Media challenges and expectations in 2007

Writing in the City Press issue of December 31, 2006, Professor Tawana Kupe, Dean of Humanities at Wits University, predicted that this year's news is likely to be dominated by the following events: the presidency's succession battle; disgraced businessman Shabir Shaik's constitutional challenge to his conviction and incarceration; Jacob Zuma's R63 million worth of lawsuits against the media; the succession-linked 'hoax-email' trial and the DA's elections for the quest of a national leader.

But, perhaps due to the unpredictability of African politics, some analysts - such as Professor Anton Harber of Wits University's School of Journalism - are diplomatically cautious in their predictions. "The nature of news is that it surprises us (or it is probably not news), and therefore it is dangerous to try and predict what will make the front page," Prof Harber told Bizcommunity.com.

Diversify

Interestingly, both Kupe and Harber challenge the media to widen and diversify their reporting and provide fresh insights on these matters to avoid what many see as 'foregone conclusions', 'unfair advantage' and 'favouritism'.

"The media has therefore a professional obligation to serve a broader society by reporting in ways that go beyond appearing to confirm what appears to be the leading candidate at any moment," Prof Kupe wrote in his weekly column.

He urged reporters to move away from what he called the usual suspects (the so-called newsmakers) and give full voice to the voiceless (in this case, the less famous politicians) to help them boost their chances.

"Can the media bust open the presidential race and turn it into a public debate of issues and policies?" Prof Harber asks. "In particular, will the SABC be able to play the role it should in calling all candidates to account for their views, characters and suitability for the post?"

In the past few years, the public broadcaster has been at loggerheads with independent analysts, opposition political parties and the Freedom of Expression Institute over what they believe is a 'very close relationship' with the African National Congress-led government.

Challenges

Furthermore, as the digital revolution gets momentum, challenging traditional media and its established norms, Prof Harber also wonders if SA media will, this year, be able to meet the challenges of new technologies in their efforts to change the way people make and consume information at an astounding pace.

Asked about the repercussions of Zuma's extravagant lawsuits against the media, which observers say is the highest bid any political leader has ever launched against the media, he said: "I cannot see that the case will do him any good. He should learn to take the media heat or get out of the kitchen.

"I have little doubt that the tension - usually healthy, sometimes not - between the media and politicians will be difficult and conflictual. But that is the nature of the game," he concluded.