Many of us feel that the South African media’s shortcomings — especially newspapers — are exemplified in the manner in which it reports on the president. President Thabo Mbeki has been something of an enigma to the local media for so long that now it has grown tired of trying to understand him, opting instead for vilification. A quick perusal of leading black columnists should be enough to convince those in doubt.
No one is asking for holy cows, but a more balanced approach would be in order. Mbeki, an African nationalist, fills the predominantly liberal media with great trepidation. To compound the issue, Mbeki has a complex and aloof personality. Where Mandela expressed himself in gestures, Mbeki gives more space to words — baffling words, I must say, that require the skill of dissecting gossamer to get to their real meaning.
The major accusations against Mbeki centre on Aids, ‘quiet diplomacy†and crime. There are other vestigial accusations, such as arrogance and impotent government delivery. Such things one naturally expects the media to cuss; what leaves me cold is its self-aggrandised role as the real opposition. Our media takes its own self-publicity too seriously.
The ANC has published a policy discussion document, Transformation of the Media, which, I suppose, seeks to hoist the media with its own petard. The topic has the potential to bell the cat, but I suspect that very little of it will go beyond the corridors where it will be discussed. Our popular media, which operates through confirmation bias (seeking and finding confirmatory evidence in support of already existing beliefs) will just ignore it for more sensational stuff.
Most consumers love dynamic and vitriolic journalism for the sensation it provides and the life it brings to issues that need to be debated. Our news would be dour and enervated without grime. As annoying as this may be to public figures, it also serves democracy. Not necessarily by what is said but in the fact that every voice is allowed, no matter how shallow, scandalous or controversial it may be. This is a sign that tolerance reigns, which in turn brings 10 times more public confidence in the democratic government than a constitution engraved in stone.
Politicians as public figures should be under scrutiny, and the press is correct in doing that with some modicum of sense (sense being the operative word). Our media does splendid work as a public watchdog, but is guilty of living in its own narcissistic world, where it imagines itself to be an innocent messenger, when in reality it too carries the burden of history and financial imperatives that incline it to self-censorship.
It is no secret that the bias of argument in South African media is drawn along liberal lines that channel the gestalt of liberal perspective. I see nothing wrong with this, since one of the strengths of liberal values is tolerance, something crucial for freedom of speech. What gets my goat is pretending otherwise, and the active censoring of those with different points of view, such as African nationalists.
Our media is fast becoming the target of growing resentment, especially among black people at large. If it wants a brighter future, perhaps it’s time it takes cognisance of this and finds ways to engage with the ANC document. — Mphuthumi Ntabeni is a writerMany of us feel that the South African media’s shortcomings — especially newspapers — are exemplified in the manner in which it reports on the president. President Thabo Mbeki has been something of an enigma to the local media for so long that now it has grown tired of trying to understand him, opting instead for vilification. A quick perusal of leading black columnists should be enough to convince those in doubt.
No one is asking for holy cows, but a more balanced approach would be in order. Mbeki, an African nationalist, fills the predominantly liberal media with great trepidation. To compound the issue, Mbeki has a complex and aloof personality. Where Mandela expressed himself in gestures, Mbeki gives more space to words — baffling words, I must say, that require the skill of dissecting gossamer to get to their real meaning.
The major accusations against Mbeki centre on Aids, ‘quiet diplomacy†and crime. There are other vestigial accusations, such as arrogance and impotent government delivery. Such things one naturally expects the media to cuss; what leaves me cold is its self-aggrandised role as the real opposition. Our media takes its own self-publicity too seriously.
The ANC has published a policy discussion document, Transformation of the Media, which, I suppose, seeks to hoist the media with its own petard. The topic has the potential to bell the cat, but I suspect that very little of it will go beyond the corridors where it will be discussed. Our popular media, which operates through confirmation bias (seeking and finding confirmatory evidence in support of already existing beliefs) will just ignore it for more sensational stuff.
Most consumers love dynamic and vitriolic journalism for the sensation it provides and the life it brings to issues that need to be debated. Our news would be dour and enervated without grime. As annoying as this may be to public figures, it also serves democracy. Not necessarily by what is said but in the fact that every voice is allowed, no matter how shallow, scandalous or controversial it may be. This is a sign that tolerance reigns, which in turn brings 10 times more public confidence in the democratic government than a constitution engraved in stone.
Politicians as public figures should be under scrutiny, and the press is correct in doing that with some modicum of sense (sense being the operative word). Our media does splendid work as a public watchdog, but is guilty of living in its own narcissistic world, where it imagines itself to be an innocent messenger, when in reality it too carries the burden of history and financial imperatives that incline it to self-censorship.
It is no secret that the bias of argument in South African media is drawn along liberal lines that channel the gestalt of liberal perspective. I see nothing wrong with this, since one of the strengths of liberal values is tolerance, something crucial for freedom of speech. What gets my goat is pretending otherwise, and the active censoring of those with different points of view, such as African nationalists.
Our media is fast becoming the target of growing resentment, especially among black people at large. If it wants a brighter future, perhaps it’s time it takes cognisance of this and finds ways to engage with the ANC document. — Mphuthumi Ntabeni is a writer