Masters Degrees (Journalism)

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Browsing Masters Degrees (Journalism) by browse.metadata.advisor "Jordaan, Marenet"

Now showing 1 - 8 of 8
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    An exploration into the role conceptions of investigative journalists at News24, amaBhungane, and Scorpio
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-03) Maputi, Sibongile Sydney; Jordaan, Marenet; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Journalism.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The normative role of investigative journalists has evolved from merely informing the public to actually getting involved in societal struggles through exposing and reporting on corruption and abuse of power. In South Africa, this evolution is supported by a strong investigative media culture and a conducive legislative framework – at least since the dawn of democracy. However, in the past few years there has arguably been a change in how local journalists are treated by people in positions of power, as well as the public. Open hostility, as well as physical and cyberattacks on investigative journalists pose serious threats to press freedom and have the potential to negatively impact the role journalists play in society. It is therefore worthwhile to describe how investigative journalists view their role in society amidst these types of challenges. The aim of this study is to explore how investigative journalists at News24, amaBhungane, and Scorpio view their role in democratic South Africa. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 journalists at these investigative units in order to address the research problem. Journalists were asked how they understood their roles and what they thought their social responsibility was. The interview data was analysed within the framework of normative role conceptualisation and social responsibility theory. The central theoretical departure point of this study is that investigative journalists describe their role according to specific normative guidelines and expectations. Through thematic analysis of the interview data, seven themes were developed which captured, amongst other things, how the journalists describe their roles, how they view the relationship between public interest and social responsibility, what threats they face and what skills are needed for the future of investigative journalism. In the final instance, this study concludes that investigative journalists at News24, amaBhungane, and Scorpio understand their role in democratic South Africa to be shining the light on state secrets and abuses of power. Despite the challenges they face, these investigative journalists still regard public interest as a key determinant of whether or not to investigate. By holding the powerful to account, advocating for social justice and exposing corruption these journalists understand that their work benefit taxpayers, and the most vulnerable members of society, and ultimately contribute to the welfare of society.
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    An exploration of criticism against the South African media: media experts and academics respond to complaints against the media at the South African Press Council
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2024-03) Louw-De Wee, Nicolene; Jordaan, Marenet; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Journalism.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigates the nature of criticism against the South African print and online media during the period 2021 to 2023. Research for this study focuses on complaints against the media submitted to the Press Council and which has been adjudicated by the Press Ombud. The study explores who the complainants are and the nature of the complaints. As a second phase of the study, five media experts share their views on these findings, the state of journalism in South Africa and their views on how public trust in the media can be improved in future. In this exploration the social responsibility theory was used to investigate the role of journalists and their responsibility to ensure true, accurate and fair news is shared with the public they serve. A qualitative research design was chosen for this study and data was gathered in two phases. Firstly, this researcher gathered data from the website of the Press Council, which is in the public domain, on complaints against the press and online media. Through a thematic analysis three themes were identified which assist in answering the research questions. Secondly, semi-structured interviews were conducted with five media experts to gather their views on the state of the media and how public trust in the media can be improved. As part of the discussion of semi-structured interview findings, four themes were identified relating to the nature of complaints against the media, ethical breaches, quality and standards of journalism and public trust in the media. Some of the major findings of the first phase of the study, which relates to complaints at the Press Council, include regular instances of unethical and inaccurate reporting by the print and online media. Fact-checking and a lack of proper editing and mentoring due to limited resources in newsrooms, lead to complaints about misleading headlines and unbalanced reports. In the second phase of the exploration, media experts expressed concern about the digital age and the faster pace at which news is produced which leaves room for error because of the need to be first. The issue of unethical journalism is another cause for concern, leaving some of the participants convinced that print and online journalists are not all familiar with the content of the Press Code and code of ethics for journalism.
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    Exploring the social responsibility of tabloid journalism in South Africa: Views from the Daily Sun and Sunday Sun
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2018-12) Mokwena, Dimakatso David; Jordaan, Marenet; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Journalism.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South African tabloids have been met with criticism and praise in equal measure since entering the newspaper market in the early 2000s. Allegations of failure to uphold the high ethical standards expected of the media in general have been levelled against these tabloids. Those defending tabloids contend that tabloids have brought new media audiences into the newspaper reading world. With this background in mind, this researcher set out to explore what journalists at two tabloid newspapers in South Africa, namely the Daily Sun and the Sunday Sun, think their social responsibility towards society is. This study used the theoretical concepts of the media’s social responsibility and Jürgen Habermas’ public sphere to explore the role tabloid newspapers play in society. Working from the premise that the media have certain responsibilities to adhere to in society, this researcher explored how journalists at these two tabloids view as their responsibilities towards their readers. Furthermore, assuming that the public sphere consists of many publics, this researcher explored how the Daily Sun and Sunday Sun journalists view their responsibility towards readers who have been neglected by the so-called serious news media. This qualitative study used semi-structured interviews to gather data from 10 journalists and one photographer at the Daily Sun and Sunday Sun. The findings show that the Daily Sun and the Sunday Sun journalists view their social responsibility as catering for the working class by empowering these readers with information that is relevant to them. Journalists view and describe the so-called “man in the blue overall” as their typical reader. According to the journalists, the news they write help to support democratic processes. Journalists at these two newspapers are fully aware that South Africa is an unequal society and see their roles as giving a voice to marginalised sections of society.
