Bridging the rural digital divide: Innovating news distribution in Zimbabwe
Delivering news to underserved audiences through community networks
I was appointed interim editor of NewZimbabwe.com, the country’s first and most-read online paper, for four months in 2023.
It was the most interesting, challenging but rewarding period of my journalism career. Interesting in that what I learnt is still unmatched, challenging in that certain hurdles were difficult to manoeuvre around and rewarding because of a fatter pocket.
After my predecessor had breached the million visitors per month mark, I managed to get the paper to 1.5 million as was regularly reported by similarweb.com
With increased visitor numbers satisfying audiences and oversight, things were looking up — until metrics plateaued with no clear path forward.
When readership stagnated at 1.5 million visitors, facing growing competition from other emerging online publications, it was clear strategies needed to change. Unfortunately, metrics then began plummeting significantly and have remained lower than hoped, leaving the solution unclear.
Participating in the Innovate360 programme will empower me with the skills and knowledge needed to develop effective audience growth and revenue strategies. I expect the coming months will provide lessons in content distribution, monetization, and other tactics that can help revive readership numbers. Optimising how information reaches communities without access could be key to reigniting the momentum.
This time, the focus is shifting away from those with consistent internet access to instead target rural communities. These populations represent a largely untapped market potential for news and advertising engagement. While connectivity limitations may hinder website views, other avenues for delivering information could unlock a whole new audience for the publication and its partners.
Through my participation in the Innovate360 program, I aim to develop an innovative distribution model to more broadly disseminate important news and information. As part of my capstone project, I plan to establish an audio-based network for sharing condensed content with traditionally underserved communities. By leveraging affordable technologies and partnering with local groups, this project seeks to close information gaps and improve access for marginalized audiences.
Rural audiences typically rely on newspapers, radio, and TV for news, where available. However, newspapers face distribution issues, rarely reaching rural areas on time. This leaves communities behind on current events or uninformed. Radio and TV also have reception problems over wide areas. These connectivity gaps highlight the need for novel solutions to deliver timely, relevant reporting to marginalized populations and address information disparities.
My project is significant as it aims to help bridge an information divide that has persisted for long by making use of WhatsApp, a virtually free application accessible across much of Zimbabwe. Leveraging this widely used platform provides an opportunity to expand access to news and information through an inclusive digital medium.
To maximize reach, this project aims to engage existing groups established by community and nonprofit organizations, as well as rural district councils where feasible.
Leveraging these networks could greatly expand the monthly audience for NewZimbabwe.com’s content from around a million to tens of millions. Such an increase in accessibility may help unlock new revenue generation opportunities by monetizing advertising and sponsorship to these previously underserved rural communities.
Over the coming months, I will reach out to community groups and industry stakeholders to develop an effective approach. For instance, examining Voice of America’s Studio 7 model could provide useful insights, although their market is broader. Feedback and collaborative ideas are welcome as this initiative aims to fill an important gap.
Those interested in contributing perspectives may contact me via X @ndiL3O.
