{"id":11472,"date":"2026-05-21T01:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-21T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cnti.org\/cnti-news\/\/"},"modified":"2026-06-03T13:55:03","modified_gmt":"2026-06-03T17:55:03","slug":"credibility","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cnti.org\/reports\/south-africa-indie-info-providers\/credibility\/","title":{"rendered":"Credibility"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The public now accesses information from a vast media environment, drawing on established news organizations, independent voices like those we interviewed and a growing range of algorithmic platforms, including social media and AI chatbots. But people don\u2019t find all sources equally relevant, which has implications for commercial viability. With many major news outlets shutting down<\/a> all or parts of their operations and growing news deserts<\/a> throughout South Africa, deep audience understanding is essential for indie info providers. Producing credible information, building audience trust and engaging with audiences may become even more important in a country facing international disinformation campaigns<\/a>. The indie info providers we interviewed have given a lot of thought to these topics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How and why we did this<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Note on terminology<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There is no consensus on terminology, even among our interviewees. We primarily use the term “indie info provider” and sometimes “creator-journalist,” which was the term used in our survey and interviews. Both terms appear throughout the report to refer to the same group: \u201cpeople who are working to provide verified factual information with a personality- or voice-driven brand that leverages the creator economy.\u201d <\/em>That definition encompasses a tremendous amount of variation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Why we did this<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is the second report in a two-country series about indie info providers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to our research<\/a>, about one in four people in South Africa get news from individuals rather than organizations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moreover, the South African media environment is undergoing a profound transformation<\/a>. Media crises<\/a> in recent decades have led to \u201can increasingly constrained business environment<\/em><\/a>,\u201d forcing outlets to rely on freelance journalists<\/a> and short-term contracts to stay afloat and leaving many journalists without stable employment. This shift has coincided with a massive migration in audience habits: recent surveys find that about 7 in 10 surveyed (online, English-speaking) South Africans<\/a> get their news from social media, especially on their smartphones. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To date, research<\/a> on this trend has largely focused on the broader landscape of content creators, including entertainers, politicians and other creators who do not necessarily focus on informing their audiences. And most research to date has focused on content sourcing and linking strategies. To enable a future for a plurality of fact-based sources that readers and viewers find relevant, our project sheds light on who indie info providers are and how they approach their role in the broader news landscape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How we did this<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In partnership with Code for Africa<\/a>, CNTI recruited 43 content producers in South Africa to take a screening survey, 42 of whom met the eligibility criteria, and chose 18 of them for a 60- to 90-minute virtual interview. (The one who did not meet the criteria was neither South African-based nor working for a primarily South African audience.)   CNTI selected interviewees to represent a range of professional backgrounds, such as project management and the military, beyond legacy journalism. This report is based primarily on insights from the interviews, with data from the survey as a secondary source.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In interviews, we asked participants about their backgrounds and motivations, audience engagement, their relationships with other indie info providers and legacy news outlets, platforms, and algorithms, revenue and business strategies, and their view of success and satisfaction with their own work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We developed codes using a bottom-up iterative approach as themes emerged from the analysis. Code categories largely reflected the range of interview topics, as well as the addition of the broader theme \u201capartheid and historical context.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These methods provide richness and depth; however, it\u2019s not possible to generalize about the frequency of behaviors from these interactions, so we limit our use of quantitative terms to our interviewees throughout this report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CNTI research and professional staff prepared this report. This project was made possible by the financial support of the Lenfest Institute and a second anonymous donor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See \u201cAbout this study<\/a>\u201d for more details.