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Community media publishers invited to apply for three-year funded Press Council membership

MEDIA STATEMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Johannesburg, 07 August 2026

The Press Council of South Africa invites eligible community media publishers to apply for funded membership, supported by an MDDA grant, to promote ethical journalism and public accountability across the sector.

This call follows constructive engagements between the Press Council, the Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA), the Association of Independent Publishers (AIP), the African Chamber of Media(ACM), and the Black Media Owners Association (BMOA) to expand access to media oversight and governance.

MDDA-funded membership for community publishers
This funding arrangement offers qualifying publishers a practical route into the Press Council system while preserving members’ independence and accountability. Through the MDDA grant, qualifying community media publishers will gain Press Council membership, removing a key cost barrier to South Africa’s independent media co-regulatory system.

The initiative covers

  • Annual Press Council membership fees for the duration of the grant;
  • Access to Press Council research initiatives and resources; and
  • Training on the Press Code of Ethics and Conduct, as well as capacity-building benefits available to members.

The initiative aims to help community publishers strengthen credibility, accountability, and public trust by providing access to Press Council protections, resources, training, and professional development opportunities.

Who can apply?
Community media publishers that produce news and journalistic content for their communities are eligible to apply. Applicants should demonstrate active, consistent publishing through recent editions, links to the website and news pages, publication schedules, or other evidence of journalistic output.

How to apply?
Interested community media publishers should complete the Press Council membership application form available on the Press Council website. Applicants should indicate on the form that they are applying under the MDDA-funded community media membership initiative and provide evidence of active publishing.

Eligible community media publishers are encouraged to apply for this funded membership opportunity to build public trust through ethical and accountable journalism.

To download the membership form, visit https://presscouncilsa.org.za/wpcontent/
uploads/2026/08/2026-Revised-Membership-Application-Form-
Copy.pdf?utm_source=copilot.com .

Enquiries
For more information, or for assistance with the application process, community media publishers may contact the Press Council directly:
Millicent: millicent@presscouncilsa.org.za
Tebatso: tebatso@presscouncilsa.org.za

Issued by: Press Council of South Africa

About the Press Council of South Africa
The Press Council of South Africa is the country’s independent co-regulatory institution, which fosters ethical journalism through the Press Code of Ethics and Conduct, handles public complaints against the media and defends both media freedom and public’s right to fair, accurate and responsible reporting.

ENDS

Issued by: Press Council of South Africa

MEDIA ENQUIRIES

Contact: Tsile Maswanganyi
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Website: www.presscouncilsa.org.za
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