Media praised for reporting of women and children abuse

The MMP report entitled: "Getting the Best out of the Media - Analysis of Media Coverage of the 16 Days of Non-Violence and Children Campaign 2005", has also found that journalists have, in most cases, upheld ethical principles that the media should always seek and express the truth.

The amount of coverage on the issue also increased, according to the report, which came as a result of monitoring and researching a total of 47 radio, print and TV media outlets across South Africa for the duration of the 2005 campaign. The project was supported by the Heinrich Boll Foundation and the Foundation for Human Rights.

Prime time

Daily Sun was found to have had the highest number of proportion of women and children abuse stories, while SAfm was found to have placed items about the campaign and women and child abuse stories in its prime-time news bulletins.

Despite these new developments, the MMP regretted that the media rarely linked sexual abuse with HIV/Aids. "The media seldom made a link between HIV/Aids and sexual abuse of women and children. Given the prevalence of this pandemic in South Africa, it could be expected that the media should acknowledge the impact of HIV/Aids in instances of sexual abuse."

It was found that The Citizen, Beeld, Die Burger and the three SABC TV stations made the link between sexual abuse and the spread of HIV/Aids.

South Africa features among the world's top 20 countries in terms of domestic violence, child abuse and family murders. It also has one of the highest HIV rates in the world (5.4 million people are infected with the virus, including 37% of pregnant women and 275 000 people die every year from Aids-related illnesses). Government and NGOs often insist that by increasing coverage around these two burning issues, the media would play a critical role in the fight against women and child abuse and HIV/Aids.

Sensitive issues

Furthermore, women journalists were found to have written more than half of all the abuse stories (59%), compared to 54% in 2004, according the same report, quashing the perception that female voices are often ignored in an industry dominated by male egos.

"While the sex of the journalist writing the story does not necessarily have a significant impact on the content, it is positive that more women journalists are able to make their voices heard on these critical issues," the report emphasised.

The MMP, which is well-known for its tough stance against the media for its handling of 'certain sensitive issues', has developed its media rating system jointly with statistical experts from Wits University's Data Management and Statistical Analysis Services (DMSA) to improve its standards and ensure accuracy and fairness.

Established in 1993, the MMP is an independent NGO that has been monitoring the SA media on its representation of human rights. Its mission is to promote the development of free, fair, ethical and critical media in SA and on the rest of the African continent.

For more information on the report, call Unathi Peyana on +27 (0)11 788 1278 or go to www.mediamonitoring.org.za.