Ronell Swartbooi Emphasises Empathy And Diversity As Keys To Navigating Today’s PR Landscape

Ronell Swartbooi, head of PR, Voxeon Communications, reflects on the diverse pathways that lead people into PR, especially in Africa (Image supplied)

For many young professionals, community media, podcasting, student journalism, and radio provide a vital entry point into storytelling, strategy, and social impact.

These platforms deserve more recognition as legitimate grooming grounds for PR excellence.

The theme of this year’s World PR Day is a powerful one: Building Bridges and Navigating Polarisation.

Building bridges requires empathy, context, and the courage to show up authentically.

Navigating polarisation means knowing when to speak, when to listen, and how to frame dialogue that opens minds rather than closes doors.

From creative outlet to formative training ground

Long before I entered the world of PR and brand strategies, media lists, or stakeholder engagement, I spent my student years as a newsreader, youth radio host and producer at UCT Radio.

What started as a creative outlet quickly became a formative training ground, one that would later shape how I communicate on behalf of nonprofit organisations, corporate ICT brands and tech startups across the African continent.

My journey from the airwaves to PR waves has taught me that our most powerful tools as communicators are not just our strategies, but our stories and our ability to make others feel seen, heard, and understood.

4 lessons from radio

The skills I developed in that small campus studio, back in 2001, remain central to my work in PR today. Here are four lessons I carry with me.

1. Storytelling that builds trust

   Radio demanded that I learn to communicate, quickly, and most importantly, authentically.

   Whether announcing campus news or interviewing guests live on air, I learned that audiences respond best to stories that sound like they’re being told by someone they trust. In the PR space, where trust is currency, this has been invaluable.

   One of my best memories is getting to interview David Kramer; it was for my drama directing class project and securing that interview helped me lean into a key PR fundamental: securing credible voices for your story.

1. Understanding the media ecosystem

   Having been on the other side of media pitches, as a newsreader and producer, I developed a deep respect for deadlines, editorial judgment, and the unspoken rules of a newsroom.

   That insider knowledge now helps me build mutually beneficial relationships with journalists, not just send out emails into the void.

1. Adapting to people and polarisation

   Radio taught me to "read the room" without being in it. Whether I was fielding calls or steering challenging interviews, I had to quickly pick up on tone, energy, and underlying tensions.

   Today, this sensitivity is essential when navigating the increasingly polarised spaces we operate in—be it political discourse, social movements, or corporate crises.

1. Creating agile, multi-platform content

   In radio, you learn to plan, produce, and pivot, often all at once. The ability to craft messages that resonate across formats has helped me translate brand narratives into video scripts, opinion pieces, social content, and earned media, without losing coherence or impact.

In a world hungry for connection, the mic was the first bridge I ever built. I’ll always be grateful for where it’s led me.

About Ronell  Swartbooi

Ronell  Swartbooi is a people connector and neo‑generalist with over 18 years’ experience in public relations, digital communications, project and event management. She majored in Media Studies, Drama and Film from UCT, and has diplomas in Marketing & PR, including a post-graduate diploma in Financial Journalism. She has built impactful tech‑PR and communications strategies across startups, scale‑ups, and tech enterprise clients. In her spare time, she’s been a TEDxCapeTown volunteer since 2013, involved in curatorship, marketing and brand partnerships, and very passionate about connecting people through technology, purpose‑driven storytelling, and innovative content.