that might sustain independent news journalism into the future, this is not happening fast enough or across enough platforms to forestall a likely decline in media diversity, despite the affordances of mobile Internet. Because South Africa has not yet succeeded in reducing the cost of connectivity.

Programme Director

Today, we are here to express our sincere gratitude for your support in advancing the local community media sector. Allow me to start by extending the government's deep appreciation for the vital role you play in building a vibrant and sustainable community media landscape.

Today, we recognise your unwavering commitment and acknowledge the critical role that you, our funders and partners, have made in advancing media development and diversity in our nation. At the Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA), we often measure our impact by the number of stations we support, the local voices we amplify, and the reach our community media platforms achieve in the areas they serve.

Behind every one of those measures lies a simple truth that none of it would be possible without your partnership.

As you know, the MDDA relies heavily on limited public funds to support this vital sector, which means that precious resources have to be spread across a number of beneficiaries. The constrained resources mean that many community media outlets operate on extremely tight margins and struggle with high operational costs that too often lead to closures.

This is especially true for smaller community media projects that find it difficult to secure funding due to the rigorous regulatory and documentation requirements, such as producing audited financial statements.

While efforts have been made to move beyond traditional funding models, the transition to long-term financial stability has been slow. Your continued partnership and support remain crucial in bridging these gaps and ensuring that community voices continue to be heard.

Looking at the most recent breakdown of funding, the MDDA’s primarily revenue stream is derived from the Universal Service Access Fund levy, which constitutes 58% of its funding. This is followed by government grants at 36%, and interest income at 6%. What this means, in real terms, is that commercial broadcasters are the single largest contributors to the sustainability of the Agency.

We recognise that the Universal Service and Access Fund has been under pressure as industry consolidation and broader market challenges have constrained revenues across the sector. This has inevitably had a knock-on effect on the resources available to support community media.

Despite these headwinds, your continued commitment to advancing universal access and sustaining this vital sector has not gone unnoticed. We deeply appreciate the resolve you have shown in maintaining support, and we acknowledge the critical role you continue to play in ensuring that community media remains a vibrant platform for inclusion, participation, and the amplification of local voices.

Programme Director

Through the support of those in this room today, our community radio sector stands as a cornerstone of local expression and development, currently encompassing 207 stations across the country. Since the very first community station was licensed in February 1995, this sector has grown into a vital platform that reflects the rich diversity of our nation.

Today, these stations broadcast in a variety of indigenous languages, including Nama and Khilobedu, ensuring that local voices and stories are heard in the languages that matter most to our communities.

Together, they reach a combined listenership of approximately 4 million people across all nine provinces, serving as a critical bridge for information and culture. The strength of this sector is further reinforced by key industry bodies, including the National Community Radio Forum, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), and the South African Community Radio Organisation (Sacro), which continue to guide and support the growth of community broadcasting.

Beyond the radio sector, our community media landscape encompasses a vital network of 5 Community TV stations. Since the first community television station was licensed in 2007, the platform has expanded its reach, now engaging a combined estimated audience of 8 to 10 million viewers on a monthly basis.

In addition to the broadcast media, our community print and publications sector remain a cornerstone of local literacy and community engagement, representing approximately 380 community print publications. Together, they reach a monthly readership of over 7,5 million people. This sector is strongly supported by key industry bodies, including the Association of Independent Publishers and the Black Media Owners Association, both of which continue to champion independent and diverse media ownership across our country.

These community radio stations, television broadcasters, and print publications exist because of the ecosystem we have collectively built. They provide a platform for diverse perspectives, echoing the voices of the citizens they serve and facilitating the fundamental right to freedom of expression.

By enabling access to information, community media strengthens our democracy. In being accessible and deeply rooted in our neighbourhoods, it serves as a trusted source of information that directly contributes to the improvement of people’s living conditions at both the social and economic levels.

Community media has helped foster a sense of belonging and inclusivity, which is essential for social cohesion and nation-building. It has also been a catalyst for active citizenship, facilitating the community activities, mobilisations, and engagements that drive our society forward. Through these platforms, citizens are kept accurately informed about national and local matters, services, and the issues that directly affect their daily lives.

Importantly, community media has created a space for the empowering of women, youth, and other groups previously excluded from the national discourse. Community media empowers citizens with the knowledge and the agency to hold government accountable to its commitments.

As you can hear, we have together contributed to building a media landscape that is more inclusive, more representative, and more reflective of the diverse voices of South Africa.

Ladies & Gentlemen

As we celebrate these achievements, we must also confront the realities of the sector. The MDDA sustainability research tells us that only 7% of community and small commercial media organisations consider themselves sustainable.

The majority remain partially sustainable as they face ongoing challenges of limited funding, skills shortages, digital constraints, and increasing competition. This reality calls for deeper collaboration and our sustained commitment.

As funders, you do not merely support the MDDA but help extend its reach and to deepen its impact. You can ensure that media diversity is not just a policy aspiration but a lived reality. I’m sure we all dream of a future where historically disadvantaged communities are not just consumers of media but active participants, creators, and owners.

We value your support as we look to the future. The MDDA strategic plan for the next five years sharpens its focus and strengthening its commitments. Through its six-pillar sustainability model, it is addressing critical areas such as digital innovation, content development, governance, and audience measurement, ensuring that the community media sector does not only survive but takes its rightful place in our society.

The agency is also intensifying its efforts in capacity building and skills development on the basis that a strong media sector requires skilled practitioners, ethical journalism, and professional standards. It has set a clear target to drive innovation and digital transformation to bridge the digital divide and position the sector for the future.

This will ensure that community media is not left behind in the wave of the digital revolution sweeping across the world. In recognising that no single institution alone can transform the sector alone, it is deeply committed to building stronger, more strategic relationships with you and the sector at large.

At the heart of its work in the coming year, we will disburse funding to at least 22 community broadcast and small commercial media projects annually. Support digital and print media initiatives and drive the digitalisation of at least 20 community media projects. It will also set out to formalise at least four strategic partnerships and Memoranda of Understanding annually, while also strengthening stakeholder engagement and advocacy initiatives.

In conclusion

Your presence today tells us that we are not alone in our mission. It demonstrates that there is a shared belief in the power of media to transform lives, strengthen democracy, and build a more inclusive society. You are co-authors in the story of media transformation in our country. Your continued support gives us the confidence to pursue these priorities with conviction.

As we express our gratitude today, we also issue a call to action: let us continue to build, invest, and amplify the voices that matter. When community media thrives, communities thrive and our nation moves forward. On behalf of the MDDA, I extend our deepest gratitude to each and every one of you for your partnership, your commitment, and for believing in this important work.

I Thank You.

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