Strategic relationships

For South African indie info providers, strategic relationships serve as important sources of support. By leveraging professional networks — including partnerships with established media companies, mentorship programs and ties from previous career positions— these interviewees have overcome resource constraints and expanded their audience reach. Relying on relationships more than formal training reflects the broader national context where, according to the World Bank, 14.4% of South Africans over the age of 25 hold a bachelor’s degree. Studies from Latin America and the rural United States also find that collaboration is vital for journalism’s survival in under-resourced environments. Understanding how indie info providers collaborate can provide important insight into the future of journalism.

South African interviewees leverage broad personal and professional relationships to sustain their operations and combat professional isolation in the face of scarce resources.

For many indie info providers, collaboration is more than a professional choice; it is a cornerstone of success that bridges the gap between limited resources and high-impact output in South Africa. These partnerships range from formal groups to informal peer networks that sustain indie info providers both logistically and emotionally. 

Multiple interviewees rely on informal support ecosystems to navigate the challenges of being indie info providers. These networks allow them to pool their resources. One group of female indie info providers meets regularly to share information about trusted photographers, videographers and graphic designers. Similar structures exist for those working in audio, where indie info providers offer everything from informal mentorship to branding assistance. For those in rural areas, these connections act as a vital lifeline: Where few others perform similar work, “talking shop” with a nearby fellow publisher provides the peer contact necessary to combat professional isolation. One interviewee noted how important their community was, “especially as an independent and as a freelancer for many reasons, but not least for sanity checks and just advice and things on, how do you navigate this situation?” 

These informal networks include personal as well as professional relationships. Multiple interviewees rely on family members to provide key skills for their indie brand. One interviewee said their daughter helps them run their social media accounts. Another interviewee relies on a cousin to learn the technical side of producing documentaries because “he has also put more experience in the technology, so I learned a lot from him.” For others, family members are not only knowledge resources but important collaborators. After one interviewee began gaining traction on TikTok, they hired a brother and another friend. Their brother served as a sounding board for ideas, playing a key role in the collaborative creative process as they discussed current events and developed topics for their channel. These relationships show that interviewees go beyond peer and formal networks when looking for help, and find that family members might just have the skills they need to make their project work. 

South African interviewees largely develop the skills they need through previous work experience and professional associations.

For those who had previously worked in media, many learned the necessary skills for their indie info brand through collaboration in their current or previous roles. One interviewee noted that working in mainstream media and television documentaries taught them the “news nose,” an instinctual understanding of journalism. Others found that while they started in legacy news media, their practical experience allowed them to pivot into digital formats. Even those who valued their university experience ultimately credited TV and film sets for giving them the technical foundation they needed to launch their own ventures. 

Many interviewees supplement their skills through journalism-specific organizations and hands-on training. The South African Freelance Organization and the Writers Guild of South Africa were described as “vital” for beginners and the Association of Independent Publishers provides specialized knowledge on securing funding and navigating TikTok. These and other online platforms help interviewees access specialized information in areas such as digital marketing, disinformation and tips for covering elections.

Just three interviewees cited the relevance of their formal education specifically for business and administrative skills. One mentioned the importance of the skills they learned while attending business school in the U.S. through the Mandela Washington Foundation; another completed a university program at the intersection of business and social impact; a third referenced a certificate program in arts and business administration. Consequently, many interviewees broke into the media industry by developing their skills directly on the job rather than through school. 

In addition to — or in place of — collaboration, a handful of interviewees find informal and self-directed methods to be essential tools for learning. These informal approaches include “growing up watching Oprah,” using ebooks and online guides to study industry best practices, personal initiative, and trial and error. 

Collaboration helps indie info providers expand their audience and address news deserts — but not all interviewees see it as a positive.

Collaboration also serves as a powerful tool for audience building and content depth. Interviewees reported a diverse array of creative partnerships designed to expand their reach. Some have explored working with local comedians and younger content creators or cross-posted content to engage new demographics and amplify visibility. Along the same lines, one indie info publication is launching a series with young South African creators to engage with role-playing video games for TikTok and YouTube Shorts. Two interviewees discussed partnering with think tanks and educational institutions to add a scholarly angle to their reporting. These partnerships with other creators and institutions can be mutually beneficial, as both parties are reaching audiences they might not otherwise. 

Despite efforts to expand the audience, there are still extreme disparities in reach. The availability of news varies greatly across South Africa — between rural and urban, and affluent and impoverished areas. Subsequently, one interviewee is partnering with grassroots influencers to address news deserts in rural South Africa. This project provides younger creators with journalism training and addresses the lack of news coverage in certain areas, while granting the interviewee access to new audiences. 

While networks and collaborative settings constitute a large part of the indie news ecosystem in South Africa, five participants indicated that they do not collaborate with others, or only have potential plans to do so. One had a strong stance against working with other creators based on negative experiences. Their primary concern was brand integrity, fearing that their core message might be misconstrued by collaborators who lack a deep understanding of the topic being covered. Another said that during the previous iteration of their project, they did not want to ask for help, but for a planned relaunch, they are looking forward to collaborating with others working in a similar space. 

Newsrooms are another important source of collaboration; flexible niches help indie info providers maintain relationships with legacy outlets. 

A majority of South African interviewees actively collaborate with larger news organizations by co-hosting events, publishing on their platforms and appearing on broadcasts. One interviewee described how their videos and articles were syndicated across multiple major newsroom websites and TV shows, and that they are actively pursuing relationships with two more outlets.

For indie info providers, seeing freelance work as continuations of their brands (see Professional Backgrounds) makes them amenable to a wide range of collaborations. And South African newsrooms may be more likely to see these indie info providers as collaborators rather than competitors, especially for those struggling to find funds for full-time staff.

Often, what differentiates indie info providers is tone and voice rather than topic area. Various interviewees described their own work as “feminist,” “human-centered,” “creative storytelling, satire and comedy,” “Afro-centric” or “factually based informed balanced and contextual narrative.” Three of those we spoke to are Rastafarians. All three described “faith-based identity” as a core lens that informs how they see — and report on — the world. A key reason to maintain flexibility in their approaches is to stay adaptable and attractive to a broader range of freelance opportunities. For example, one South African interviewee focuses broadly on “science” because “it’s too risky to base your writing on one specific subject or journal.” Given how many interviewees maintain close relationships with legacy outlets (see “Making Money”), adaptability is a necessity.

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