State of South African media

Guy Berger

Rhodes University

Grahamstown, South Africa

Department of Journalism & Media Studies

Covering:

Post-apartheid political environment.Democratic significance?Role in de-racialisation.Quality of journalism – challenges.Conclusion.

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

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.

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.”

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."

Environment: new deal

ConstitutionFree expressionFree mediaRight to information

Some limitations …

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

Quality: Sanef skills audit 2002

Poor reporting skills Lack of concern with accuracyPoor writing skillsLack of life skillsLow level of commitmentWeak interviewing skills

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.

Conclusion:

Legal environmentRole of mediaRole in deracialisationQuality of journalism

= ?????????????

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.