By Lulama kaSozathini, Editor-in-Chief, Icamagu News
January 28, 2026
In an era defined by rapid information flows and digital connectivity, community media long dismissed as niche and peripheral has achieved what many mainstream news agencies aspired to but consistently missed: expanded reach on a scale that challenges traditional media dominance.
Across social media platforms, community outlets are now engaging larger, more diverse audiences than their mainline counterparts. Yet, despite this seismic shift, key institutions have failed to officially recognize the power and legitimacy of this new information ecosystem.
For years, mainstream newsrooms set the agenda in public discourse. Television networks, national dailies and established news agencies claimed authority over what communities should know and how they should think. But this narrative is no longer unchallenged. Community media driven by hyper-local relevance, cultural resonance and innovative use of social media tools has emerged as the primary source of news for millions of people, especially younger demographics and historically underserved communities.
Social media platforms have transformed how news is produced, consumed and shared. Whereas legacy media once relied on controlled distribution through print and broadcast schedules, community media outlets have leveraged platforms such as Facebook, X, TikTok and Instagram to deliver real-time updates, engage in dialogue with audiences, and amplify local voices that were previously marginalized.
From live streams of community events to on-the-ground reporting about local governance and service delivery, these outlets are providing information that matters most to people’s daily lives. Their content spreads organically through shares, comments and networked communities a form of reach that traditional agencies cannot replicate through syndicated wire services or broadcast bulletins alone.
Recent metrics on audience engagement paint a clear picture: community media channels are increasingly commanding viewership and interactions at levels that compete with and in many cases surpass traditional news outlets. Viral posts by community journalists attract hundreds of thousands of views, often eclipsing the digital reach of established news brands.
What’s more, interactive engagement comments, community feedback, grassroots mobilization places community media at the heart of public discourse in a way that one-way broadcast messaging cannot match.
Despite this, mainstream institutions — including media regulators, academic research bodies and government communication agencies have been slow to recognize and formally acknowledge this shift. Official media awards, accreditation processes and funding models remain predominantly structured around traditional definitions of “news media,” ignoring the demonstrable impact of grassroots journalism.
This disconnect is not merely academic it has real consequences for democratic participation, civic trust and public policy. When institutions ignore the influence of community media, they marginalize voices that are already struggling for visibility. They fail to harness the potential of locally grounded reporting to strengthen civic engagement and accountability.
In too many instances, community journalists have stepped into voids left by mainstream outlets: reporting on municipal budgets, exposing lapses in public services, documenting social issues such as gender-based violence and inequality all while mobilizing audiences to act. Yet these contributions are rarely reflected in policy deliberations, institutional research, or broader media discourse.
Recognition must come not as an afterthought, but as a structural imperative. Media Associations and Councils, communication authorities and public broadcasters should expand their frameworks to include and support community media as essential partners in the information ecosystem. Funding mechanisms must adapt to ensure sustainability for community outlets that operate on shoestring budgets yet deliver massive public value.
Academic institutions must include community journalism in curricula and research agendas, acknowledging its methodological innovations and societal impact. Advertisers and development partners should invest in these outlets, recognizing their unmatched ability to reach and engage audiences authentically.
The rise of community media fueled by strategic use of social media represents a profound reconfiguration of how societies inform themselves. It is a democratic force that stretches far beyond the reach of traditional metrics and glowing press releases from legacy newsrooms.
Yet, in the face of clear evidence of influence and reach, our institutions continue to look the other way. This neglect does not merely undermine community media; it weakens the very fabric of our public sphere.
It is time to stop underestimating the power of community voices.
Lulama kaSozathini is Editor-in-Chief of Icamagu News and a founder of Icamagu Community Media Projects (ICOMP)
