Africa’s Girl Child Dialogues – Women in the media webinar

Exploring career opportunities in the media industry with the experts

The origin stories of a number of renowned women media personalities were shared in an uplifting and empowering webinar hosted by Boston Media House, Good Governance Africa and the Mail & Guardian. 

Held at BMH’s Sandton Campus, Johannesburg, the room full of schoolgirls heard how these influential women got to the positions they hold today in the media industry, along with tips, advice and words of encouragement. 

GGA’s regional offices in Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Ghana and Nigeria held similar events (see below), where participants learned from an array of experienced women how to navigate the media industry and what to expect in a media career.

Themes that emerged were that constant learning is essential, to allow women who enter into the media to stay abreast of new developments and to be able to pivot and adapt as circumstances in the sector change. 

Taking advantage of opportunities that present themselves is key to advancing one’s career; having a mentor helps; and maintaining a competitive edge is important for women in the media industry, which is still male-dominated.

Mmabatho Mongae, data analyst at GGA, opened proceedings at BMH, saying GGA believes in empowering young women, and that the webinar aimed to provide a vision of what the media world is about. 

Master of Ceremonies, Carike Verbooy, academic head of Boston Media House, outlined the various fields in the media industry.

Keynote speaker and radio presenter Precious Maputle said the cultural and creative industries contributed greatly to all countries’ GDP, and that a career in the media offered many benefits, including creative expression, networking, collaboration and global connection, and it encourages lifelong learning. 

“Men still control the boardrooms in the media industry, so as a woman, never allow anyone to silence your voice,” – Dineo Mathebula

“It’s a fulfilling career, and you can make a significant contribution. Dare to dream!” said Maputle, emphasising that having a positive attitude helps, and so does finding a mentor.

Shoeshoe Ntsoaki Qhu, CEO, Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) said she’d began her career as a reporter, but had taken advantage of other opportunities that came her way. She said one should be prepared for failure and mistakes, which are “part of the journey”.

Asafika Mpako, communications co-ordinator Southern Africa, Afrobarometer, said she came from a small town, studied at UCT and then went to the US, which changed her life, after which she applied for further scholarships and travelled some more. She did not intend to end up in the media, but her mentor said she had always been a communicator. She encouraged the audience to go beyond fear, and to always be open to constant learning. “To stay positive and focused requires discipline and routines. It’s also important to surround yourself with a supportive network,” she said.

Naledi Mphahlele, AFDA graduate, pageantry model and script supervisor, said she is now a filmmaker who often works for more than 12 hours a day, and that she loves her career, even though around 90% of the film crew is typically male. She said that having courage is an essential part of making your voice heard as a woman in the media industry.

Sibusiswe Ndlovu, CEO, Amakhosikazi Media, Southern Africa, joined the webinar online from Zimbabwe. She said she has been in the media sector for more than 20 years. She started her career in acting then worked as a radio broadcaster. She discovered that women were often too silent in media meetings dominated by men, and formed Amakhosikazi Media to create a platform to share the stories of women’s experiences. 

Dr Allegro Dinkwanyane, founder and group CEO of Orgella Group, said she started Orgella when she was just 21, and encouraged the younger generation to start early. Dinkwanyane said the world is changing so fast today that just having a degree is no longer enough; there are free courses on the internet, so use it to your advantage. She began with a 3am “graveyard” shift on radio while at UJ, walked over to the SABC and started sitting in on sport presenter Carol Tshabalala’s show, where she learned the ropes. 

By studying marketing, she realised how to monetise her blog, Orgella, which has grown exponentially. “Stick to your dream,” she said, “or you will quickly be sidetracked.” 

Success in social media is not necessarily defined by numbers, added Dinkwanyane; to make an impact, you need engagement with your audience, and a lot of that comes from having a niche. 

Sally Sithole, CNBC junior producer, said she had managed to realise her dream of producing for TV. Have a competitive edge, she said; get the qualifications you require, and build contacts, as they will be your future work partners. She’s now doing her third degree, and will be a doctor one day. 

Dineo Mathebula, content producer at Urban Brew Studios, is, like Sithole, a Boston alumni. She came from humble beginnings, and moved across several sectors in media before she became a producer. She said that playing small does not help anyone, especially ourselves. She began with a graveyard shift and was thrown into the deep end at Power FM, and soon her breakfast show began stealing audiences. “Never be scared of making mistakes,” she advised, “because even the bad experiences can be learned from.”  Men still control the boardrooms in the media industry, so as a woman, never allow anyone to silence your voice, said Mathebula.  

In a session on graphic design and animation, the difference between graphic design and animation was explained by the panellists, who stressed that artificial intelligence was simply a tool to create images, not a replacement for jobs. 

Pippa Tshabalala, senior on-air and creative services manager, The Walt Disney Company Africa, has an MA in animation, and has worked for several media houses. Her advice was to be open to new opportunities, which helped her to pivot and advance in her career. “Always learn new skills: this is essential in the media industry.” 