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Through multiple sources of information, including audience feedback and engagement data, interviewees have a clear sense of who they reach.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For the most part, South African interviewees obtain information about their audiences through a combination of analytics, content performance and feedback they receive. Based on analytics, most interviewees can speak confidently about audience location, age, gender and sometimes race. Many interviewees also articulated a clear sense of their audience\u2019s interests, such as politics or lifestyle, but distribution platforms don\u2019t typically provide this kind of data. Instead, consistent patterns in content performance can be illuminating. For example, several interviewees who create consumer-facing info said that reviews of budget products and \u201canything that punches above its weight\u201d<\/em> perform best, suggesting they can reach an \u201caspirational\u201d <\/em>audience on a fairly tight budget. If they work primarily in English, they are confident that their South African audience is middle-class or wealthier. Unsolicited audience feedback provides a third source of insight into their most dedicated audiences. For example, if most messages come from Black women, they assume most of the audience fits that profile. For one interviewee, brand outreach gives them insight into their audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Freelancing can also provide valuable secondhand knowledge about audiences. While not all interviewees can afford focus groups or other forms of audience research, some do have a clear sense of who they reach through larger publications. Those who regularly collaborate with or publish in other outlets answered questions about their audience with reference to these larger outlets. For example, one respondent described a regional outlet they partner with as reaching \u201cpolicy makers, they reach people in government, conservation, business. They really are a heavy-hitting title. They\u2019re read widely in South Africa and across the continent.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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South African indie info providers generally see audience feedback as generative.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Many interviewees described their audiences as a valuable source of ideas and inspiration. This may be in the form of direct requests for coverage or donations of multimedia content. For example, an interviewee with a satirical brand regularly incorporates audience-generated punchlines and memes into their show. However, it\u2019s more common for audiences to inspire news stories less directly, such as with audience questions. As a hyperlocal info provider explained:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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They expanded a new shop and we just did a video of it. There was no article even. The whole week I was fielding questions. They’re like, \u2018Hey, so do you guys have a halal section?\u2019 I’m like, \u2018That’s not my shop. Please go look.\u2019 But then we did discover people want to know which shops have halal sections. We should probably do that. So, that’s kind of how we do it. \u2018Is it open after 9?\u2019 And I’m like, \u2018I don’t know. I never asked them because I don’t even live in that area.\u2019 But it did make me go, \u2018Okay, I’ve got to do a story on stores that are open late if you’re working.\u2019\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Informal communication and in-person events are also opportunities to get a better sense of audience interests and questions that may eventually translate into content. A few interviewees actively seek out this kind of feedback through audience surveys with mixed success. Some receive almost no feedback this way, while others said surveys work best when they conduct them infrequently, albeit regularly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interviewees noted that the volume and tone of online communication with their audience can become overwhelming, but they view \u201cshowing up\u201d<\/em> as a core aspect of credibility.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Several interviewees had to develop strict boundaries to respond to \u201ctoxic\u201d or \u201crabid and horrible and abusive\u201d interactions online. One person had been the victim of a mass reporting campaign<\/span> on social media, which left them cautious about sharing too much personal information. Two others set strict limits on what they answer and how much time they spend on it. This is necessary for their mental health and well-being:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It\u2019s really important when you\u2019re working in algorithmically charged online environments to get outside and just remember that most people are still normal and don\u2019t behave like they\u2019re on TikTok all the time.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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All the same, South African interviewees put a lot of emphasis on \u201cshowing up.\u201d For many, their work and credibility is fundamentally relationship-based, and it isn\u2019t possible to build and maintain those relationships without being accessible. One interviewee described finding value in events where \u201cyou get to speak to the people and you tell them, \u2018Look here, this work that we are doing is not funded by the government\u2019 \u2026 [which] adds a bit more of a real authenticity to the work that we do.