{"id":11479,"date":"2026-06-02T01:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-02T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cnti.org\/cnti-news\/\/"},"modified":"2026-06-02T09:11:37","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T13:11:37","slug":"finding-stability","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cnti.org\/reports\/south-africa-indie-info-providers\/finding-stability\/","title":{"rendered":"Finding stability"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

For South African indie info providers, entrepreneurship means constantly balancing the drive for growth with the need for personal sustainability. This pressure is so pronounced that in late 2025, organizations like the South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) began actively urging journalists to prioritize their mental health<\/span><\/a>. While some indie info providers have successfully stabilized their businesses to achieve a manageable work-life balance, many still grapple with the continuous demands of daily operations. Many turn to AI to manage operations, reflecting a broader national trend where AI usage far exceeds global averages \u2014 in one survey, 65% of South Africans used it to explore career changes and new ventures<\/span><\/a> \u2014 even as creators navigate the cultural biases and connectivity issues inherent in AI applications.<\/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.\u00a0<\/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.\u00a0<\/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.\u00a0<\/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.) \u00a0 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.\u00a0<\/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<\/span><\/a>\u201d for more details.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Interviewees are mixed on whether they are professionally happy: They enjoy their work and take great pride in it, but financial uncertainty is taking a toll.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Of the 18 South African interviewees, 12 started their brands before 2020, with at least four of them running their businesses for 10 years or longer. This stage of entrepreneurship is not necessarily easier, but they are proud of what they have accomplished in this time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For many, the primary source of pride comes from their impact on audiences and other stakeholders. They feel successful when they can \u201cget someone to change their minds about someone else\u201d <\/em>or \u201c[change] the person who\u2019s reading it in some way for the better,\u201d <\/em>and they revel in hearing that they have succeeded in doing so. This group includes several who take pride in telling important stories and telling them well, especially when other outlets are not reporting on these topics. Another source of pride is meeting goals they set for themselves, like publishing in a certain outlet or reporting on a certain topic. But this can be a double-edged sword: after meeting their goals, they may be more willing to leave the field. As one of them said, \u201cI’ve achieved a lot of the milestones I wanted to achieve and had the experiences and worked with the publications I’ve wanted to work with and now I’m a little bit, like, \u2018what now?\u2019\u201c<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When interviewees reflected on their happiness in their roles as indie info providers, they often felt very proud of their work. However, many noted that pride in their work does not make up for a high level of stress, and field-wide financial uncertainty is a major contributor. They feel like they have \u201cvery little control\u201d<\/em> over big questions about the future of the field, where \u201cthe returns are diminishing.\u201d <\/em>In some cases, they\u2019re \u201cexhausted\u201d <\/em>from working multiple jobs. Finding financial sustainability to help maintain a work-life balance feels absolutely necessary, and yet, it remains an existential question. As one interviewee explained,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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To survive and to make a life are two different things. But now I feel like I’m still surviving. I’m not making a life. But I need to be in life mode, where I don’t stress about money.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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While many interviewees have stabilized their businesses enough to maintain standard working hours, some still struggle with the demands of growth and operations.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Most of the South African interviewees do not work more than an average \u201c9-to-5\u201d<\/em> day. Two of the 18 interviewees described their work as more than full-time, five worked about 30-45 hours a week, three reported working around 10 hours per week and the remainder gave vague answers or none at all.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of the interviewees have reached a stage where their work has become more predictable, mirroring studies<\/span><\/a> that show entrepreneurs begin to work more regular hours after their businesses have stabilized. One interviewee told us proudly, \u201cToday we just agreed on set holidays for the year for the first time \u2026 we now are in an era, we’re all in our early 30s or late 20s, where we need to be sustainable and have lives.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, multiple interviewees said they felt limited by time to manage all aspects of their business. One said they need to spend more time writing grant applications and another needed to dedicate more time to the \u201cbusiness\u201d <\/em>part of their project, including growth and marketing. Another said it was difficult to spread themselves out across the needs of the newsletter, social media, marketing, operations, sales and everything else required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Interviewees \u2014 and the South African public \u2014 are optimistic about using AI to manage newsrooms with limited resources.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

