In a constitutional democracy like the South African, it is commonly accepted and entirely uncontroversial to assert the central role allocated to an independent public service broadcaster in facilitating informed public debate based on the central tenets, as stated in the SABC Charter, of free spee...
The MMP and Open Research completed both a quantitative and qualitative analysis of arts coverage in South Africa. This research resulted in several key findings, including, the role of advertising in shaping how the arts are covered and the lack of serious arts coverage in most media monitored. Fin...
This report covers the South African findings of the HIV and AIDS and Gender Baseline Study, carried out as part of the Media Action Plan on HIV and AIDS and Gender (MAP), led by the Southern African Editors’ Forum (SAEF). The Media Monitoring Project (MMP) that leads the monitoring and evaluation...
One of the central principles of journalism is the protection of the rights to dignity and privacy. The importance of sensitive coverage of those who are grieving, who have endured trauma, is enshrined in journalistic codes of conduct throughout the world. The commercial free-to-air channel, e-tv, h...
Prior research suggests there is a lack of editorial-level policy thinking around HIV/AIDS coverage in South African media institutions. At the same time, constraints of time, capacity and resources, common in the commercial newsroom, mean it is often ill-equipped to deal more comprehensively with t...
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On Sunday night during News Hour (18/11/2001), and then repeated on Monday (20/11/2001) on Morning Live, the SABC chose to report a story about a woman who had been gang raped. While the intention may have been good, the result raised several ethical issues and highlighted the necessity for extreme ...
The methodology used in this study was deliberately chosen to achieve two main ends: first and foremost to reveal the extent to which racial stereotypes occur in the South African media. But secondly to act as a constructive critique of the media rather than pose a threat to its independence. The mo...
Clause 11 in our Bill of Rights guarantees the right to life whilst clause 12 (2a,b) gives everyone the right to “make decisions concerning reproduction” and “security in and control over their body.” Issues such as abortion and the death penalty create a tension within the parameters of t...