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    Mapping news about the mind: Analysing the framing of mental illness by News24 (July 2021 - June 2022)
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2023-03) Van Eeden, Margaretha Louisa; Jordaan, Marenet; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Journalism.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Mental health is an important part of a person’s general health and wellbeing and a basic human right. Good mental health is linked to an improved ability to function, cope and thrive in society. The number of people suffering from some kind of mental illness is increasing rapidly worldwide. Events like the Covid-19 pandemic contribute to widespread psychological distress that pushes this number even higher (WHO, 2022b:xiv). In South Africa it is no different, with statistics on mental illness foreshadowing a dire future. According to the World Health Organisation, South Africa experienced a more than 36.4% increase in the prevalence of anxiety disorders during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and a more than 38.7% increase in the prevalence of depression in the same period. The impact and severity of mental health is widely recognised. However, stigma, discrimination and human rights violations against people suffering from mental illness are still widespread across the world (WHO, 2022b:xiv). The way in which the media report on mental illness and frames it contributes to how it is viewed by society. Questions are often raised about how mental illness is portrayed in the mass media and whether the framing of mental illness in the media is fair and accurate. The Covid-19 pandemic impacted how journalists report on topics such as mental illness and Covid-19’s effects on mental health. This study analysed the framing of mental illness in stories published by South African online news platform News24 during the Covid-19 pandemic over a one-year period between July 2021 and June 2022, in order to explore whether the coverage adheres to the normative expectations of an ethics of care. According to the ethics of care theory, journalists should take care when reporting on vulnerable groups, such as those suffering from mental illness. A literature review brought to light frames generally used by the media when reporting on mental illness. These frames were used as a guide for the qualitative content analysis performed on the sampled stories. During the analysis stories were identified that perpetuate stigmas and stereotypes about mental illness and that draw a link between violence and mental illness. However, the number of stories of a positive nature, with frames of advocacy and awareness, education and destigmatisation, far outweigh the more negative stories. Overall, the framing of mental illness in stories by News24 over the one-year period is mostly constructive and well intentioned, indicating that journalists took care when reporting on this vulnerable group. Nevertheless, there remains room for improvement. Special attention should be given to word choice and sensationalist “clickbait” headlines. The study recommended specific steps the media industry can take to report more carefully about mental illness, and suggested future avenues for research.
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    Maroela Media as openbare sfeer vir Afrikaanssprekendes: Die geval van grondonteiening sonder vergoeding
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2019-12) Krige, Elaine; Jordaan, Marenet; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Journalism.
    AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Opsomming Vanweë die toenemende verengelsing van openbare ruimtes soos die staatsdiens, opvoedkundige instellings en howe, het dit vir Afrikaanssprekende Suid-Afrikaners nodig geword om hulle na digitale platforms te wend om deel te neem aan openbare gesprekke oor politieke kwessies wat vir hulle van belang is. Maroela Media, as die grootste Afrikaanse nuuswebtuiste, is ideaal geposisioneer om aan lede van hierdie taalgroep toegang te bied tot ’n Afrikaanse openbare sfeer, waartoe alle lede van dié gemeenskap geredelik toegang het en waar hulle vrylik aan openbare debatte kan deelneem. Die navorsing het onderneem om te bepaal tot watter mate Maroela Media aan hierdie ideaal voldoen. Ten einde Maroela Media se rol en effektiwiteit met betrekking tot die skep van ’n Afrikaanse openbare sfeer te ondersoek, het die navorser ’n kombinasie van die beginsels van die Ubuntu-benadering tot etiek en die netwerk-aangedrewe openbare sfeer as teoretiese raamwerk gebruik. Data is ingesamel deur semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude met redaksielede van Maroela Media te voer en leserskommentare wat op die webtuiste gepubliseer is in te win. Die politieke kwessie van grondonteiening sonder vergoeding is as fokus vir die studie gebruik. Data is deur middel van kwalitatiewe inhoudsontleding ontleed ten einde bepaalde bevindings te maak, wat die navorser in staat gestel het om die studie se navorsingsvrae te beantwoord. Hoewel die webtuiste vir talle Afrikaanssprekendes toegang tot die openbare sfeer bied en ’n verskeidenheid lesers se opinies verteenwoordig, het die navorser tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat Maroela Media nie aan die beginsels van ’n ideale netwerk-aangedrewe openbare sfeer binne die konteks van Ubuntu voldoen het tydens gesprekke oor grondonteiening sonder vergoeding nie. Deur die aard van leserskommentare op Maroela Media te ondersoek, kon die navorser lig werp op die rol van Afrikaanse nuuswebtuistes, en in die besonder Maroela Media, om aan Afrikaanssprekende Suid-Afrikaners toegang tot ’n openbare sfeer in hul moedertaal te bied.
