Department of Journalism

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An analysis of health reporting in three South African women's magazines: Fairlady, Sarie and True Love
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2006-12) Mattheyse, Mary (Mary Elizabeth); Claassen, George; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Journalism.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Health reporting in South African women’s magazines has not previously been assessed. Therefore, a content analysis of health reporting in three South African monthly women’s magazines, Sarie (S), Fairlady (F), and True Love (T), was carried out from February 2005–January 2006. Total coverage of health issues was analysed, as well as coverage of 11 specific aspects of health, namely: sexual and reproductive (‘Sexual’), men’s, women’s, cardiac (‘Heart’), spiritual ‘Spirit’), mental and emotional (‘Mental’), diet and nutrition (‘Diet’), sport and exercise (‘Sportex’), health-related items not covered by the other categories (‘General’), pseudoscience with regard to health issues (‘Pseudo’) and parenting and child care (‘Parent’). True Love devoted most space to all health items combined (17,7% of total subject material), compared with 13,8% for Sarie and 11,7 % for Fairlady. The top three categories (20,1%, 19,7% and 16,3% of total health coverage) were the ‘Mental’, ‘General’ and ‘Sexual’ categories, respectively. Comparisons of categories among the magazines showed the following trends for the most coverage: ‘Sexual’ (T); women’s (F), ‘Spirit’ (T), ‘Mental’ (S); and ‘Diet’ (F). T was the only magazine to carry articles in the ‘Parent’ category. However, statistical analyses showed that the only significant differences were in women’s (F>T); ‘Spirit’ (F>S; T>S); ‘Mental' (S>F) and ’Diet’ (F>S). The reporting in the magazines was not found to be balanced as regards the emphasis given to certain aspects of health. The most striking imbalance was that no information was given regarding prevention of HIV/Aids, now the leading cause of death in South Africa.
An analysis of racial stereotyping of the South African Police in the television programmes Carte Blanche and Special Assignment from August 2003 to September 2004
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2005-04) Gerbi, Giovanna Maria; Wasserman, Herman; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Journalism.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this assignment is to examine two investigative journalism programmes in South Africa, namely Carte Blanche and SpecialAssignment in order to ascertain whether two South African policing organisations have been subjected to racist stereotyping on these two programmes. Both these programmes are held in high esteem within South African and international media circles. Carte Blanche has won many awards, such as the prestigious eNN African Journalist of the Year Award in 2002. Special Assignment won the equivalent award in 2001. The approaches and styles in revealing the truth by using investigative forms of journalism are however slightly different. Both Carte Blanche and Special Assignment have produced stories from August 2003 to September 2004 that have exposed corruption within the South African policing organisations. Many of the perpetrators within the police force were identified as people of colour. This assignment therefore aims to discover whether racist stereotyping exists in this niche of investigative journalism television programmes. This opens up the possibility for these portrayals to be seen as stereotypical, since the dominant press codes in South Africa stipulates that reference to 'race' in news reporting should only be done where it will contribute significantly to understanding the subject matter or if the reference to the race of the person is particularly applicable. This assignment aims to discover whether racist stereotyping exists in this niche of investigative journalism television programmes. The research method comprised analysing programmes on Carte Blanche and Special Assignment that dealt with the South African policing organisations from August 2003 to September 2004. The original transcripts of the programmes were retrieved from the relevant websites of Carte Blanche and Special Assignment and have also been studied. Sources on media ethics as well as newspaper and magazine articles dealing with the South African policing organisations, crime and corruption were scrutinized in order to provide background information for the study. The analyses of the programmes was complemented by interviews conducted with the investigative journalists at the helm of the two programmes, namely, Ruda Landman from Carte Blanche and Jessica Pitchford from Special Assignment.