\u201d Other forms of showing up include in-person conversation, especially around sensitive topics, or answering every email and DM they receive, often at length. As one interviewee said, \u201cIt\u2019s not a situation where I can establish credibility from on high \u2026 so it was always going to be about getting on the ground with people and getting into the nuance and the details.\u201d Showing up may be particularly important in the context of unequal power relationships, like one interviewee who makes a standard practice of bringing reporting back to the affected communities. As they explained, \u201cyou have to not just pay lip service to a more ethical way of being but actually also do it\u201d to maintain credibility in marginalized communities, especially as an outsider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Interviewees also aim to build audience trust through traditional journalistic authority \u2014 especially through a rigorous process of sourcing, verification and fact-checking.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Interviewees frequently cited traditional journalistic practices and ethics as a way to build credibility. By far the most common practices cited were rigor in sourcing and verification, among both former journalists and those with no journalism experience. If they make mistakes, interviewees said, audiences will find someone else who does a better job. In many cases, that means not just fact-checking but sharing exactly which sources they use. As one interviewee explained it, the alternative is \u201crisking publishing something that may or may not be true. Do you want to risk your reputation on something like that?\u201d <\/em>While the details of sourcing and verification practices were outside the scope of interviews, it is clear that interviewees prioritize rigor and fact-checking and view it as a way to build credibility with their audience, whether they are doing original reporting or curating content from other sources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This type of rigor is clearly important in South Africa<\/a>, where some interviewees see the country as \u201cuniquely vulnerable to fake news and bot-led disinformation networks.\u201d <\/em>Although South Africa has an established and functioning free press<\/a>, the country, like others in the region <\/a>and beyond<\/a>, has been inundated with online disinformation campaigns from domestic<\/a> and international<\/a> actors, increasing concerns about information integrity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Deep dive: With credibility comes a sense of responsibility.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Among the interviewees who emphasized rigor, several also described audience trust as akin to an obligation. They feel responsible for ensuring their audiences are not misinformed, and expressed concern about the ease with which false information can spread. As one of them put it, \u201cI do also worry that in a world of tech platforms and algorithms that if the content is just appearing out of context, people watch it and they don’t think, \u2018where is this from and is this information reliable?\u2019 and then they share it and then it’s like a falsehood that gets kind of propagated.\u201d <\/em>This worry is not limited to the online space; another interviewee observed that some people take advantage of the secondhand credibility that comes with legacy media: \u201cIf a media house gives us a platform to speak, they assume that we are an informed expert \u2026 they\u2019re endorsing us and they\u2019re trusting us.\u201d <\/em>This person was frustrated with ill-informed pieces they had seen published.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some cases, this profound sense of responsibility is a response to audience habits. One interviewee with a particularly loyal following said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI regret this, but I fully, fully understand that some people go to me for all their news \u2026 They give me 40 minutes a day and they basically read nothing else. And I understand the sense of responsibility and I often go on the show and once a week I’ll say, \u2018Guys, Read these 10 channels, read these 10 newspapers. It can’t just be me, please.\u2019 But I understand that many people largely experience the world through me.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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From the interviewees’ point of view, financial and editorial independence, including transparency about funding, are another key facet of traditional journalistic ethics. These are particularly important to interviewees who cover commercial enterprises. As one of them said, \u201c[covered businesses] cannot own us and they cannot buy us.\u201d <\/em>This person described a no-exceptions advertising and corrections policy, which they instituted to indicate a strong stance against financial or legal pressure. Another interviewee avoids collaboration because \u201cI was stung a few times by folks who had a real political agenda and would try and use me to reinforce their political agenda.\u201d <\/em>Working alone makes it possible to maintain their independence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because ethics are so important, at least one interviewee voluntarily opened themself up to external scrutiny. This person chose to register with the South African Press Council<\/a> so that they are held to the same standards as legacy outlets and can receive official complaints.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What the U.S. can learn from South Africa<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