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    'n Ondersoek na die rolbelewenis van Afrikaanse joernaliste wat oor politiek verslag doen by Netwerk24, Maroela Media, eNuus en KykNET Verslag
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2018-03) Spies, Mia-Ann; Jordaan, Marenet; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Journalism.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: It is the media’s responsibility to inform citizens about issues that affect them. Thanks to political journalists assuming a classic “watchdog” role incidents of corruption, abuse of power and state capture in South Africa are increasingly being exposed. However, the relationship between the media and government, a relationship that has led to ongoing debate, can impact this kind of reporting – especially in the case of the Afrikaans mainstream news media. This study investigates the current state of political reporting in Afrikaans by identifying how Afrikaans journalists describe their role in society and how they regard their relationship with the government, as well as their responsibilities towards their audiences. In order to investigate the role perceptions of Afrikaans journalists, the researcher relied on the combination of three normative ethical theories of the press: Social responsibility theory, libertarian theory and the developmental theory. A qualitative research design was applied in order to determine to what extent Afrikaans journalists apply each of these ethical frameworks in their reporting. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with journalists from four Afrikaans mainstream media institutions – Netwerk24, Maroela Media, eNuus and KykNET Verslag. The data was analysed by means of thematic analysis. The findings show that Afrikaans political journalists assume that they have a social responsibility but give preference to the so-called watchdog role by monitoring government and exposing corruption, especially among politicians. However, the participants do not experience the role as exclusive, as they also regard the well-being of society in their reporting, and thus, to a lesser extent, also regard themselves as developmental journalists. By investigating journalists’ personal impressions and experiences, the study emphasises the importance of journalists’ own role perception, and sheds light on the Afrikaans media landscape.
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    Preparing journalism graduates for career trauma exposure: an exploration of perspectives of South African university journalism educators
    (2023-03) Christians, Nadine; Jordaan, Marenet; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Journalism.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: To focus on the effect of exposure to trauma on the mental wellbeing of journalists has become a topical issue amongst journalism studies scholars. As secondary respondents to violence, war, murder, gender-based violence and protests, and because of interviewing victims and survivors of trauma, journalists are not immune to the effect that covering explicit incidences of trauma can have on their mental health. This study examined trauma exposure and the effect it has on journalists in general and journalism students specifically. It explored the journalism curricula of tertiary education institutions and provided the perspectives of journalism educators within a South African context. The study highlights the importance of journalism students being prepared by journalism educators for on-the-job trauma exposure and the effect it could have on their health. Research for the study started with a thorough literature review to determine the extent to which previous research has been conducted on trauma and journalism and journalism trauma education. This researcher utilised an ethics of care as the theoretical point of departure, and used care, the four elements of care, and relationship between the educator and student as a foundation for the research study. By conducting semi-structured interviews with ten journalism educators from a variety of South African universities, this research study identified themes related to the research problem, including trauma experienced by journalism students; the need to prepare journalism students for trauma exposure; trauma education and awareness in the journalism curriculum; the educator’s duty of care; and the implications of trauma education on the journalism student, higher learning institution and the journalism profession. The research findings indicate that trauma education and training is not formalised within the majority of the South African universities that participated in the study. However, while it may not be formalised, trauma awareness is discussed and informally addressed in the journalism classroom. This researcher would suggest including formal trauma exposure guidelines or formal trauma awareness training within the journalism curriculum to better prepare journalism graduates for on-the-job trauma exposure.
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    South African journalism graduates’ preparedness for newsroom ethics: views of early-career journalists at News24, Eyewitness News and Independent Online
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2019-04) Bruns, Nicola Jo; Jordaan, Marenet; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Journalism.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Several changes to the media landscape have highlighted how journalists need not only be wary of sources and the content that they share on social media, but also journalists need to be cognisant of being consumers of social media and the role that they as journalists play in the spreading of incorrect and illegitimate news. These changes to the media landscape have led to news editors increasing the value placed on journalism ethics training. This raises several questions regarding how well prepared journalism graduates are when faced with the current ethical challenges in the newsroom. The researcher started off this exploratory pilot study by doing a thorough review of prior literature on the role that journalism education plays in the practice of ethical journalism. Additionally, the researcher addressed prior literature that looked at the development of journalism education in South Africa, as well as how journalistic professionalism has changed over the past few decades. In order to investigate the role of ethics education, the researcher relied on social responsibility theory as a theoretical framework for the study, alongside the basic tenets of role perception theory and the concept of professionalism. Social responsibility theory was chosen as a theoretical framework as it suggests that the media have a responsibility toward society. Through conducting a series of semi-structured interviews with thirteen journalists from three major online publications in South Africa, viz, News24, Eyewitness News and Independent Online, this exploratory pilot study explored how well equipped newly graduated journalists are to navigate ethical challenges in the newsroom. The data from the thirteen semi-structured interviews was analysed by means of thematic analysis. The findings show that newly graduated journalists are not being trained sufficiently in the current practice of media ethics. By exploring the journalists’ personal experiences as early-career journalists, the exploratory pilot study emphasised the importance of modern-day journalism ethics training. It further provides insight into how journalism training institutions should adapt their media ethics courses to fulfil industry expectations.