An analysis of the policy governing broadcasting news in contemporary South Africa, using Hanberger’s model
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2020-12) Griesel, Jenny; Botma, Gabriel; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Journalism.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In the South African constitutional democracy, the state is responsible for ensuring that people have access to information, in order to make informed decisions and participate in democratic life. This responsibility is enshrined in the Constitution through the right to access information and the freedom of the media. The state enables constitutional imperatives via legislation. The broadcasting news policy is implemented via a Chapter 9 organisation, namely the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA). The operation of this organisation is also provided for in the Constitution.This study is a policy analysis of the policy governing electronic news in contemporary South Africa, with a specific focus on free-to-air national television. Using Hanberger’s model as a framework to steer the research, this study examines whether the current policy is achieving its aims. Normative theory provides the theoretical point of departure, as the study questions whether the policy is effectively contributing to an informed population in the country, in order to further democracy. Using a qualitative research approach, the research methodology included a content analysis of free-to-air television news bulletins on SABC3 and ETV, analysis of documents related to the policy, and interviews with stakeholders.The study found that the South African public is being under-serviced with television news that lacks both depth and a diversity of viewpoints, that television newsrooms are under-resourced, and that owing to gaps in the policy, television stations produce the bare minimum of news. Additionally, the study revealed that the implementing organisation ICASA is inadequately fulfilling its function in various ways and has lost sight of its purpose. Other findings were that the country lacks an essential, legal definition of news, that the policy is managed in a superficial manner, and that there is a clear need for the policy to be revised and updated to accommodate the many shifts which have occurred in the socio-economic landscape and in the media environment since the policy’s inception 25 years ago.
Are “untouched citizens” creating their deliberative democracy online? A critical analysis of women’s activist media in Zimbabwe
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2017-12) Mpofu, Sibongile; Rabe, Lizette; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Journalism.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study examines women’s political participation in Zimbabwe by investigating whether online media platforms, specifically blogs, provide Zimbabwean women with spaces for critical communicative interaction where they can challenge the dominant discourse and participate in politics. Anchored in the broader conceptualisation of political participation, the epistemological premise of this study explores how everyday conversations by women in blogs on the five selected websites (WCoZ.org, Kubatana.net, Herzimbabwe.co.zw, Herald.co.zw and Chronicle.co.zw) morph into political conversations. Given that the use of the internet, specifically digital communication platforms, is an important pathway to the enhancement of deliberative democracy in society, particularly the engagement in the public sphere by those who are otherwise marginalised from mainstream politics, this study contributes to these debates by determining how and under what circumstances everyday conversations permeate into political conversations. By focusing on women in Zimbabwe, who are without alternative communication platforms to articulate their agendas following state control of the media, this study investigates how political expression and democratic engagement manifest on different types of new media platforms. Womanism, feminist critical and critical political economy theories were used as the most appropriate theoretical points of departure. These paradigms offer a holistic analysis of women’s lived experiences in Zimbabwe and of how political, economic, cultural and social institutions influence women activists’ activities in new media. A qualitative research approach employing the collective case study as a research design was adopted. Data for analysis were collected from the five purposively selected websites and from online semi-structured interviews conducted with selected bloggers from these websites. The data were analysed using qualitative content analysis, employing the qualitative analysis software package ATLAS.ti Version 7. The findings reveal that blogs, as alternative and securer spaces, offer possibilities for social transformation by enabling Zimbabwean women to reclaim their space in the political, socio-economic and cultural spheres. This is in contrast to the view that digital media are driven by existing hierarchies and power structures. By introducing their views on issues that affect them and developing a voice of their own, Zimbabwean women are not only challenging the dominant discourse and social norms that oppress them, but also illuminating various other significant personal impacts that women derive from blogging that are relevant for political participation, offering a nuanced understanding of possibilities for political participation and democracy from the premise of everyday conversations whereby previously “untouched citizens” can create a deliberative democracy online.
The Bauernmission and the ironies of colonialism : the religio-cultural legacy of the Bauernsiedlung Philippi
(Sabinet, 2009-11) Rabe, Lizette
The German immigrants who formed the three "waves" of Germans to settle at Philippi in the Western Cape (South Africa) in the 19th century, and their descendants, contributed not only to the agricultural well-being of the Western Cape by providing the growing population with fresh produce, but also to the diversity of the region with their German cultural heritage. The arrival in the Western Cape of specifically the last two "waves" of German immigrants was both the result of the Hermannsburg "Bauernmission" - "agricultural missionary society" - as well as a specific immigration drive by the British colonial government to recruit specifically Germans to populate various areas of the Western and Eastern Cape colonies, which coincided. This article discusses the history of the resultant Philippi German farming community - a typical "Bauernsiedlung" - and the irony of their religio-cultural legacy and a new generation of (im)migrants to the Western Cape. Translations of the German quotations are provided as footnotes.
