"Journalism is dying." I have heard this bold statement coming from all and sundry—from journalists, government spokespersons, and politicians, to every Dick, Tom, Harry, and Salaminah.
As we marked the 49th commemoration of Black Wednesday on October 19 — now celebrated under our democratic dispensation as Press Freedom Day — it is worth reflecting on how far we have come.
On October 19, 1977, an apartheid regime's stranglehold attempted to silence Black voices and independent media by outlawing 18 Black Consciousness organisations, banning progressive publications including "The World" and "Weekend World" newspapers, and detaining editor Percy Qoboza without trial.
Since the dawn of democracy, we have witnessed the birth and death of several newspapers. The advent of social media has also added more pain to the bloodbath of the media, with print as the first casualty, and now broadcast is feeling the pinch, with job losses being the order of the day.
Yet, interacting with journalism students from various institutions of higher learning — both formally and informally — I am consistently bowled over by their optimism about the future of this craft. Despite the decline of traditional media houses, the challenges facing print media, and the closure of iconic publications like City Press, Beeld, and Rapport, these students remain upbeat.
Even as broadcast media outlets such as eNCA and Newzroom Afrika face serious operational hurdles and job losses, the next generation refuses to give up hope. The South African media landscape is not alone in this struggle. Globally, the industry is hemorrhaging.
Renowned publications like The Washington Post are shedding jobs, and international news networks including the BBC and CNN have not been spared. These challenges — while serving as a rude awakening in the age of social media, digital platforms, and artificial intelligence — are by no means insurmountable.
Instead, they call for cool heads, deep introspection, and a new calibre of leadership. Both media owners and editorial managers must be creative and innovative, rather than throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
Therefore, my answer to the misplaced claim that journalism is dying is a simple no. While the industry is undeniably going through a painful transition, journalism itself is not dying; it is evolving. We entered the age of media convergence long ago, blurring the lines between print, broadcast, social, and digital media. This era calls for vigilance.
The media must stand at the barricades to defend press freedom while protecting and promoting ethical journalism across all platforms. It is critical to decipher and expose misinformation (I refuse to call it "fake news", because if it is fake, it is not news) to rebuild public trust and credibility.
According to Reuters Digital News Report 2026, newspapers, radio, and television have all experienced double-digit falls since 2013 in the proportion who say they use them for news on a weekly basis.
"While newspapers are experiencing a deep structural decline driven by a combination of low adoption rates and low retention rates, for radio news, low adoption is the more salient factor. In contrast, for television news, the problem is one of retention. Although most people have been weekly consumers of television news at some point in their lives, many have lapsed, with declines driven by the failure to retain younger audiences in particular. In this sense, television news has faded out of use for many people, whereas newspapers and radio news may never have been part of the picture in the first place," the study revealed.
The data show that – in the case of newspapers and radio – relatively few young people have been socialised into these consumption habits in the first place. The study adds that: "The social reproduction of newspaper and radio news audiences may have broken down altogether. And although many young people have acquired the television news consumption habit, there are clear signs that this habit is proving less durable than it was for older groups."
As to what alternatives people will turn to after their usage of a source has lapsed? Unfortunately, it's not a question that can be answered with our cross-sectional data. "However, it is worth noting that it presumes that people always substitute one source for another. This isn’t necessarily the case."
The study also noted that: "While social media and video networks are emerging as the most widely used news source in many parts of the world, this is driven less by growth and more by the decline in the use of other sources."
Yes, journalism is evolving – newspapers, radio and television are no longer the only source of news. This ruthless reality requires everyone in the value chain to wake up and smell the coffee, especially now that we have entered the age of algorithmic journalism and clickbait. This is the era of content creators, influencers, YouTubers, TikTokers, Facebookers, podcasters, and videocasters. Some content is real news, while most is entertainment.
The fact is: news audiences and news consumption are changing. However, with convergence between print, digital, and online, the traditional role of journalism, holding those in power accountable and adhering to the basic tenets of the noble trade, remains important. Trust and credibility remain sacrosanct.
Institutions of higher learning, media houses, and industry organisations are well aware of this evolution. They understand the need for journalism that serves the public good, and they weigh the pros and cons of these rapid changes to ensure the media can fulfill its constitutional mandate in our democracy.
Crucially, the traditional role of journalism remains unchanged: holding those in power accountable and adhering to the basic tenets of this noble trade. In a rapidly shifting world, trust and credibility are sacrosanct. Advocates of ethical journalism and proponents of media freedom must always defend this craft. We must speak up against rogue and reckless elements that threaten to tarnish an indispensable pillar of our democracy. We must ensure information integrity at all costs.
We cannot allow journalism to die because it is holding those in power to account. If we allow journalism to die a natural death, the fathers of journalism such as Percy Qoboza, Nat Nakasa, and Aggrey Klaaste, amongst others, who came before us, will turn in their graves.
Sepotokele is a journalist, communication strategist, media trainer and journalism lecturer. He is also a member of the Press Council of South Africa and the author of "Being A Spokesperson".