I was proudly raised by my grandmother in Madadeni, a township in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal. I remember as a kid in the 1990s, going on Mondays and Thursdays to buy the Ilanga lase Natal (The Natal Sun) for her. Back then Ilanga was one of the most widely-read Zulu newspapers in the province.
As a retired domestic worker, my grandmother enjoyed reading about what was happening in our region, and I fondly remember how I would sit next to her to help her read some of the news.
I remember watching the news on TV2 in the days before the South African Broadcasting Corporation restructured its television channels. My favourite sitcom was Sgudi Snaysi, featuring the famous Joe Mafela.
And I remember when there were no smartphones.
Fast-forward to 2022. Now I can now read the news online via my smartphone, and access and share information on social media.
While traditional media played a central role in disseminating information in my youth, digital media has given people platforms to share and access information in real time.
Digital media has made it possible for us to access facts, figures and statistics, through websites, social media channels and databases. Fact-checking – and, unfortunately, the spreading of fake news – is now easier than ever.
So is access to learning.
Working at Flow Communications, where we use all the communications tools at our disposal – including digital media – has enabled me to learn new digital skills from experienced professionals.
I have taken the time to learn and understand different digital marketing tools that provide insights into how our clients’ key target audiences consume and respond to media messaging.
And have I learned so much! Who would have thought that you can actually have access to statistical data about the media reach and engagement from various platforms?
I have followed my grandmother’s advice of not letting my background stand in my way of achieving my goals and I know she would be so proud of me, and the fact that I contribute towards what goes into the news today.
My advice to all the creative, driven women in the media is to be adaptable and not be afraid to try new things, and to stay abreast of trends in the ever-changing media landscape.
~ Khaya Thwala is a public relations account manager at Flow Communications.
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