Die belang van kritiese selfrefleksie deur joernalistiekopvoeders
(Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns, 2018) Jordaan, Marenet
Die joernalistieke bedryf is onder groot druk en verander teen ŉ ongekende pas. Dit beteken joernalistiekopvoeders – veral op tersiêre vlak – moet gedurig herbesin oor wat in die lesinglokaal gebeur om tred te hou met omwentelinge in die bedryf. Die kernargument in hierdie artikel is dat joernalistiekopvoeders die basiese beginsels van kritiese selfreflektiewe onderrigpraktyk in gedagte moet hou wanneer hulle interaksie met studente het en kurrikula ontwikkel. Kritiese selfreflektiewe onderrigpraktyk beteken om deeglik na te dink oor bestaande waardestelsels en ervaring alvorens besluite oor toekomstige onderrigbenaderings gemaak word (Larrivee 2000:294). In die artikel word kennis geneem van debatte binne joernalistiekonderrig, wat insluit die soms gespanne verhouding tussen die akademie en die bedryf, sowel as onsekerheid wat steeds bestaan oor waar joernalistiekprogramme in die groter universiteitsomgewing inpas. Aandag word ook geskenk aan die veranderende leerstyle van studente. Die gebruik van digitale media-tegnologie word as voorbeeld gebruik van hoe daar soms wanopvattings kan bestaan oor studente se ervaring binne en buite die lesinglokaal. Kritiese selfreflektiewe onderrigpraktyk word gedefinieer ten einde te argumenteer dat dié benadering veral relevant kan wees vir joernalistiekonderrig op universiteit. As voorbeeld van hoe kritiese selfrefleksie aangewakker kan word onder joernalistiekopvoeders, word verwys na ŉ gevallestudie by die Universiteit Stellenbosch se nagraadse joernalistiekdepartement. In dié geval word terugvoer uit fokusgroepe met honneursstudente aangewend om te reflekteer oor kursusinhoud en leerbenaderings wat ook tot kurrikulumvernuwing kan lei.
Die belang van mediavryheid in Suid-Afrika : tweehonderd jaar, twee gevallestudies, van die Magna Carta tot die Muilbandwet
(Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns, 2016-09) Rabe, Lizette
Hierdie artikel beskou die huidige bedreigings teen 'n vrye media in Suid-Afrika vanuit 'n mediahistoriografiese vertrekpunt en betoog dat die rol van 'n vrye media in Suid-Afrika belangriker is as ooit weens die bedreigings van die ANC-regering op die vrye vloei van inligting. Mediavryheid as konsep word bespreek, waarna 'n vrye media vanuit 'n libertaries-sosiaal verantwoordelike teoretiese vertrekpunt belig word. Dit word gevolg deur 'n kort bespreking van die gevallestudie as navorsingsontwerp en die historiese metode as navorsingsinstrument. Twee gevallestudies in die stryd om mediavryheid teen die regering van die dag oor byna tweehonderd jaar in Suid-Afrika volg: Die eerste onder 'n outoritêre Britse koloniale regering en die tweede onder 'n demokratiese bedeling onder die ANC. In die eerste word beweeg van geen persvryheid, na sogenaamde onvoorwaardelike vryheid. In die tweede hou die voorgestelde Media Appèl Tribunaal, sekere wetsontwerpe, sowel as ander bedreigings, asook die ondemokratiese uitsprake en optrede van Suid-Afrika se staatshoof en sy regering, ernstige gevare in vir mediavryheid, ondanks grondwetlike waarborge. Die stelsel van selfregulering is relevant en word kortliks bespreek. Die gevolgtrekking is dat mediavryheid altyd voorwaardelik is, ondanks 'n pro tempore-belewenis dat dit onvoorwaardelik kan wees, en dat mediavryheid eweseer 'n kwessie is in 'n sogenaamde liberaal-demokratiese bedeling as wat dit in 'n vorige diktatoriale koloniale era was.