South African interviewees have a clearer and more sophisticated sense of their audiences, while U.S. interviewees\u2019 knowledge is somewhat more vague. U.S. indie info providers may find it helpful to triangulate between a broader range of data sources, including overall audience metrics, article-by-article metrics and audience feedback. Synthesizing across these sources can help indie info providers to draw a picture that includes both demographics and specific interests and help them respond to both.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Continue reading<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Professional Backgrounds<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Historical Context<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Relationships<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Distribution Platforms<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Making Money<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Finding Stability<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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About This Study<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Participating Creators<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Creator Videos<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Companion Report: U.S. Indie Info Providers<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

South African indie info providers are working to build credibility through audience knowledge and interactions, along with traditional journalistic authority.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"parent":11437,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"single-no-image","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_mbm_post_meta_color_slug":[],"_mbm_featured_category_id":"76","inline_featured_image":false,"_mbmamp_team_author_id":[7905,7891,7825,10621],"footnotes":""},"categories":[76],"tags":[],"cnti-focus-area":[105,106],"cnti-topic":[],"class_list":["post-11472","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reports","cnti-focus-area-building-news-economic-sustainability","cnti-focus-area-news-relevance"],"acf":{"cnti_article_quick_read_link_file":{"simple_value_formatted":"","value_formatted":"","value":"","field":{"ID":0,"key":"field_6609f4b7a6240","label":"Quick Read","name":"cnti_article_quick_read_link_file","aria-label":"","prefix":"acf","type":"file","value":null,"menu_order":0,"instructions":"","required":0,"id":"","class":"","conditional_logic":0,"parent":"group_6609f4b72d6a1","wrapper":{"width":"","class":"","id":""},"return_format":"array","library":"all","min_size":"","max_size":"","mime_types":"","allow_in_bindings":1,"_name":"cnti_article_quick_read_link_file","_valid":1}},"cnti_article_full_report_file":{"simple_value_formatted":"06.02 South Africa indie info providers - PDF-combined copy<\/a>","value_formatted":{"ID":11959,"id":11959,"url":"https:\/\/cnti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/06.02-South-Africa-indie-info-providers-PDF-combined-copy.pdf","title":"06.02 South Africa indie info providers - PDF-combined copy","alt":"","description":"No blank pg 2","caption":"","mime_type":"application\/pdf","type":"application","subtype":"pdf","icon":"https:\/\/cnti.org\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/document.png"},"value":"11959","field":{"ID":0,"key":"field_6609f53ba6241","label":"Full Report","name":"cnti_article_full_report_file","aria-label":"","prefix":"acf","type":"file","value":null,"menu_order":1,"instructions":"","required":0,"id":"","class":"","conditional_logic":0,"parent":"group_6609f4b72d6a1","wrapper":{"width":"","class":"","id":""},"return_format":"array","library":"all","min_size":"","max_size":"","mime_types":"","_name":"cnti_article_full_report_file","_valid":1}},"cnti_article_parallel_study_sneak_peek_file":{"simple_value_formatted":"","value_formatted":"","value":"","field":{"ID":0,"key":"field_69dce511d7a57","label":"Parallel Study: Sneak Peek","name":"cnti_article_parallel_study_sneak_peek_file","aria-label":"","prefix":"acf","type":"file","value":null,"menu_order":2,"instructions":"","required":0,"id":"","class":"","conditional_logic":0,"parent":"group_6609f4b72d6a1","wrapper":{"width":"","class":"","id":""},"return_format":"array","library":"all","min_size":"","max_size":"","mime_types":"","allow_in_bindings":1,"_name":"cnti_article_parallel_study_sneak_peek_file","_valid":1}},"post_audio_embed":{"simple_value_formatted":"","value_formatted":"","value":"","field":{"ID":0,"key":"field_68e438d2c1796","label":"Add audio embed iFrame","name":"post_audio_embed","aria-label":"","prefix":"acf","type":"text","value":null,"menu_order":0,"instructions":"","required":0,"id":"","class":"","conditional_logic":0,"parent":"group_68e438d1a3701","wrapper":{"width":"","class":"","id":""},"default_value":"","maxlength":"","allow_in_bindings":0,"placeholder":"","prepend":"","append":"","_name":"post_audio_embed","_valid":1}},"post_guest_author":{"simple_value_formatted":"This data type is not supported! 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