For many of the South African interviewees, large language models (LLMs) seem to help them run their newsrooms with limited staff and funds. For example, one interviewee uses an LLM \u201cas a coworker when I’m doing strategies,\u201d<\/em> but specifies \u201cno writing from AI.\u201d <\/em>Interviewees described using these tools for a wide range of strategic and editorial tasks, including optimizing headlines for SEO, developing story angles, drafting emails to potential clients, cleaning up scripts before recording their podcast and correcting their English grammar. As one South African interviewee said,\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Listen, I want to complain with everybody about AI and how awful it is, but I work alone. I am a one-man team, and it has been an invaluable resource for me.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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High levels of generative AI adoption in South African newsrooms<\/span><\/a> are reflected in public optimism regarding the impact of technology on journalism. According to a 2024 CNTI survey<\/span><\/a>, at least 75% of South Africans approve of journalists using technology to improve writing, summarize documents, fact-check, translate content and edit images. This positive outlook sets South Africa apart globally. While 46% of South Africans said AI will have a mostly positive impact on reporting, sentiment is significantly lower in the United States (15%) and Australia (18%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u00a0At the same time, new technology’s effectiveness can be hindered by cultural biases, linguistic gaps and unreliable rural internet infrastructure.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a majority of interviewees are happy with the support they found in AI tools, including LLMs, several interviewees remain skeptical.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some cite pragmatic and functional challenges, but may be open to using these tools if the quality improves. One of them noted that AI \u201cis not great at gleaning reputable South African sources for their content, and AI is not particularly good at translation across [12] official South African languages.\u201d <\/em>Indeed, multiple studies<\/span><\/a> have shown that widely used LLMs have a cultural alignment more closely akin to English-speaking and Protestant European ideologies, and that quality varies widely across languages<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Others are opposed at a more fundamental level. One interviewee compared handing the writing process to AI to \u201casking someone to eat my dinner for me.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Physical infrastructure also presents a major hurdle, as the digital divide frequently dictates if and how technology can be used. As one interviewee explained it, \u201cOne of the major problems is lack of internet access and lack of cell phone coverage. I mean it’s incredible. It really shows the rural-urban divide in sub-Saharan Africa.\u201d <\/em>This interviewee reflected on the reality that 60% of rural South Africans lack a dependable internet connection<\/span><\/a>. They continued, \u201cHow do you keep your business going if you can’t send text messages, phone people, or get onto the internet?\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Interviewees\u2019 descriptions of the technology they use reflect a second digital divide: fairly basic hardware, but often quite sophisticated software.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The realities of life in South Africa often impact the technology interviewees use for their projects. Several of them primarily use a smartphone for their work rather than a laptop, and at least two specifically mentioned having better access to newer and higher quality phones than to computers. External peripherals like cameras or microphones are also relatively uncommon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, most use sophisticated software, which is increasingly available for all devices. These include dictation and transcription apps as well as project management tools, image generators like Kling AI and Midjourney, cloud-based servers and others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tools mentioned<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Area of work<\/strong><\/td>Specific task<\/strong><\/td>Tools<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Managing workflow<\/td>Task & project management<\/td>ClickUp, Excel\u00a0<\/td><\/tr>
Strategy development<\/td>LLMs<\/td><\/tr>
Research<\/td>Managing sources & story fodder<\/td>ChatGPT<\/td><\/tr>
Brainstorming story ideas<\/td>ChatGPT, Gemini<\/td><\/tr>
Production<\/td>Dictation or transcription<\/td>Fireflies, Heroscribe, LLMs, Otter.ai<\/a>, Sonix.ai<\/a>\u00a0<\/td><\/tr>
Translation<\/td>ChatGPT, Gemini<\/td><\/tr>
Graphic design & image\/audio\/video editing<\/td>Ableton Suites, Adobe Audition, Adobe Premier, Audacity, Canva, CapCut, ElevenLabs, Garageband, Premier Pro, Reaper ProTools, Samson video\u00a0<\/td><\/tr>
Image creation and sourcing images<\/td>KlingAI, MidJourney, Nanobanana, Pixabay<\/td><\/tr>
Text editing<\/td>ChatGPT, custom GPTs, LLMs, WhatsApp AI\u00a0<\/td><\/tr>
Cloud services<\/td>Apple Cloud, Google Drive,\u00a0LucidLink<\/td><\/tr>
Distribution<\/td>Web hosting, newsletter service & CMS<\/td>Campaign Monitor, Personal CMS<\/td><\/tr>
Social media syncing & management<\/td>Buffer<\/td><\/tr>
Analytics<\/td>Google Analytics<\/td><\/tr>
Finances<\/td>Subscription management<\/td>Pipedrive<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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What the U.S. can learn from South Africa<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Where U.S. interviewees are just starting to go solo, South African interviewees have been at it long enough to find some stability. More South African interviewees work a 40-hour week; U.S. interviewees, struggling with burnout and isolation, may find it more sustainable to work set hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

South African interviewees are also more comfortable making pragmatic choices about technology, such as running sophisticated software on bare-minimum hardware or relying on LLMs even as they raise concerns about the technology. More U.S. interviewees take a purist stance and avoid LLMs, but they might find the work more sustainable if they embrace similar forms of pragmatic compromise.<\/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
Strategic Relationships<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Credibility<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Distribution Platforms<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Making Money<\/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\n\n\n

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

South African indie info providers seek satisfaction and stability in an uneven digital landscape.<\/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-11479","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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