Beyond the barriers : HIV prevention and treatment in South African public sector - a Western Cape Science Communication Study
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2005-04) Yeager, Valerie (Valerie Ann); Claassen, George; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Journalism.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This work provides a comprehensive overview of the South African HIV/AIDS epidemic. It examines the historical and social background of the HIV/AIDS situation and looks at the importance of the media and science communication in combating the effects of the epidemic on society. This research explores the different forms of health communication and the varied benefits of each. Overall, it highlights positive media efforts that have helped redirect the HIV/AIDS epidemic within the social and political context of the HIV epidemic in South Africa. The second half of this work covers the challenges experienced in gaining publicsector antiretroviral treatment and the roles the media have played in informing and mobilizing society for these efforts. Through a community clinic ethnographic case study this work explores the current state of treatment clinics, social challenges experienced in the Usapho Lwethu Clinic of Gugulethu and the future of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in South Africa.
Blogs in the mainstream media : an exploration of a code of ethical conduct for j-bloggers at Die Burger Western Cape
(Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2008-03) De Vries, Florence; Botma, Gabriel; University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Journalism.
With the advent of new communication technologies, traditional journalism has continually had to adjust to new contexts. In 2006, the Western Cape daily newspaper Die Burger established a blogging section as part of its website. Presently j-bloggers (journalists who are bloggers) still work according to Die Burger’s current ethical code of conduct. Yet the establishment of j-blogs at Die Burger has raised a number of questions regarding the ethical conduct of journalists in this medium. This study attempts to show that the mainstream ethical concepts of accuracy, fairness and the use of anonymous sources may be interpreted differently in the medium of blogging and explores the feasibility of a code of conduct for j-bloggers at Die Burger. Die Burger’s code of conduct is compared with various bloggers’ codes of conduct. The study argues that Die Burger’s code of conduct offers more comprehensive guidelines for journalists than most bloggers’ codes. These guidelines include protecting the newspaper’s reading public from harm. However, it was also found that the different interpretations of ethical concepts on blogs need to be considered in a code of conduct for j-bloggers. In this study, the composition of a code of conduct for j-bloggers was discussed with j-bloggers, print journalists and several other stakeholders at Die Burger. The participants in this study argued that a code of conduct for j-bloggers may be feasible but that it should operate in addition to Die Burger’s current code of conduct. Furthermore, this study argues two normative theories of the press – the social responsibility and democratic-participant theories – intersect in a discussion of ethical codes for j-bloggers. Using this theoretical framework, the study aims to describe specific guidelines for the ethical conduct of j-bloggers at Die Burger.
Brick walls or brick columns? : management responses to the challenge of sustainability in community radio with special reference to Bush Radio and Radio Zibonele
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2001-04) Mati, Shepherd A.; Retief, Johan; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Journalism.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Community radio stations in South Africa are faced with a huge challenge to become sustainable in the process of serving their communities. The issue of sustainability itself is complex and shaped by a range of conditionalities. These include community participation, funding, regulatory and licencing factors, staff and management expertise, and the strategic planning and management capacity of a station. Often the communities themselves are materially poor and unable to contribute in monetary terms to the radio station. However, these same communities are also a source of wealth when it comes to experience, ideas, human power and time. A major challenge is for station management to develop organisational strategies that facilitate full utilisation of this community resource in the process of sustaining their stations. The focus of this study is on two stations in the Western Cape - Bush Radio and Radio Zibonele - and how their management is responding to the challenge of sustainability. Bush Radio has evolved a diversification strategy based on providing formal training and development as an income-generator, and Radio Zibonele has responded through a strategy of selling airtime to advertisers. This work describes these sustainability strategies and explores whether they constitute 'building a brick column or a brick wall'. The conclusion suggests that while both radio stations demonstrate varying degrees of community participation, clear internal systems of monitoring and control of resources, they differ in some fundamental respects of strategy. Bush Radio, on the one hand, shows a clear commitment to consciously diversifying income sources in a way that does not leave the station highly dependent on any single source. This, the writer submits, constitutes an attempt at building a "brick wall". Radio Zibonele, on the other hand, shows a clear commitment to consolidation and reliance on advertising revenue as a single source of income for the station. To the extent that this station relies on a single source of income and does not demonstrate any strategic objective of diversifying sources, the writer submits, it is building a "brick column". The basic assumption of this study is that while the challenge of sustainability constitutes an objective reality facing community radio stations in South Africa today, the subjective responses developed by station management to deal with this challenge can and often do make a difference.
