Big Tech, AI, and violence: How South African journalism is being tested

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Here are the main findings:

Financial crisis deepens as Big Tech tightens its grip

Journalism in South Africa continues to struggle under political and legal pressure, widening socio-economic inequalities and a deteriorating financial climate. The escalating threat of disinformation has compounded the crisis, eroding public trust and increasing the burden on newsrooms already stretched thin.

While the digital advertising market was valued at R14.5bn in 2022, an estimated 97% of that revenue flows directly to global platforms such as Google and Meta. This dominance has resulted in what analysts describe as a market failure—starving local news organisations of the advertising income they need to survive. The situation is worsened by a decline in global donor funding, long considered a critical lifeline for media in the Global South. Recent shocks include the abrupt termination of USAID’s global media support funding and the Gates Foundation’s announcement that it will wind down operations over the next two decades.

Safety concerns for journalists

Journalists in South Africa face an increasing risk to both their physical safety and professional integrity. Attacks have risen sharply over the past year, including physical assaults and harassment aimed at discouraging reporters from pursuing sensitive stories. The 2024 general elections highlighted these dangers, with Media Monitoring Africa recording over 1,000 online attacks on a small sample of journalists.

The risks extend across the continent. A survey of African journalists found that those reporting on local issues—especially investigations into local leaders, suspected corruption, and environmental crimes—are most at risk. More than 80% of surveyed journalists said they had worked on stories that made them feel unsafe, underscoring the high personal cost of holding power accountable.

Regulatory moves signal a shift in the media landscape

In an attempt to address the imbalance between Big Tech and local media, the Competition Commission’s Media and Digital Platforms Market Inquiry (MDPMI) released preliminary recommendations in early 2025. These include compelling Google to compensate South African media between R300m and R500m annually for three to five years. The MDPMI also proposed the establishment of a Media Industry Fund to support journalistic sustainability.

Some industry actors are already implementing targeted initiatives. In November 2024, the Association of Independent Publishers (AIP) and Google launched the Digital News Transformation Fund, a three-year, R114m programme aimed at supporting small and medium community publishers’ digital transition.

Cautious adoption of AI amid escalating risks

South African newsrooms are increasingly experimenting with artificial intelligence, though uptake remains conservative. Most organisations use AI tools for practical, efficiency-driven tasks such as transcribing interviews, conducting background research and generating story ideas. Media24 has emerged as an early adopter, appointing a Head of AI and rolling out its Toqan AI tool internally. Daily Maverick has also piloted AI-generated summaries of complex stories to drive engagement.

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However, concerns persist. Editors warn that over-reliance on AI threatens originality, weakens core journalistic skills and could ultimately lead to job losses if publishers adopt AI purely to cut costs. More alarming is AI’s impact on information integrity, with deepfakes, synthetic news and counterfeit “journalists” accelerating the spread of misinformation.

Closures and controversy mark a difficult year

The industry saw major structural shifts in 2024. Media24 announced it would shut down the print editions of four legacy titles—Beeld, City Press, Daily Sun and Rapport—by 31 December, in a decisive pivot toward digital-only publishing. Meanwhile, Independent Media was expelled from the Press Council in October, only eight months after joining, due to its continued refusal to abide by the Council’s rulings.

During the elections, online attacks and disinformation were the primary threat to journalists, and Icasa ruled that the SABC unlawfully refused to air the Democratic Alliance’s controversial flag-burning advertisement.

Audience data reveals shifting consumption patterns

Circulation figures for Q4 2024 showed steep declines for weekly and weekend newspapers—both down 18%—while daily papers showed signs of resilience. Free newspaper circulation dropped by 16%, largely driven by government publication Vuk’uzenzele discontinuing print distribution in March. Online, News24 retained its position as the country’s largest news website, attracting roughly 712,000 daily users throughout 2024.

In free-to-air television, news viewership declined overall, but bulletins in Sesotho, Setswana and Sepedi on SABC2 bucked the trend and recorded stable audiences.