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State of South African media
Guy Berger
Rhodes University
Grahamstown, South Africa
Department of Journalism & Media Studies
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Covering:
Post-apartheid political environment.Democratic significance?Role in de-racialisation.Quality of journalism – challenges.Conclusion.
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Environment: pre-democracy
95% state monopoly on broadcasting, Official registration for newspapers, Bannings of titles and journalists,
1977: “End of The World”1988: Shut down of SouthDetention: Sisulu 251 days, Magubane 586
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Environment: pre-democracy
Panoply of laws restricting coverage, Access restrictionsSecurity-military-police-prisonsRacial hostility
Active apartheid propaganda machine,A closed, secretive state apparatus,1990 - 1994: civil intolerance.
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Environment: Joel Merwis
1979: Press freedom described as having
“its left leg in plaster, its right arm in a sling, a patch over the left eye, deafness in the right ear, a sprained ankle and a number of teeth knocked out.”
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Environment: Nelson Mandela
2002:
"South Africa should put the freedom of its press and media at the top of its priorities as a democracy. None or our irritations with the perceived inadequacies of the media should ever allow us to suggest even faintly that the independence of the press could be compromised or coerced. A bad free press is preferable to a technically good, subservient press."
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Environment: new deal
ConstitutionFree expressionFree mediaRight to information
Some limitations …
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Environment: free speech limits
Constitution says free speech does not extend to “propaganda for war, incitement of imminent violence; or advocacy of hatred that is based on race, ethnicity, gender or religion, and that constitutes incitement to cause harm”. Film and Publications Act, and Board.
Constitution also provides for a balancing between free speech and free media rights on the one hand, with the rights to equality and dignity on the other.
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Environment: caveat
Rights can only be limited if “reasonable and justifiable in an open and democratic society based on freedom and equality”.
In addition, any limitation has to be shown to be “necessary”.
Thus very hard to curb media on an arbitrary or undemocratic basis.
Thus 2004 “9/11 terrorism” law amended.
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Environment: access to info
Promotion of Access to Information Act Right also extends to access to information
held by non-state entities in-as-much as information in this sphere is needed for the exercise or protection of any rights.
Right is subject to the administrative and financial capacity of the state.
Very little utilisation by the media. A practical exercise in 2004 showed very poor
responsiveness by state agencies. Access to courts by broadcast is still limited.
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Environment: legacy laws
Section 205: journalists forced to testify.1999 accord to limit application. Complexity: testify sans reveal sources?Other laws ignored:
Police, prisonsDivorceSub judice
Defamation: Bogoshi – progress.
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Environment: state-owned media
Constitution: independent broadcast regulator IBA was set up 1993
Negotiated compromise to remove SABC from political control.
1998: Ministerial power on IBA rejected. Parliamentary accountability. SABC similar. Icasa – merger of IBA and Satra.
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Environment: SABC
1999 Act: enshrines independence2002 amendment: Minister wants to set
editorial policies.Outcry – public consultation.2004: SABC board adopts policies.Controversy about CEO = Ed in Chief.Personnel pro-govt.
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Environment: summing up
State power over media very reduced. Culture of rights and constitutionality.Weak use of access to info. Genuine public broadcasting possible.Continued contestation within limits.
So what role is media playing in this overall positive environment?
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Media role: under apartheid
Broadcasting – political control. Broederbond, SecurocratsBlack translators, flogging.
Newspapers:Afrikaans-language – reformistEnglish-language – liberalAlternative press – resistance
Politicised, polarised.Allowed climate of rights abuse - TRC
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Media role: diverse options
Alternative press extinctMainstream media – new facesRoles:
Independent, critical.Belated discovery of watchdog in some cases.
Support govt and South Africanism.Don’t rock boat – be neutral, bland.
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Media role: identity of journalists
Journalists first, other ID’s second?Do you obey laws or not?
Section 205?Arms deal laws?
Who owns you? Foreign? Black?Some kneejerk antagonism to govt.
