Media credibility discussed by the experts
PARKWOOD – Media Monitoring Africa, the German Embassy and the Goethe Institut collaborated to host a discussion on media credibility.
Media and interested parties joined a robust panel discussion at the Goethe Institut in Parkwood on 13 August to discuss media credibility.
The dialogue was hosted by the Goethe Institut in collaboration with the German Embassy and Media Monitoring Africa. Tsepiso Makwetla from the SABC facilitated a discussion with panellists including journalist Holger Stark from Germany, Dr Glenda Daniels from Wits Media Studies department, spin doctor and media strategist Chris Vick, Verashni Pillay of Power FM and broadcaster and journalist Nikiwe Bikitsha.
Panellists shared their views on whether the journalism of today was indeed credible. Daniels opened the discussion by highlighting the good that one sector of journalism was doing, exposing the ‘Gupta Leaks’ as an example.
Stark said, “We live in the best time for journalism because of the wide audiences generated from the rise of the digital age and simultaneously live in a time of deep crisis as people struggle to distinguish between fact and fiction.”
Bikitsha said according to recent research, 49 per cent of South Africans have trust in the news, but 70 per cent could not distinguish between fact and fiction.
Vick argued that journalism was not performed in a bubble and said journalists’ lived experiences influenced their work. “It is a personal decision whether you are ethical and honest,” said Vick.
Pillay said journalists needed to be grounded by the press code, arguing that tip-offs were the most dangerous threat to media credibility. “We need to open up space and educate broadcasters, columnists and bloggers about the press code so that more credible journalism is produced,” said Pillay.
Vick argued that the shrinking of newsrooms and increased demand on journalists resulted in reporters lazily putting their bylines on press releases.
Daniels said mainstream media was dying as a result of their failed business models, while not-for-profits such as GroundUp and The Conversation were becoming the more credible options available.
Bikitsha added, “However sophisticated the platform has become, journalists need to go back to the basics of truth-telling.”
Following some comments from the floor, panellists also highlighted the urban bias to media reporting as well as the bullying of female investigative journalists. Pillay also highlighted the advantage of journalism becoming a more transformed space with the rise of social media, resulting in a greater trust of journalists.
Vick added, “If the corporate sector of government had the impunity of some media houses, they would be ripped to shreds,” arguing that reporters should be fined for dishonest journalism. Bikitsha disagreed with Vick, saying that this would open a Pandora’s Box for people such as the Guptas, who would have the power to remove journalists. “There are better methods of holding journalists accountable, like public dialogue,” she argued.
Bikitsha closed by calling journalists to be relentless since society needed great journalism.
Related articles:
WATCH: Media Matters presents media freedom week discussion on fake news