Burgerlike joernalistiek in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks : 'n ondersoek na die insluiting van gemarginaliseerde gemeenskappe deur herberaming met verwysing na projekte van die Cape Argus en Kaapse-Rapport
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2005-04) Truter, Charlene; Wasserman, Herman; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Journalism.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Since South Africa’s transition from a nationalistic state to a democracy in 1994, debates about the media’s role have intensified as the challenges and complexities of the South African society unfolded. In this debate, which mainly played out between the government and the media, the liberal theory and the developmental theory were used as the two main normative positions from which to contest the media’s role. As normative theories they describe the ideal role of the press within societal systems and thus fall within the functionalist paradigm. Historically, the liberal approach was seen as the accepted normative framework for the media within a democracy to protect that very democracy. The liberal consensus adopted by the post-apartheid media therefore came as no surprise. However, the optimism initially experienced regarding the independence of the new, liberal media, its professionalisation and economic restructuring, is gradually being challenged by the critical perspective. This perspective questions the extent of transformation in a public sphere where entrance is still restricted by class structures. The argument of this paper is that although the above changes to the media landscape are recognised as important, they do not account for issues of class and how the poor, the spaces they live in and the factors impacting on their lives, are framed by the media. This paper is presented as a normative undertaking and presents civic journalism as alternative normative framework. It moves from the premise that the representations afforded to the poor in die media are being hampered by the individualistic aims of the Western, liberal, journalistic tradition. The argument is further that the use of a community-driven approach should lead to broader representation of the poor in the media and the inclusion of this currently marginalised group in the public sphere. Reframing, one of the most important methods of civic journalism, is singled out to explore the possibility of applying civic journalism to the South African context. The motivation for this paper is the belief that the need exists for a greater plurality of voices and discourses.
Certain milestones in the history of Lutheran congregations of the German immigrants to the Philippi flats : 1877-2007
(Sabinet, 2007-11) Rabe, Lizette
The year 2007 marks the 130th commemoration of the arrival of the so-called Second Wave of German immigrants to the Western Cape, specifically to the Cape Flats, while New Year's Day 2007 commemorated the 120th year of independence of the Wynberg Lutheran congregation. Yet, it is also the year in which this, the oldest, and the second of the original three Lutheran congregations that have served this community, will cease to function as an independent congregation and will become a so-called parish of the last remaining congregation. The church building of this last remaining Philippi congregation, as well as the church of the first congregation that ceased to exist, that of Neu-Eisleben, was built 110 years ago, in 1897. This article gives an overview of the history of this community, indicating certain milestones before and since 1877, and records the thoughts of a couple of those descendants who are touched directly by the prorogation at the beginning of the 21st century of the independent existence of the oldest congregation.
Challenges for journalism education and training in a transforming society : a case study of three selected institutions in post-1994 South Africa
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2013-12) Dube, Bevelyn; Rabe, Lizette; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Journalism.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigated the challenges for journalism education and training (JE&T) in a post-1994 transforming South Africa. Prior to 1994, South Africa had three distinct university systems with different ideological orientations, namely historically Afrikaans-language universities, historically English-language universities, and historically “black” universities. The consequence of these orientations in the university system caused a paradigmatic schism in the field of JE&T. The advent of democracy in 1994 necessitated the questioning of this division in higher education. One could assume that there was need to transform the JE&T curricula so that it could address the challenges of a society in transformation. This study, therefore, aimed to establish whether JE&T curricula in three selected tertiary institutions in post-1994 South Africa have transformed in line with the transformation process in the country. The post-colonial theory, developmental journalism model and Ubuntu philosophy were deemed the most appropriate theoretical points of departure from which to analyse the curricula. A collective case study was used as a research design. To collect data, a mixedmethod approach, which utilised both qualitative and quantitative approaches, was used. Qualitative data were collected through use of programme documents from the selected journalism tertiary institutions and a semi-structured questionnaire, which was distributed to programme coordinators. Quantitative data were obtained through the structured questionnaire which was completed by students in the selected programmes. The qualitative data obtained were analysed using qualitative content analysis, while quantitative data were analysed using the statistical package SPSS version 18. The data were then analysed and discussed in terms of the selected theories. The analysis revealed that the three programmes are highly dependent on Western epistemologies. The programmes have a close relationship with the media industry, a relationship which at times can be a double-edged sword. The findings also show that the programme coordinators of these programmes are not averse to the transformation of curricula provided the process takes into cognisance Western epistemologies. The results also showed that in terms of gender and race, transformation has either been insignificant or non-existent. Lastly, all three programmes do not teach their students to report in indigenous languages. The final conclusion of the study is that JE&T in the selected programmes are not yet addressing the challenges of a transforming post-1994 South Africa.