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Media role: mixed bag.
Sympathy to govtExcept: HIV-AIDs policy, Zimbabwe
policy.And no debate on economic policy. Govt antipathy and suspicion (Mbeki)
Various summits and meetingsPresidential Press Corps
Journalists stand for independence.
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Media role: pluralism
No political broadcasters80 new community radio stations:
Participatory democracy, local voices.Privatisation of some SABC stations7 greenfields radio stations1 new commercial TV – etv.Concentration restrictionsCross-ownership restrictions.
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Media role: local content
Radio: Community, SABC: 40%
Commercial: 25%TV: PBS 55%
Commercial: 35% (etv 45%)TV News: 50% Commercial, 80% PBS
Pluralism = checks & balance on SABC.
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Media role: economic hurdles
SABC dependent on advertising.Challenge for more linguistic diversity
and accessibility – especially on SABC.2 new African language TV channels?
SABC: insufficient PBS citizen content.Too much common content – competing
for same advert and audience pie.Poor quality of community journalism.
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Media role: Other sectors
MDDA created.Press – little African language.Tabloid media explosion –
Democratic relevance?Internet: 3.6m (of 45 million).Cellphones: 18 million.
Prospects?
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Media role: context variables
Market-driven media:Public sphere?
Civil society:TAC good at manipulating media,Trades unions struggle for sympathy.
The African project:Continental industry, Africanised
content at home.
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Media role: summing up
Independence, free to choose role.Poor relations with govt.Limited debate.Broadcast pluralism exists.Print less so, Net is limitedEconomics issues, Civil society issues.Thus: democratic role not in a vacuum.
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Deracialisation: context
Media was white. Now?Racial ID was not just different, but in
opposition. Now, just diversity?What does it mean to be a black or white
journalist?When is race relevant, when not?Nation-build Mandela – 2 nations Mbeki.White racism, black frustration.
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Deracialisation: media content
Much cross-over (press, some TV),Much reflects multiracial country.Still some segregated ID media – white
women’s magazines, black newspapers.Often tied in with language and
apartheid-evolved spatial separation, sports culture, music heritage.
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Deracialisation: active steps
1999: SAHRC inquiry into media racism.Changes in:
Ownership: broadcast, less in print. EditorsFrontline reporters
SA National Editors ForumBut race-based confidential briefing 2004
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Deracialisation: problems
Still white worldview, racist imbalances.Advertising, audiences.
LSM 1-5 = 65% population, attract 32% ads.Xenophobia re: black AfricansClass and gender:
Poverty coverage in elite media mainly.Not analytical, not disaggregated.Sources: 1 in 5, black women – 1:10.
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Deracialisation: summing up
Context: race still an issue after 10 yearsBut a far cry from apartheid.Journalists and media reflecting wider
society to an extent.Associated problems need attention:
Gender, Nationality, Class
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Quality of journalism: ethics
Conflicts of interestOut of depth in confidential briefingsPlaying politics and personal agendasPlagiarismSuperficiality
Missing story of transitionWeak on poverty, AIDS, environment,
education.
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Quality of journalism: commerce
Dumbing downCorrupted content
PR verbatimPaid-for influence (eg. AIDS industry)
De-populating newsroomsDecline of Editor power
Reporting to MDs, not to Board.
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Quality: Sanef skills audit 2002
Poor reporting skills Lack of concern with accuracyPoor writing skillsLack of life skillsLow level of commitmentWeak interviewing skills
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Quality: Sanef skills audit 2002
Weak legal knowledgeLack of sensitivityWeak knowledge of ethicsPoor general, historical and contextual
knowledgeLow level of trainer knowledge
New audit now of newsroom managers.
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Conclusion:
Legal environmentRole of mediaRole in deracialisationQuality of journalism
= ?????????????
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Conclusion: positive
Media benefits from democracy,Contributes to democracy. Free speech is secure.Pluralism exists.Contributing to deracialisation.Lots of room to deepen and widen.Ahead? Globalisation, convergence.