The Diplomatic Society

What The Diplomatic Society does

The Diplomatic Society is a private South African digital media platform founded in 1997 that publishes news, analysis, and editorial content covering international relations, diplomacy, trade, investment, and tourism. Its core product is the multilingual website thediplomaticsociety.co.za, supported by a digital newsletter program (including titles such as "Shaping the World," "The People's Beautiful Game," and "Freedom to Enterprise") and a "Diplomatically Speaking" editorial franchise featuring head-of-mission profiles and ambassador interviews. Underlying technology is a standard content management system with a third-party multilingual translation widget supporting eight languages (English, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, French, German, Italian, Spanish); no proprietary AI, algorithms, or data flywheels are disclosed.

Name

The Diplomatic Society

Legal name

The Diplomatic Society

Website

https://thediplomaticsociety.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Diplomatic Society is a private South African digital media platform, founded in 1997, that publishes multilingual news and analysis on diplomacy, trade, and investment for diplomats, business leaders, and globally-minded readers, monetizing through bespoke advertising packages.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Affairs Digital Media

NAICS

Broadcasting and Content Providers (516), Public Relations Agencies (541820)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721), International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

News, Politics & Current Affairs Magazines (MPAJAEAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Diplomacy, Cultural Diplomacy & Strategic Communications (BPAIAIAE), Economic & Trade Diplomacy (Commercial, Investment, Sanctions Policy) (BPAIAIAF)

Keywords

• International affairs media
• Diplomatic news coverage
• Digital content publishing
• Global relations reporting
• Multilingual media platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Gauteng

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations

Revenue model

1. Advertising and Promotional Services: The company offers bespoke advertising solutions and tailor-made promotional packages to amplify messages and drive measurable engagement for brands targeting the international diplomatic and business community.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Diplomatic Society is a private international-relations media platform that publishes curated digital content on diplomacy, trade, investment, tourism, and global cooperation. Its primary deliverables are a multilingual online news platform, subscription-based digital newsletters, the 'Diplomatically Speaking' ambassador-profile feature, and bespoke advertising and promotional packages sold to brands seeking reach into the diplomatic and international business community.

Product overview

The Diplomatic Society is a unified media platform offering diplomatic news and analysis, primarily serving as an online publication with additional value-added services. The core offering is the news platform (thediplomaticsociety.co.za) delivering international relations content, supplemented by subscription-based Digital Newsletters (such as 'Shaping the World', 'The People's Beautiful Game') and the 'Diplomatically Speaking' feature section for head of mission profiles. The platform also offers Bespoke Advertising Solutions for brands seeking targeted promotional packages to reach their diplomatic and business audience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Diplomatic Society News Platform A multilingual digital media platform (thediplomaticsociety.co.za) publishing curated editorial content on international relations, diplomacy, development, global cooperation, trade, investment, and tourism across Southern Africa with a global view, serving decision-makers, thought leaders, and globally-minded readers.
• Digital Newsletters Subscription-based digital newsletters that deliver curated content on international relations and diplomacy to subscribers, including themed editions such as 'Shaping the World', 'The People's Beautiful Game', 'Things Fall into Place', 'The New Geometry of Global Balance', and 'Freedom to Enterprise'.
• Diplomatically Speaking A featured editorial section showcasing Head of Mission Profiles — interviews and profiles of ambassadors and high commissioners from various countries accredited to South Africa.
• Bespoke Advertising Solutions Tailor-made advertising and promotional packages offered directly to brands, agencies, and partners seeking targeted reach into the platform's diplomatic, trade, tourism, academic, and investment audience.

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Institute for Security Studies (ISS Africa): ISS Africa is a pan-African policy and research organization publishing analysis on governance, diplomacy, and international relations across the continent. It targets a similar diplomatic and policy-research audience and serves as both a content and policy reference point.
• The Diplomat: The Diplomat is a digital-only international affairs magazine covering geopolitics in the Asia-Pacific, with a similar niche-publishing, advertising-supported business model and comparable audience of diplomats, policy professionals, and business readers.
• Africa Confidential: Africa Confidential is a long-running subscription newsletter and digital publication focused on African politics, diplomacy, and economics — directly overlapping with TDS's coverage of African international affairs and targeting a similar high-level policy and business audience.
• The Africa Report: The Africa Report is a pan-African magazine covering politics, diplomacy, business, and international relations across the continent. It mirrors TDS's blend of policy, trade, and diplomatic coverage with a similar advertising and events business model.
• TV BRICS: TV BRICS is an international broadcaster covering BRICS nations and global cooperation, and is referenced directly as a content source on The Diplomatic Society. It shares coverage of Russia-Africa, BRICS, and multilateral diplomacy topics.
• African Business: African Business is a pan-African magazine covering business, trade, and economic diplomacy on the continent. It overlaps with TDS's trade, investment, and economic-cooperation coverage and targets a similar business chamber and investor audience.

Emerging players

• CGTN Africa: CGTN Africa is the Africa-focused arm of China Global Television Network producing news and analysis on China-Africa relations, diplomacy, and development. It competes for attention of African diplomatic audiences and represents both a content partnership opportunity and a competitive threat.

Broad incumbents

• Foreign Policy: Foreign Policy is an established international affairs magazine (now digital-first) covering global diplomacy, economics, and geopolitics. It targets the same diplomatic and policy elite audience as TDS but at a far larger scale and with subscription and event-revenue streams.

Regional players

• Daily Maverick: Daily Maverick is a leading South African digital news outlet covering politics, business, and international affairs from a Southern African perspective. It serves a comparable South African professional audience and competes for the same domestic advertising base.
• Mail & Guardian: Mail & Guardian is a long-established South African weekly newspaper and digital publication with strong international affairs and African diplomacy coverage. It competes with TDS for South African readers and diplomatic community advertisers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-kianja-project
• Xx.com/thediplomats_
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheDiplomaticSociety

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Diplomatic Society