World News Day was observed around the globe on 28 September, an annual event dedicated to celebrating fact-based journalism, promoting media literacy and highlighting the essential role of a trusted news society. This year’s theme, “Know the facts. Understand what matters. Choose trusted journalism,” carried particular urgency in an age of deepfakes, viral misinformation and collapsing public trust in institutions. South Africa added its voice to the worldwide call, drawing on a rich and sometimes painful media history. For decades, the country’s newspapers, photographers and broadcasters stood as witnesses to apartheid’s atrocities, publishing evidence of forced removals, massacres, torture and state-sponsored violence when the government of the day was determined to hide the truth. That tradition of fearless watchdog journalism did not end with democracy. In recent years, South African journalists have played a central role in exposing corruption and state capture, testifying through their reporting to the erosion of public institutions, the looting of public finances and the abuse of power at the highest levels. On World News Day, the country honoured that legacy and recognised the media’s place as a frontline defence against corruption, disinformation and threats to democracy. The observance was not merely celebratory. It was a necessary moment for newsrooms, editors, reporters and citizens to reflect on why reliable information matters, how the Fourth Estate contributes to accountable government, and what must be done to keep journalism independent, credible and relevant in a rapidly changing digital world. At the heart of the message was a simple but profound idea: democracy cannot function without a press that is free, fair, factual and trusted.
Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Solly Malatsi marked the day by underscoring the importance of trusted journalism. “Today, we mark World News Day, with a special emphasis on trusted journalism this year,” he said. “The media has played a critical role throughout our country’s history, including exposing the atrocities of Apartheid and exposing corruption while holding those in power accountable in recent years.” He went on to describe the Fourth Estate as an essential pillar of democratic life: “The Fourth Estate has helped fight injustice, usher in democracy, hold power to account, and keep citizens informed to make decisions about their lives.” The Minister’s remarks reflected a broader recognition that journalism is far more than a commercial industry. It is a public good. In South Africa, the media has been an indispensable partner in the country’s democratic journey, investigating scandals, giving voice to the marginalised, documenting human rights abuses and helping voters understand the choices before them. Yet that role is under strain. The same digital forces that have transformed how people consume news have also upended the business models that once supported large, sustainable newsrooms. Advertising revenue has migrated online, social media platforms have become the primary gateway to information for millions of people, and audiences have fragmented into ideologically sealed echo chambers. As Malatsi acknowledged, the evolution of digital technologies over the past two decades has profoundly impacted the business of news, with many newsrooms reshaped or closed down entirely. Journalists today are expected to produce more content, at greater speed, with fewer resources, while facing intense scrutiny, online abuse and sustained attacks on their credibility. The Minister’s words were therefore more than a tribute; they were a recognition of the difficult conditions under which modern journalists operate.
Malatsi also addressed the dangerous spread of disinformation and misinformation in the digital age. He praised the work of journalists in continuing to report truthfully and responsibly, despite the enormous pressures they face. “Journalists are working under new pressures,” he said, “and I commend them for their efforts to continue reporting truthfully and responsibly.” He argued that the media has emerged as an important leader in the fight against disinformation and misinformation in a digital age in which fake news, manipulated images and harmful content threaten democratic societies. This is not a hypothetical concern. False narratives spread faster than verified facts, artificial intelligence makes it increasingly difficult to distinguish reality from fabrication, and malicious actors use social media to sow division, undermine elections and attack public trust in institutions. In this environment, professional journalism offers a form of resistance. By applying rigorous standards of verification, sourcing and accountability, journalists provide something that algorithms cannot: context, accuracy and a commitment to the public interest. Malatsi’s comments highlighted that combating disinformation is not the job of journalists alone. Media literacy, critical thinking and an informed citizenry are equally important. When citizens cannot agree on basic facts, democratic debate becomes impossible. When people are trapped in information bubbles, they become vulnerable to manipulation. The Minister’s warning was clear: the same technologies that have empowered individuals and democratised information have also created new tools for those who seek to mislead, polarise and destabilise open societies. In such conditions, supporting credible journalism is not a luxury but a necessity for the survival of democracy itself.
