Digital Strategist & Operator

I build editorial infrastructure that actually works.

For media organisations, NGOs, and civil society groups. I combine 15+ years of broadcast journalism, independent publishing, and frontline reporting into communications systems that serve real organisational needs.

CommunicationsEditorialNewsroomsCybersecurityDigital SafetyJournalismInfrastructureBrandPublishingSEO & Analytics
02 — The Throughline

Most operators specialise early and stay there. This one didn't get the choice.

A frontier governance program. A live newsroom on deadline. A conflict-adjacent border beat. An independent publisher with zero budget. Each environment removed a different excuse for cutting corners. What's left is someone who has actually shipped under real constraints, not someone who read about it.

01 · 2010–2017

Suno FM 89.4

7 years. 500+ programmes. Live unscripted broadcast taught systems thinking under pressure.

02 · 2013–2019

Tribal Post

Independent journalism from the Pak-Afghan border. Internews grant. 30+ journalists trained.

03 · 2020–Present

Aware Pakistan

300+ articles. 150+ contributors. Zero advertising. A publishing platform that runs on conviction.

04 · 2020 – Present

Independent Publishing

Aware Pakistan

Governance-first publishing works. The platform runs on process, not on one editor's memory.

300+ articles · 150+ contributors · zero ad spend
05 · 2021 – Present

Digital Infrastructure

The Dotani Digital

Clients don't want websites. They want systems they can operate without calling back.

50+ sites delivered · 5.0 rating · 43 reviews
04 — The Record · Clearance Number

Every number here traces to a source.

300+
articles at zero ad spend
Aware Pakistan, self-funded since 2020
50+
production websites delivered
The Dotani Digital, active since 2021
30+
journalists trained from tribal communities
Tribal Post, independent border journalism 2013-2019
12+
years of digital safety training
Since Dec 2014, Bytes For All ToT, ongoing
IVLP Alumni, 2015 — U.S. Department of State·Internews Small Media Grant, 2017·Bytes For All — Training of Trainers Certified
05 — Case Studies

In-Depth Analysis

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Aware Pakistan
Pakistan's media landscape is dominated by commercial outlets reliant on advertising revenue and political patronage. Independent, non-commercial publishing spaces that maintain editorial independence while publishing progressive content on human rights, gender equality, and social justice are extremely rare. The challenge: build a sustainable publishing platform from nothing - no budget, no team, no existing audience, no institutional backing - that can maintain rigorous editorial standards without ever compromising for money.
Media & PublishingMarch 2020
Glowmax International Digital Campaigns
Provincial government development projects in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa needed effective digital communications to reach target audiences - youth, educators, community leaders - while operating within strict government communication protocols. The challenge was translating bureaucratic program objectives into engaging digital content without violating clearance procedures, while also measuring real impact in a context where government projects rarely track digital metrics.
CampaignsSeptember 2018
The Dotani Digital - Solo Consultancy
NGOs, media organisations, small businesses, and independent professionals across Pakistan and beyond need digital presence that actually works - not just a template that looks good. They need someone who understands both the strategic (what should this site DO) and the technical (how do we BUILD it so it lasts). Most freelancers offer one or the other. The market gap: someone who can handle strategy, design, development, training, and ongoing support for organisations with serious communications needs and limited budgets.
BusinessDecember 2021
06 — Selected Projects

From The Ledger

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Aware Pakistan
Pakistan's media landscape is dominated by commercial outlets reliant on advertising revenue and political patronage. Independent, non-commercial publishing spaces that maintain editorial independence while publishing progressive content on human rights, gender equality, and social justice are extremely rare. The challenge: build a sustainable publishing platform from nothing - no budget, no team, no existing audience, no institutional backing - that can maintain rigorous editorial standards without ever compromising for money.
Media & PublishingMarch 2020
Glowmax International Digital Campaigns
Provincial government development projects in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa needed effective digital communications to reach target audiences - youth, educators, community leaders - while operating within strict government communication protocols. The challenge was translating bureaucratic program objectives into engaging digital content without violating clearance procedures, while also measuring real impact in a context where government projects rarely track digital metrics.
CampaignsSeptember 2018
The Dotani Digital - Solo Consultancy
NGOs, media organisations, small businesses, and independent professionals across Pakistan and beyond need digital presence that actually works - not just a template that looks good. They need someone who understands both the strategic (what should this site DO) and the technical (how do we BUILD it so it lasts). Most freelancers offer one or the other. The market gap: someone who can handle strategy, design, development, training, and ongoing support for organisations with serious communications needs and limited budgets.
BusinessDecember 2021
07 — The Operating Rules

Four rules, applied without exception.

I

Governance before growth

Rules and process first. Scale comes after the system holds.

II

Evidence over ego

Every claim traced to a verifiable source. No vanity metrics.

III

Build for the person who comes after

Documentation, onboarding, succession. The work outlives you.

IV

Unpaid work is still work

Training, mentorship, community support. Not side projects, the practice.

Ready When You Are

Tell me what needs to hold up.

A briefing, not a checkout. Response within 48 hours.

Begin The Briefing
Letter & Location
Raza Dotani
Islamabad, Pakistan
Formats: Web, Editorial, Infrastructure, ToT
Whenever you're ready.