Early bird tickets for #AIJC2025 now available through Quicket

Early bird ticket sales for the 2025 African Investigative Journalism Conference are now open through Quicket. The discount will run until 10 August 2025. 

Now in its 21st year, the African Investigative Journalism Conference, hosted and organised by the Wits Centre for Journalism, returns to Wits University for another packed edition featuring the brightest minds in investigative journalism from Africa and around the world. Join us for three days of lectures, masterclasses, story showcases and networking from 5 to 7 November in Johannesburg.

Get your tickets here.

Podcast studio open for bookings at the Wits Centre for Journalism

Looking for a professional space to record your next podcast? Welcome to Pod Place, a new state-of-the-art podcasting studio available for bookings at the Wits Centre for Journalism in Braamfontein.

Designed and run in collaboration with Wits University’s VOW 88.1FM, the studio provides the perfect environment to bring your ideas to life. Whether you’re an aspiring podcaster or an experienced creator, our rate card offers various opportunities to suite your budget and needs. Get in touch with Tshepiso Ntombela via +27 (0)11 717 4028 or [email protected] to secure your booking today.

Take a look at the rate packages here.

WCJ honours graduate Ruby Delahunt wins Patrick Laurence Student of the Year Award

For journalist Ruby Delahunt, stepping out of her comfort zone during her time as a WCJ honours student in 2024 was transformative – putting her hand up again and again to tackle assignments she would “rather die” than do instilled in her a new sense of bravery that would see her accomplish great things at the Centre, including winning the prestigious Patrick Laurence Student of the Year Award.

“I stepped up because journalism is about getting out of your comfort zone; about being inquisitive and curious; about wanting to truly dig into the world with your bare hands. I was not always successful in this endeavour, but I worked hard at it,” says Delahunt.

Click here for the full article.

CHARM Changemakers training bolsters civic engagement in Africa

The Wits Centre for Journalism, together with DefendDefenders, Magamba Network and Fojo Media, hosted a powerful five-day training session in Lusaka, Zambia at the beginning of June to strengthen the capacity of media professionals across the continent. 

Funded by SIDA, this CHARM Changemakers initiative sought to develop participants’ ability to navigate increasingly restricted civic spaces by building practical skills in digital security, mental well-being, and storytelling for advocacy. 

Bringing together 18 human rights defenders and activists from Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Nigeria, Burkina Faso and South Africa, the training used participatory methods, hands-on exercises, and creative reflection to ensure that participants were well-equipped to continue their vital work back home.

The first two days focused on digital security, addressing device hygiene, password management, phishing attacks, mobile device safety, secure communication, two-factor authentication, data and metadata protection, and backup strategies. 

Day three saw the focus shift to social media and well-being, with sessions on ethical storytelling, relational safety, and digital wellness practices. On the fourth day, participants explored storytelling as a tool for changing crafting personal narratives, identifying target audiences, and designing digital media campaigns. The final day focused entirely on mental well-being, helping participants manage stress, build resilience, and prevent burnout. 

Read more about the CHARM consortium here.

The Wits Centre for Journalism invites all community journalists and media workers (including volunteers and freelancers across print, radio and digital) from Southern and East Africa to participate in a benchmark survey into safety among community journalists and media workers in these regions.

The information gathered from this project will be used to help inform future research and activities to protect journalists from risks and harms related to their work. Participation in the survey is anonymous and responses will be confidential. Anyone who wishes to take part in further non-anonymous interviews will also be able to share their contact information at the end of the survey.

Follow the link to fill out the survey.

WCJ academic website gets a new look

The Wits Centre for Journalism's academic website has undergone a facelift, modernising the design and layout to provide a more user-friendly journey, and provide a more comprehensive snapshot of the work done by the Centre across the continent.

Take a look here. 

• Journalists and media professionals from sub-Saharan Africa can apply for the JournalismAI Academy, a free online program that takes a deep dive into the potential of AI in newsrooms. Twenty participants will be selected. Deadline: 15 June. Click here for details.

• Young storytellers from developing countries in the Global South are invited to apply for the CNN Academy’s Voices from the South: Storytelling for Impact program, offering virtual and in-person training courses. Deadline: 23 July. Click here for details.

• Applications for the 2025/26 explain.co.za journalism internship programme are now open, offering strong mentorship from industry leaders. For interns who excel, there is a strong possibility of securing permanent employment. Deadline: 31 July. Click here for details.