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Good writing is simple writing

Good writing is simple writing

  Early-career writers often make the mistake of thinking they need to impress their readers with poetic eloquence and linguistic gymnastics. The truth is that readers – particularly in the short-attention-span digital space - want information quickly and...

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The Power of Product Thinking in newsrooms

The Power of Product Thinking in newsrooms

The product thinking concept is a revolutionary new approach in dynamic modern newsrooms shifting the focus from content-centric to being more user-centric. The paradigm shift to user-centricity has helped newsrooms build better products for their audiences. SAMIP...

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How newsrooms can engage audiences using Twitter Spaces

How newsrooms can engage audiences using Twitter Spaces

@TwitterSpaces is a new way to have live audio conversations on Twitter. Twitter rolled out its Clubhouse competitor in 2020 and expanded the social audio feature to a large portion of its users throughout 2021. Very similar to Clubhouse, Twitter Spaces allows live...

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Could Telegram be a new channel for SA newsrooms?

Could Telegram be a new channel for SA newsrooms?

A few global news brands have made good use of Telegram as a publishing channel. Is there an opportunity for South African publishers to do the same? A number of South African publishers have made innovative use of WhatsApp as a publishing channel: As we previously...

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Reader revenue strategies and the business of news

Reader revenue strategies and the business of news

In a SAMIP dialogue, leading independent news media shared tactics to generate reader revenue for digital newsrooms. JAMLAB's Tshepo Tshabalala wrote up some of the key insights The business of news publishing has become a challenge now more than ever. Media...

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Lessons on podcasting for Sub-Saharan Africa

Lessons on podcasting for Sub-Saharan Africa

What does it take to build a sustainable podcast in the global South? Maybe it’s just that we’re all stuck at home, but it feels like there’s been an exciting uptick in podcasting among the cohort of media organisations in the South Africa Media Innovation Program...

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Publishing for WhatsApp? Here are three great ways to do it

Publishing for WhatsApp? Here are three great ways to do it

With 90% of internet users active on its app, WhatsApp is the biggest social networking app in South Africa. It’s bigger than Twitter, Instagram, and even Facebook. So it’s no wonder that publishers have turned to WhatsApp as a way to reach audiences. The South Africa...

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Pivoting to webinars – 5 lessons for small media orgs

Pivoting to webinars – 5 lessons for small media orgs

As media organisations race to adapt to life under lockdown, many are turning to online events – to reconnect with audiences, make up for lost revenue, or to establish themselves as agenda-setters on the key questions of the day. Last week, the South African Media...

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Follow Our Updates

Update | Journalism conferences, a digital policy course and an AI presenter

African AI at regional Journalism Education Conference Namibia Media Trust, CITE and MISA Malawi co-hosted a regional media conference on the Future of Journalism Education in Southern Africa, with a theme of "Empowering African AI", asking what the new technologies...

Update | A networking award, free media course, election talks and more

 Recognition for QTW+ Director as top Networking Woman Founder of feminist non-profit Quote This Woman+, Kathy Magrobi, was among 50 change-makers and industry influencers recognised by the Mail & Guardian in their Power of Women annual showcase of South African...

Update | Support media innovation, women’s sport and youth digital inclusion

Vote for your favourite SA sportswomen Gsport has announced the finalists for the Momentum gsport Awards 2023 and invites the public to help choose the winners by accessing the voting hall at gsport.co.za/voting. South Africa’s Andile Dlamini, Jessica Nkomo, Kgothatso...

Update | AMP, teaching TikTok, a Seen Summit and more

African Media Perspectives More than 50 media professionals from across the region gathered for the inaugural African Media Perspectives (AMP) Conference in picturesque Stellenbosch. The 2-day conference covered topics ranging from data and design to vernacular...

Update | Media in the news, a milestone and a goodbye-for-now

#SMWX hits 50 000 subscribers The Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh Xprience (SMWX), the current affairs digital channel started in 2019 by Dr. Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh has surpassed the 50 000-subscriber mark! To celebrate the milestone the channel hosted a 50K Q&A special, where...

Update | Panels, prizes and World Press Freedom Day

Viewfinder editor wins Fetisov award Viewfinder editor, Daneel Knoetze, received second prize in the Contribution to Civil Rights category at the 2022 Fetisov Journalism Awards, at a ceremony in Dubai in April. Daneel was recognised for his reporting on police...

Update | Media viability discussions in Ethiopia and more awards

Sharing global media sustainability insights in Ethiopia Radio Workshop, Volume, Food for Mzansi, Media Hack Collective and Daily Maverick were among the media organisations sharing their expertise at the PRIMED ‘Building Viable Media Businesses’ workshop held in...

Update | Training, information and inspiration from our experts

Digital Strategy 101 with Verashni Pillay Almost 50 people attended SAMIP’s virtual training workshop on Digital Strategy for Newsrooms on a Budget, presented by explain.co.za founder, Verashni Pillay. The two-hour workshop focused on the basics of digital news...

Update | New Year, new projects, positions and products

 Building the world's best newsletter Last year Daily Maverick’s First Thing with John Stupart won the award for best newsletter at the WAN-IFRA 2022 Digital Media Awards Worldwide. So, our cohort were fortunate to be learning from the best when John Stupart presented...

Update | Solving media and societal issues, one conference at a time

Considering the Future of Journalism Education across the region In mid-November regional SAMIP participants Namibia Media Trust and CITE partnered with MISA Malawi and DW Akademie to host a 3-day hybrid conference on Journalism Education in Southern Africa. Themed...