Last year, Branko Brkic, the founder of the Daily Maverick, a South African news outlet, left his day job to launch an advocacy campaign in defense of journalism. Called Project Kontinuum, the organization aims to sound the alarm about the global threats facing the institution of journalism—and to begin to mount a defense.

In this conversation, Brkic speaks about the admittedly “bleak” picture that he paints, and why news outlets have to stop playing defense if they want to survive.

This podcast was recorded live at ZegFest 2025, in Tbilisi, Georgia.

Read more:

*Brkic’s 2024 “Call to Arms” for journalism

*Brkic’s farewell editorial to readers of Daily Maverick

*Daily Maverick reflects on the revelations of its #GuptaLeaks project

Audio producer: Levan Kurtskhalia

Audio recorder and editor: Zura Patsia

Produced by: Amanda Darrach

Hosted by: Josh Hersh

The Kicker Live: Branko Brkic Wants Journalists to Wake Up

The Kicker

The Kicker Live: Branko Brkic Wants Journalists to Wake Up