Change management in the information age : a case study of a niche publication
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2008-03) Strauss, Lizl; Rabe, Lizette; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Journalism.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This is a study of media management in the publication industry under conditions of rapid environmental change. The study focuses on a particular case, The Mannequin, a niche publication serving many purposes. The study finds that environmental change creates major challenges for commercial survival. Explicit change management procedures are required. The study recommends a set of change management procedures suitable for small, niche market publications. It then recommends avenues for further research.
Changes and challenges in the face of digital disruptions at community print newspapers of Boland Media and WP Media : perspectives from the newsroom
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2020-03) Van der Spuy, Michelle; Botma, Gabriel; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Journalism.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Community print newspapers in South Africa have not been immune to the consequences of the digital disruption on the media landscape in general and the print media industry in particular. While research has been conducted on the changes and challenges the digital disruption has caused in the print media industry, there is a lack of research on how this phenomenon has affected the newsrooms of community print newspapers in South Africa. This study employed a qualitative research design with a phenomenological approach as theoretical framework to examine the changes and challenges journalists working at community print newspapers in South Africa experience in their newsrooms. Interviews were conducted with nine community journalists from a number of community newspapers published in the Western Cape by Boland Media and WP Media. The researcher explored their experiences with and perspectives on changes and challenges in the newsroom, the way these journalists function in an online environment, the role of community newspapers in the communities they serve, the quality of community newspapers in South Africa as well as what the participants in this study believe the future may hold for these publications. The researcher found that while there are in fact a number of changes and challenges present in the participants’ newsrooms, this does not hamper their passion for or quality of their work.
Children on e : a qualitative and quantitative study of children's rights on the e-TV News agenda
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2005-03) Rutter, Chantal Antonia; Wasserman, Herman; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Department of Journalism.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Television is a powerful tool in the diffusion of information to the masses. It is therefore influential in the way society perceives and responds to children, and in so doing it has an influence on the provision and protection of children's rights. According to international and locally conducted studies children are not high on the media agenda, are seldom given a voice or status, and if they are, issues around them are mostly formulated by adults. This assignment sets out to determine whether the same conclusion can be drawn from South African free-to-air television station e-TV. In particular it seeks to establish whether e- News has been successful in placing children's rights in on the public agenda or whether it has reported on children in an ad hoc manner. Children's human rights issues have been defined in accordance with the United Nation's Children's Rights Charter and the South African Bill of Rights, which makes specific provision for the child/children. This assignment takes its lead from a Media Monitoring Project study. Like the MMP report this research is conducted within a human rights framework and concedes according to Section 28 (2) of the Constitution that "the child's best interests are of paramount importance in every matter concerning the child". The methodology employed in this assignment, while replicating a Media Monitoring Project study, also employs discourse analysis in the form of interviews and questionnaires conducted with e-News members of staff. The methodology was applied to a sample of 71 stories which included reference to a child or children and which were broadcast on e-News Live at 7 and e-News live at 10 between January and August 2004. In brief it was found that the rights to privacy, dignity and freedom of speech were satisfactorily upheld (as per the Bill of Rights), but that issues about children are mostly sourced by and commented on by adults. Furthermore it was found that children's rights do not form an implicit part of the e-News agenda. Given that a human rights framework is normative for e-News, it is recommended that children's rights be placed in context, that stories challenge stereotypes about children and that e- News should consider appointing 'children's correspondents'.
Choosing to be part of the story : the participation of the South African National Editors’ Forum in the democratising process
(Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2006-03) Barratt, Elizabeth; Rabe, Lizette; University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Journalism.
