Blacknation Media is an innovative start-up that's made a name for itself in digital publishing and as an online media agency.
Brothers Thulasizwe and Andrew Simelane, co-directors of the company, spoke to Sowetan about creating a platform for young, black creative entrepreneurs and the growing pains of owning a media and digital publishing company.
Growing up in Standerton, a small town in Mpumalanga, the brothers came to Johannesburg after matric to further their tertiary studies.
Thulasizwe, 24, studied media and journalism at Rosebank College and Andrew, 27, is a communications and public relations graduate from the University of Johannesburg. "I learnt a lot about the media industry through going through every student journalism platform at UJ, from the newspaper to the radio station," Andrew said.
The brothers came up with the Blacknation concept in a flat in Auckland Park.
"There were a few failed attempts in the beginning," Andrew recalled.
Now, Blacknation Media has various platforms: daily video production, a half-yearly magazine and their various social media accounts which help them to diversify their content - and reach many young people.
"It took around five to six years to fully establish Blacknation as it is now," Andrew said.
In that time the brothers learnt a lot about navigating online publishing and skilling themselves to be able to produce and distribute niche content, as they do.
"We're making content for the people in rural areas who don't know what's happening in the city. We're doing it for those people in places like Standerton," Thulasizwe said.
"We're not trying to put out content that everyone else is doing, we are trying to be different and innovative," added Andrew.
Both stressed the importance of getting a tertiary education to follow this career path. Andrew explained that due to their tertiary education they learnt some digital publishing skills that opened up the possibilities of the digital realm. "However, most of the things we had to learn ourselves," he said.
Blacknation Media has had a few challenges, including other media companies taking their content without permission or acknowledgement.
"It's no secret that in this industry people use other people," Andrew said.
Collaborating with creative entrepreneurs, agencies and publishing companies is vital to success in the industry.
As a result, competition is not an issue to the brothers.
Creative Nestlings, a young creative network and innovation studio in Cape Town, is one of their business partners. Blacknation, which operates from Braamfontein in Johannesburg, is also in collaboration with Digital African.
appasamyy@sowetan.co.za
Brothers thrive in the digital space
Blacknation Media is an innovative start-up that's made a name for itself in digital publishing and as an online media agency.
Brothers Thulasizwe and Andrew Simelane, co-directors of the company, spoke to Sowetan about creating a platform for young, black creative entrepreneurs and the growing pains of owning a media and digital publishing company.
Growing up in Standerton, a small town in Mpumalanga, the brothers came to Johannesburg after matric to further their tertiary studies.
Thulasizwe, 24, studied media and journalism at Rosebank College and Andrew, 27, is a communications and public relations graduate from the University of Johannesburg. "I learnt a lot about the media industry through going through every student journalism platform at UJ, from the newspaper to the radio station," Andrew said.
The brothers came up with the Blacknation concept in a flat in Auckland Park.
"There were a few failed attempts in the beginning," Andrew recalled.
Now, Blacknation Media has various platforms: daily video production, a half-yearly magazine and their various social media accounts which help them to diversify their content - and reach many young people.
"It took around five to six years to fully establish Blacknation as it is now," Andrew said.
In that time the brothers learnt a lot about navigating online publishing and skilling themselves to be able to produce and distribute niche content, as they do.
"We're making content for the people in rural areas who don't know what's happening in the city. We're doing it for those people in places like Standerton," Thulasizwe said.
"We're not trying to put out content that everyone else is doing, we are trying to be different and innovative," added Andrew.
Both stressed the importance of getting a tertiary education to follow this career path. Andrew explained that due to their tertiary education they learnt some digital publishing skills that opened up the possibilities of the digital realm. "However, most of the things we had to learn ourselves," he said.
Blacknation Media has had a few challenges, including other media companies taking their content without permission or acknowledgement.
"It's no secret that in this industry people use other people," Andrew said.
Collaborating with creative entrepreneurs, agencies and publishing companies is vital to success in the industry.
As a result, competition is not an issue to the brothers.
Creative Nestlings, a young creative network and innovation studio in Cape Town, is one of their business partners. Blacknation, which operates from Braamfontein in Johannesburg, is also in collaboration with Digital African.
appasamyy@sowetan.co.za
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