The Digital News Transformation Fund (DNTF) has awarded R15.8 million in project-based grants to 22 independent news publishers in its second funding round, as the sector deepens its shift towards AI tools, data-driven reporting and mobile-first distribution.
The latest round brings the total number of supported projects to 43 across both funding cycles, with recipients spanning seven provinces and all four of the fund's maturity tiers – Ignite, Build, Grow and Engage.
The DNTF is a partnership between Google and the Association of Independent Publishers, administered by Tshikululu Social Investments. It provides project-based grants and capacity-building support to strengthen digital operations, audience growth and financial resilience among SA's independent news publishers.
The initiative forms part of the broader R114 million programme launched to help modernise the country's independent news ecosystem.
According to the fund, the second round reflects a move beyond basic digital infrastructure, with publishers now pursuing more advanced digital transformation strategies. These include AI-assisted editorial workflows, data journalism initiatives, vernacular-language publishing and mobile-first, low-data content distribution.
"What stood out in this round is the improvement of the applications in aligning with digital transformation," said Makhosazana Zwane-Siguqa, a member of the DNTF adjudication committee.
"These are not applications for basic websites or podcast studios. Publishers and editorial teams are presenting sophisticated and nuanced strategies for reaching their audiences through mobile-first platforms, WhatsApp channels and short-form video. They understand their communities and they are building editorial products to match."
She added that the growth in vernacular-language publishing and responsible newsroom AI adoption demonstrated a diverse independent media sector that "deserves sustained investment".
News organisations globally continue to integrate AI into editorial operations. According to Statista, 87% of news publishers say generative AI is already affecting newsroom operations, while 63% of media executives believe the technology's greatest potential lies in content creation.
Among the key trends emerging from the latest cohort is continued investment in multilingual publishing. The fund now supports publications producing content in at least nine South African languages, including Sepedi, Xitsonga, Setswana, isiXhosa, isiZulu, Afrikaans and Sesotho.
The fund also noted growing adoption of low-data and mobile-first publishing, particularly for audiences in rural areas and underserved communities. Projects include WhatsApp-based news distribution, data-free browsing and mobile-first platforms targeting township and rural readers.
Data journalism is also becoming a stronger focus, with projects such as Inside Metros and the Henry Nxumalo Foundation's Our City News aiming to strengthen civic accountability and municipal governance reporting.
Meanwhile, publishers are increasingly incorporating AI into newsroom operations. Rather than using the technology only as a governance safeguard, several grantees are implementing AI-powered tools to support content production, audience analytics and personalised information services while maintaining editorial oversight.
An independent audit of the fund's first funding round, conducted by RSM SA in May, found the application process was generally operating effectively and confirmed the selection process was fair.
Following the audit, the DNTF has introduced a centralised application tracking register, strengthened scoring procedures and reconciliation checks, while a dedicated grants management system is under development. The fund is also establishing a consultative stakeholder forum to allow industry associations to provide structured input and recommendations.
The 22 successful round-two projects include community, regional and national publishers, ranging from first-time digital news initiatives to advanced AI and data journalism platforms. Applications for the inaugural funding round totalled R163 million despite only R10 million initially being available, highlighting the strong demand among independent publishers for support to accelerate their digital transformation.
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