This study aims to locate the South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) within South Africa’s transformation from apartheid to a nonracial and constitutional democracy. This entails first examining the potential for participation demonstrated by editors’ societies at different democratic stages and defining the ideal democratic roles of journalism. The recent political history of journalism in the country is summarised to draw out the particular obstacles to editors’ unity and the transformation needs in South Africa’s racialised context. Then the forum’s history from 1995 to 2000 is reconstructed in detail using documentary sources. This covers the formation and launch periods of Sanef, and the next couple of years of the forum’s existence. This study is described as a historical, qualitative inquiry from the inside, observing both the sequence of events and the motives related to the context and to concepts of democratic role. It is unusual in that it is a historical study of a journalism society and it uses journalism theories to guide the research and the analysis. The research shows that despite having to overcome divisive issues from their past, the editors chose to play their part across all democratic roles: liberal, social democratic, neoliberal and participative. Activities were mostly linked to the current democratic stage. Many involved the self-transformation of journalism and journalists, leading to the suggestion of a fifth role for journalism in emerging democracies. However, some Sanef projects were not completed despite their significance for democratic journalism and others had no strategic rationale. This study recommends that Sanef be more strategic in its activities and look to other emerging democracies for appropriate solutions to problems. It is suggested that failing to do so could result in more complex problems for journalism in South Africa in the future. Finally, it is noted that the existence of a stable and prominent forum giving editors, senior journalists and journalism educators a united voice in areas of common interest in itself lends serious weight to their democratic participation.
Citizen journalism and alternative media in Zimbabwe: An ethnographic study of citizen participation, newsmaking practices and discourses at AMH Voices
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2019-12) Tshabangu, Thulani; Botma, Gabriel; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Dept. of Journalism.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT:Technologies such as the internet and mobile smartphones allow citizens to play an active role in the process of collecting, reporting, analysing and disseminating news, thereby challenging the dominance of conventional media and professionalised ways of journalistic practices. This production-based ethnographic study investigates the operations of citizen journalism and alternative media in a repressive environment in Zimbabwe. It focuses on citizen participation, newsmaking practices and discourses at the citizen journalism and alternative media outlet of AMH Voices. The study is located within a specific context and timeframe, which isfrom 2014 to 2018, during which Zimbabwe’s multidimensional crisis elongated. Central to this study was an endeavour to demonstrate how the crisis supported the emergence of citizen journalism as well as how citizen journalists constructed and circulated alternative political narratives and counterhegemonic discourses of the crisis at AMH Voices. The theoretical point of departure in this study refers to the public sphere and critical political economy theories. The argument is that a counterpublic sphere emerged, in which AMH Voices was viewed as an oppositional public sphere that afforded marginalised citizens the opportunity to participate in journalistic processes. Participation in journalistic processes enabled ordinary citizens to express themselves and contest the hegemonic position by establishing counterhegemonic news frames, reframing news stories and setting new topics for discursive conflict and negotiation. The critical political economy theory (CPE) was applied to understand how ownership and control at AMH Voices impacted on editorial direction and output. The CPE theory was also applied to understand structural factors that constrained citizen journalism and alternative media in Zimbabwe. Data was collected through triangulated ethnographic methods of participant observation, interviews and critical discourse analysis. AMH Voices was under constant flux as citizen participation, newsmaking practices and discourses changed from the time of its inception in 2014 due to a change of context and organisational factors. The findings revealed that citizen participation occurred at three, namely levels of content production, decision making and public sphere deliberations. Content related participation enabled citizen journalists to contribute to news production processes in different ways and at different stages. Participation in decision making was through a reader representative who sat in the public editorial board to convey reader feedback and interests. Participation in public sphere deliberations was the most common form of citizen participation that occurred through user comments, where citizens engaged in peer to peer review of thoughts and ideas. The newsmaking practices at AMH Voices were structured, unstructured, hybrid and digital. The citizen news discourses were mostly framed in non-dominant perspectives using interpretive news writing styles to express alternative political narratives, challenge the status quo and advocate for radical political change. However, the study showed that citizen journalism and alternative media at AMH Voices were also influenced by contextual and structural pressures and influences, including conservative views on gender, which made it difficult to categorise it as an automatic or consistent counterpublic sphere.
