Tim Modise reflects on broadcasting career as NWU confers honorary doctorate

Veteran broadcaster Tim Modise says receiving an honorary doctorate in communication science from North-West University (NWU) is a deeply meaningful moment. The recognition has made him reflect on his long journey in South African media.

For Modise, the honour is more than a personal achievement. It feels like his career has come full circle and returned to its roots.

“My career as an on-air broadcaster began in Mahikeng many, many years ago. It’s like a full circle for me that where I started is where, after decades of working for different media organisations, predominantly in Johannesburg, ultimately recognition of this nature should come from an institution based in Mahikeng,” Modise told TimesLIVE.

Looking back on his career, Modise spoke about his important role during South Africa’s transition to democracy in the early 1990s.

As a broadcaster, he helped create space for national conversations during uncertain times, letting political leaders speak directly to ordinary people.

“To be part of that story was an important era for me,” he said, mentioning his interviews with key figures during negotiations at the World Trade Centre and his work in voter education and building democratic institutions.

Modise also talked about how South Africa’s media has changed over the years. Broadcasting used to be controlled by the state and was very limited, but after 1994, independent and community radio allowed many new voices to be heard.

Now, Modise said, the digital revolution has changed things again. There are more ways to connect, but also new problems such as misinformation.

“Today, it’s difficult sometimes to tell whether a story is true. There’s a lot of clutter,” he said. He stressed the need to check facts with trusted sources and to keep up with new platforms such as podcasts and X (formerly Twitter), where he connects with more than 280,000 followers.

Beyond broadcasting, Modise said he wanted to contribute to community development through the Tim Modise Foundation.

One of his priorities is supporting Tim Modise Primary School in Ga-Rankuwa, which he attended as a child and was later named after him.

He said supporting the school was an ongoing responsibility and he wanted to ensure it continued receiving support beyond his lifetime.

Modise also plans to work with the Mark Fish Foundation in December to host a sports tournament.

He said the aim was to work with other foundations and organisations to address community development needs, starting in Ga-Rankuwa and extending to other communities.

The Tim Modise Foundation said the recognition was befitting of his broadcasting career, which has spanned more than four decades.

The foundation said the honour recognised Modise’s work during significant periods in South Africa’s history and his contribution to the country’s communication and media industry.

“Dr Modise stood at the country’s political crossroads with a microphone, essentially to get the nation talking to itself, in what many South Africans considered an uncertain political and socio-economic environment at the time,” the foundation said.

It described the doctorate as an important milestone for Modise and the foundation as it seeks to preserve his legacy for future generations.