Innocentia Hlatshwayo, graphic design specialist at MultiChoice Group, began her graphic design career in the corporate industry, where she met many uplifting women. Always have a mentor to lift you to the next level, she said. “Self-belief is what will pull you forward.”

Nompumelelo Mdluli, senior art director, Ogilvy South Africa, said she started in graphic design after seeing designs on cereal boxes. She’s worked on many brands, including Cadbury. Take risks that may open you to new possibilities; be a “Sponge Bob” and absorb new things, she said.

“Take advantage of new opportunities, and always keep learning new skills. This is essential in the media industry,” – Pippa Tshabalala

In the session about advertising, marketing and PR, Lethabo Senyatsi Kgolane, Africa external communications and stakeholder relations lead, Deloitte SA, said she “does everything” in her current role. She’s learned that things change all the time, so being adaptable is key, and learning must happen all the time. She said being black and a woman, you have to do things twice as well, and that if you are assertive, you are seen as “aggressive” or “opinionated”. When you rise, lift others with you.  

Kamogelo Phatlhane, marketing manager, Cradlestone Mall, was a student at BMH and got into the SABC internship programme. She then got into event management and from there got into mall management. “Know your worth and speak up; be a team player and help those who are struggling; if things are not going to plan, formulate one; go the extra mile; and stay on the trajectory of your dream.”  

Sibongile Keswa, marketing manager, Flight Centre, said she wanted to be a writer, studied at BMH, and spent some time as a news reader, then got into social media and from there into marketing, where she worked her way up to her present position. The issue of some people not being team players can sometimes be dealt with by moving them to a role where they can work more solo, said Keswa. 

A demonstration of how to use reusable Palesa sanitary pads followed, and a poem by Botlhale Boikanyo, award-winning poet, actress and speaker, closed off the proceedings for the day. 

Zimbabwe

In Zimbabwe, GGA partnered with Amakhosikazi Media Southern Africa on 11 October 2024 in commemoration of the International Day of the Girl Child. Twenty-six media students were drawn from Lupane State University, Midlands State University, National University of Science and Technology and the Zimbabwe Open University. They joined the South African event virtually.

Nonhlanhla Nkala, a fourth year Media Student from the Zimbabwe Open University, said: “What I learnt today is that I should not be worrying about how AI or other technological advances are going to take my job. I learnt that my focus should be on how I relevantly skill and continue to up-skill myself in line with these advances in the field, so that an equally skilled person does not emerge to take my job.” 

West Africa 

GGA’s West Africa Regional Office (GGA-WARO) Girl Child event took place at the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), in the Greater Accra region of Ghana. A total number of 51 female students from different institutions including Delcam Senior High and GH Media School participated. 

Renowned media personalities and women achievers shared their stories, which underscored the importance of perseverance, passion and resilience in achieving success in media-related careers. Despite facing challenges in male-dominated sectors, support from role models helped some of them to achieve their goals. Be bold in pursuing your career paths, and don’t let gender be a barrier to success, the audience was advised. 

Nigeria

Over 70 participants gathered at Lekki Centre for the GGA Girl Child conference and panel section on Gender-Based Violence. The panel discussion which focused on “Girl’s Vision for the Future” was a collaboration with HeartMinders Initiative, a transformative NGO that has been at the forefront of fighting against GBV, rape and child sexual abuse in Nigeria.

The panellists included Adeola Kingsley-James, Osayuwamen Saleh, and Zuriel Oloke. It was moderated by Tosin Adisa.

Media entrepreneur Saleh advised the participants to create an idea of what they want for themselves and not what society wants for them. “One of the biggest things to help you is strong emotional stability. The things that control you are embedded in you. You must be intentional as a girl and not settle for less. You cannot take your life with levity. Women are visionaries and should dream big.”

Ethiopia – Horn of Africa

GGA’s Girl Child event  was a hybrid event, held in partnership with Addis Ababa University’s School of Journalism and Communication. Over 60 participants, including prominent Ethiopian women in media and secondary school girls, attended.

The panellists included Dr Agaredech Jemaneh from Addis Ababa University, Tsega Tariku (Editor-in-Chief, Fana Broadcasting Corporate) and Mihiret Moges (Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Reporter Newspaper). They encouraged the girls to overcome socio-cultural barriers and actively engage in shaping gender narratives. The discussions also addressed how technology can help reduce gender inequality in the industry.

Dr Zerihun Mohammed, GGA-Horn of Africa’s Executive Director, reaffirmed GGA’s commitment to empowering girls. The event concluded with a tour of Addis Ababa University’s media facilities and recognition of event partners for their support.

Conclusion

Themes that recurred across the various speakers and regions was that for women to succeed in the media industry, they often have to work harder than men. In order to stay this tough course, women must speak up; self-belief is essential, and having a clear goal helps, so that your are not distracted from your dreams. Stay abreast of the latest technologies. It helps to find a mentor, surround yourself with supportive colleagues, and, if you see someone is struggling, offer them a hand up.