The Minister also drew a direct connection between World News Day and the United Nations International Day for Universal Access to Information, which is commemorated on the same date. He said it was fitting that the two observances should coincide, because access to information and trust in journalism are two sides of the same coin. “For those people to live better lives, hold their governments and businesses to account, and to be safe while using digital technologies, they need access to factual, credible and trusted information easily and in all languages,” Malatsi said. This emphasis on universal access is crucial in a country like South Africa, where inequality remains deeply entrenched. Information poverty is a form of exclusion. Without reliable news in local languages, citizens cannot participate meaningfully in public life, cannot make informed decisions about their health, education and finances, and cannot hold their leaders to account. The Minister’s remarks underlined that access to information is not only about connectivity or the availability of data; it is about the quality, credibility and relevance of that information. A Facebook post containing a doctored image is not information. A viral conspiracy theory is not news. The right to know can only be realised when people have access to journalism that is factual, contextualised and produced in the public interest. World News Day, therefore, is as much about rights as it is about reporting. It is a reminder that press freedom is inseparable from freedom of information, and that neither can survive without a strong, independent and trusted media sector.
Looking ahead, Malatsi used the occasion to address the responsibilities of the media in the upcoming 2026 Local Government Elections. With the polls looming, he urged media houses to approach their coverage in the spirit of World News Day and the UN International Day for Universal Access to Information. Elections are among the most important tests of a healthy press, because they are when citizens most need reliable information to make choices about who will govern their towns, cities and municipalities. Local government is the level of government closest to ordinary people, yet it is often the least scrutinised. Journalists have a duty to investigate candidates, interrogate manifestos, fact-check campaign claims and ensure that voters are not deceived by propaganda. Malatsi stressed that the media must report fairly, truthfully and without fear. “Today also offers the opportunity to reflect on the responsibility news media carries to report fairly, truthfully and without fear,” he said. His remarks served as a timely challenge to news organisations across South Africa. In a climate of political polarisation, social media abuse and growing pressure on journalists, maintaining fairness and fearlessness requires courage as well as professionalism. It means holding all parties and candidates to the same standard. It means refusing to publish falsehoods simply because they are viral. It means covering local communities with respect and precision, rather than treating them as mere background to national dramas. The Minister’s message was both a warning and an encouragement. South Africa’s democracy, like all democracies, depends on an electorate that is well informed and a press that is willing to ask difficult questions. The 2026 elections will be an opportunity for the media to demonstrate, once again, that it takes that responsibility seriously.
The Citizen, as a modern media house, embodies the strengths that the Minister was speaking about. Alongside its digital platform, The Citizen delivers integrated storytelling across print, mobile, tablet and online, ensuring that readers can access trusted journalism on whatever device or platform they prefer. The publication offers cutting-edge local, international and business news, while also catering to the diverse interests of its audience with coverage spanning sport, soccer, lifestyle, entertainment, travel, motoring, horseracing and auctions. But The Citizen’s role is not simply to inform or entertain; it is also to uphold the values of fair, factual and fearless reporting that lie at the centre of World News Day. In a media landscape marked by budget cuts, shrinking newsrooms and the spread of misinformation, the ability to deliver quality journalism across multiple formats has become essential. The Citizen’s commitment to integrated storytelling demonstrates how modern news organisations can adapt to digital change without sacrificing their core public interest mission. It reflects the idea that trusted journalism is not only about chasing breaking news or generating clicks, but about producing accurate, credible content that helps readers make sense of the world. As World News Day reminded audiences in 2025, choosing trusted journalism is a deliberate act. It means favouring verified facts over speculation, independent reporting over partisan noise, and public-interest journalism over the viral outrage that increasingly dominates online spaces. For South Africa, with its painful history and its fragile democratic gains, the need for such journalism has never been greater. The press that once exposed apartheid’s crimes and challenged state propaganda is now called upon to confront a new set of threats. In doing so, it can draw strength from its own legacy, from the public’s enduring need for truth, and from the continued commitment of media houses such as The Citizen to report honestly, fairly and without fear.