There are various fields to play within the media industry: if you’re a language enthusiast, you can be an interpreter; if your voice is profound on pen and paper, you can consider being a technical writer; if you have the skill of persuasion, there are various roles within public relations suited to you; and, if you enjoy discovering, writing and debating about facts, why not consider journalism?

When it comes to a career in media, there's something out there for everyone who's interested.

In fact, these careers keep growing with the expansion of mass mediums. A decade ago, there was no such thing as a social media manager or influencer manager. This means that higher educational institutions should relook at their academic curriculum every now and then to get with the times. In the meantime, for your benefit, we've decided to do a bit of investigating ourselves into the career of a media practitioner. 

media update’s Nakedi Phala spoke to 5FM’s Karabo Ntshweng about the media profession, how it can improve and where things need to change holistically in order to adapt to future industry changes.

Here’s a look at how the media space has evolved and where it’s headed:

What measures should a graduate take in order to break into the media industry?

It’s very important to try to get as much experience as you can while you are studying. I volunteered for campus radio during my varsity years. Some people volunteer for their campus newspaper. Find people to shadow, start a blog or create content digitally, like producing someone’s podcast or YouTube channel.

Whatever it is that you choose to do, start early so you can gain a competitive advantage and set yourself apart from others studying in the same field. Whether you plan to work for yourself or for someone else, the media industry is cutthroat and your qualification [alone] is simply not enough.

You can’t expect someone to give you a job just because you have a qualification for that thing. You need your qualification, talent, experience and proof that you have a fantastic work ethic.

Do you feel the curriculum at colleges and universities prepare graduates to excel in the workspace when considering 4IR?

I don’t think so at all. We have been talking about 4IR for so long, and media companies have been talking about going digital forever. The future is here, yet you still find graduates coming out of varsity without the necessary skills needed for a digitally-driven environment.

Or, you find people with the right skills and attitude, young people, who are in tune with what is happening currently, but their voices are not heard. [Then you get] people in high positions who have been doing what they’ve been doing for a very long time who do not want to listen to [other]r ideas, or at least experiment and see what these young people in these spaces have to offer.

What’s the point of hiring young, talented creatives if you are not going to let them in the room and test out their bright ideas? We use buzzwords like ‘agile’ and ‘innovation’ in our industry so much, but do we actually practise what we preach? Not most of the time. We can do better.

What type of personality does one need to have to be a broadcaster?

I think it’s a myth that you need to be an extrovert. Some of the most brilliant broadcasters are quiet and reserved, but switch on that mic and magic happens!

You need to be in tune with what is happening around you. Stay informed. Research. Read. Watch and listen to other broadcasters and consume good content so you can create great content.

It’s also important to listen to feedback, especially from those that know more than you. Find people you trust and admire who will be honest with you about where and how you can improve. Don’t ever think you have arrived, because there’s always room for improvement.

With some publications shutting down, what’s your take on the future of publishing in terms of where it’s headed?


While social media is a great place to share breaking news, what elements go into creating news that will be successful on TV and radio stations?

There’s a big trend of people copying and pasting what they see on social media and then calling that content. We need to respect our audiences and not underestimate their intelligence — because they can see right through laziness.

We need to research our stories better, find a different angle, form opinions that are not [just] screengrabs of people’s tweets. We are content creators. And that means we need to create original work that is carefully thought out and, of course, factual!

Do you think the media has played a huge role in SA history in delivering historic content? Let us know in the comments section below.

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