MDDA and Google Launch Digital Skills Programme for Community Media Publishers

MDDA and Google Launch Digital Skills Programme for Community Media Publishers. The Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA), in partnership with Google, has announced a new initiative aimed at strengthening the sustainability, digital capability, and competitiveness of South Africa’s community and small commercial news publishers.

The collaboration will support the rollout of a digital skills training programme developed specifically for community media practitioners. A key feature of the programme is its delivery in South Africa’s local languages, ensuring accessibility and meaningful participation for publishers operating at grassroots level.

According to the MDDA, the initiative responds to the increasing pressures faced by community and small commercial media as the news industry continues to digitise. Many publishers are required to adapt to new technologies, platforms, and audience behaviours while operating with limited resources. The training programme is intended to address these challenges by equipping participants with practical digital skills and knowledge relevant to their day-to-day operations.

In-person workshops are scheduled to take place throughout January 2026 at various locations across multiple provinces. These sessions will allow publishers to engage directly with facilitators and peers within their communities and in their preferred languages. The MDDA said this approach is designed to strengthen learning outcomes and ensure that training content is relevant to local media contexts.

Community and small commercial publishers have been encouraged to register early, as space at the workshops is limited. Participants will be able to select training sessions based on their location and language preference through the online registration platform.

MDDA Chief Executive Officer Shoeshoe Qhu said the partnership reflects the agency’s commitment to positioning community media as credible and resilient institutions in an increasingly digital media environment. She added that by providing publishers with digital skills, strategic tools, and sector-specific knowledge, the programme seeks to address structural challenges and support the long-term sustainability of the community media sector.

The initiative forms part of broader efforts to strengthen media diversity and support independent local journalism across South Africa.