In this episode of the Media and Marketing Show, we sit down with media professional Carla Bernado to unpack the evolution of journalism and strategic communication in South Africa.
From starting her career at just 13 as a presenter on the children’s travel programme Which Way, later training at community media outlet Bush Radio and hosting a programme at UCT Radio, to reporting from the BRICS Summit and travelling to Nepal with Gift of the Givers, Carla shares her media journey. Our discussion touches on the ethical challenges of reporting from inside government delegations, as well as the evolving role of communications in modern media.
Carla works as the Communication and Engagement Manager for the DSTI-NRF Centre of Excellence in Food Security (CoE-FS) and the African-German Centre for Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems and Applied Agricultural and Food Data Science (UKUDLA), hosted by the University of the Western Cape.
Carla holds a BA in Film and Media Production from UCT and a BA Honours in African Politics from UNISA, and is completing an MA in Political Communication at UCT. Her work is increasingly focused on how strategic communication can connect science, policy and publics, build trust, and contribute to social and political change. Carla was also involved in research on the use of starvation as a weapon of war in Gaza.
She reflects on her shift from commercial newsrooms (Primedia, Independent Media) to the academic sector (UWC), offering a candid look at the economic sustainability of journalism today and the camaraderie that keeps media professionals going.
Key Takeaways from the Conversation
The Line Between Access and Objectivity – How journalists maintain integrity when embedded with powerful entities and organisations.
The “Insider” Journalist – Why the most influential media work might now be happening inside institutions.
Economic Realities – What the migration of journalists to academic and corporate communications tells us about the future of news.
Humanity in Reporting – The importance of storytelling that captures truth in times of crisis and raises awareness around deep social issues.
Related articles:
UCT News Article: https://www.news.uct.ac.za/article/-2…
Daily Maverick Article:
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/artic…
Connect with Carla Bernado:
LinkedIn: / carla-bernardo-28869563
DSTI-NRF Centre of Excellence in Food Security (CoE-FS): https://foodsecurity.ac.za/
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The Media and Marketing Show features in-depth conversations with media professionals, academics and industry leaders in communications, PR and marketing. In an ever-evolving media landscape, guests share their rich professional experience and explore how they navigate change.
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Hosted and produced: Hasanain Abdullah
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