The SABC’s news division has reached a million subscribers on its YouTube channel.
The milestone has put SABC News in the forefront of digital news platforms in South Africa as the first news channel to reach these numbers in the country.
On average, the channel receives 1 million views in a 48 hour period according to YouTube analytics.
Over the years the platform has carried livestreams and breaking news which have contributed to the channel’s growth, as it serves as a news medium for people on the go.
One of the most viewed videos on the channel is a Nelson Mandela Lecture from 2018 by former US President, Barack Obama, a partnership between SABC and YouTube.
The video garnered 13 million views, making it the most viewed livestream on the platform.
In second place is the 32nd annual reed dance from 2016 with over 3 million views.
Former SABC News contributing editor, Vuyo Mvoko’s live mugging outside Milpark Hospital is the third most viewed video.
A total of 494.5 million views have been generated by content on the SABC News YouTube channel.
The channel has seen rapid growth in the last three years, having only reached 100 thousand subscribers in late 2016.
In 2019, SABC Digital News won an IAB award for best digital channel in the silver category.
SABC News YouTube channel was opened in 2012.