Cloning in the news : an analysis of how the science and ethics of cloning are reported in three daily newspapers of Cape Town
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2004-04) Van der Linden, Cornelis Albert; Claassen, George; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Journalism.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Background: Cloning is a topic that has long fascinated people. It has imbedded itself into popular culture, but studies show that the general public has, at best, only a vague understanding of what cloning entails. Alternatively, their perception has been skewed by that very same popular culture. However, cloning is a complex scientific subject that has considerable ethical implications. It is the kind of topic that people in a deliberate democracy should know about. The media play an important role in the education of the public with regards to science and technology. However, the media have the potential to do more than provide the basic facts. In fact, the media can play an important role in influencing the actions and opinions of the public. It is therefore a responsibility of the media to provide accurate information on scientific developments, such as cloning. Objective: An analysis of three daily newspapers in the Western Cape was carried out to determine how cloning is reported. The broad topics addressed were whether the coverage focused on the ethical or scientific aspects of cloning, if the subject was reported in a positive or negative tone, and whether the science of cloning was adequately explained. Methodology: A quantitative content analysis was completed of a sample of 69 articles. These articles were all those relating to cloning that appeared in three daily newspapers (Cape Argus, Cape Times and Die Burger) over a period of one year from 10 November 2002 to 10 November 2003. Findings: Of all the articles analysed 34% focused on the scientific aspects, 21% focused on the ethical aspects, 6% focused on both ethics and science, while 39% focused on neither. Fifty two percent of articles dealing specifically with animal cloning focused on the science, while only 4% focused on the ethics. However, in articles dealing specifically with human cloning, more (30%) emphasised ethical aspects than scientific aspects (20%). With regards to tone of coverage, 32% of all the articles analysed were positive, 28% negative, and 40% neutral. Sixty percent of articles dealing specifically with animal cloning featured a positive tone, while only 13% of articles exclusively about human cloning had a positive tone. This 13% was comprised of articles on therapeutic rather than reproductive cloning. In terms of explaining the science associated with cloning, only 30% of articles provided an explicit explanation. Potential threats to the accuracy of explaining science were found to exist. Conclusions: While the overall findings were somewhat indistinct it seemed that when the media of the Western Cape reported on the cloning of animals it was done with a positive tone and emphasised the scientific aspects. Reporting on human cloning tended to feature a negative tone and emphasised the ethical aspects. The large number of ‘neutral’ results for both the ‘tone’ and 'science or ethics’ variables could indicate that the media were wishing to remain neutral. However, the large number of neutral articles relating to the ‘science or ethics’ variable could have a negative impact on public understanding. The small number of articles explaining cloning and an emphasis on ‘breakthrough’ news stories could also have a negative impact on public understanding.
Closing online comments: A case study of News24
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2017-03) McKenzie, Roy Douglas; Botma, Gabriel; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Journalism.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study examines how the decision by News24, South Africa’s biggest news website, to close down its comments facility impacted both the media product and perceptions about the state of public discourse in South Africa. Commenting forums can be considered one of the thorniest challenges for online news publications. Ideally, comments allow readers to participate in vibrant online discussions about key issues and give instant feedback, taking the traditional letter to the editor of a newspaper one step further. This online public sphere has become an essential ingredient of a news website, increasing engagement and fostering healthy debate which serves a normative purpose by advancing democracy and social discourse. However, the reality is somewhat more complex, as the freedom of expression in commenting forums can become a free-for-all, with emboldened readers taking advantage of the anonymity and distance afforded by such forums to express themselves in abusive ways they may ordinarily not have. A range of positivistic and critical theories are used, including uses and gratification, gate-keeping, the normative public sphere and critical political economy, to investigate the management considerations informing the decision to close the comments facility, the reactions of staff, and the implications for News24 and perceptions about the state of public debate in South Africa. It is a case study that uses both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies in the form of interviews, an online survey, and content analysis of over 1600 comments. This study found that News24’s decision was based on reputational and legal concerns, and was also influenced by local and international competitors who grappled with similar issues and decided to either partially or fully close their commenting facilities. It also found the move to steer commenting to social media, particularly Facebook, could be seen as an effort to absolve News24 of the responsibility of moderating comments, but also resulted in a loss of engagement.

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