[intro]South African students have resumed their demands for free education. While the resumption of protests has drawn critique and confusion, media freedom is also in question. Journalists, including student journalists, have been issued with a set of ‘rules’ by the #FeesMustFall movement at the university currently known as Rhodes (UCKAR), and these rules are deeply disturbing to say the least. Where do we draw the line between being a journalist and being a student?[/intro]
Last week the Minister of Higher Education, Blade Nzimande announced that the fee increase for 2017 will be capped at 8% and that fees will increase only for students whose families earn over R600,000 per annum in 2017. At UCKAR student protests have been marginally cowed by an interdict that has been extended to 3 November.
The interdict bars illegal protest action following the protests against rape culture at the university in April.
As a result, students have been mobilising in the heart of the campus instead of near public roads. There is no defined leadership structure in the movement, and while this suggests equity, it has in fact resulted in a movement that struggles to define and direct its attention and focus. This has resulted in some protestors behaving in ways that undermine the cause or are in contravention of the interdict. Some students have been intimidated and threatened by student protestors entering residences and lecture venues, while other constituencies of the movement reject the militancy of this kind of mobilisation.
Media rules
A list of ‘Media Rules’ was published by the RU Fees Must Fall 2016 Facebook page, stating: “No pictures, filming or any journalism at strategy meetings or plenaries. Journalists are not allowed to be at a plenary, if you are a student journalist, you are just a student at the plenary. Furthermore, no publishing of strategy is allowed or will be tolerated.”
It is not clear what is meant by the implication that publishing protest strategies will not be ‘tolerated’. Some student journalists at UCKAR have been intimidated and threatened by protestors. The official photographer of the movement, Olorato Mongale, argued that this intimidation is the work of individuals in the movement and that these intimidating protestors are not representative of the movement as a whole. Regardless, publishing dictatorial rules that echo the intention of the Secrecy Bill surely undermines the fight for freedom and equality in our society.
Being both a student and protestor is extremely difficult and there comes a moment in every protest when you have to choose which hat you’re going to wear.
Historical tension
There is a history of distrust for student media at UCKAR where the Black Students Movement (BSM) and The Oppidan Press clashed on this very issue during the 2015 #FeesMustFall protests. The publication of protest strategy in particular was considered problematic. What this concern perhaps fails to account for is the number of students that rely on the student media during times of protest for information. The credibility of these organisations relies on finding the balance between endangering protestors and keeping students informed.
In the same way that rogue individuals are not representative of the whole movement, neither are all journalists intent on painting the movement and the protestors in a negative light. It becomes, perhaps inevitably, a conversation about people, personal politics and compassionate practice.
Who benefits?
Many student journalists have cut their teeth on the protests at UCKAR and this complicates their relationship to the movement, regardless of the fact that they are both journalists and students. The kind of experience the protests have given dozens of young journalists is priceless but what emerges is also a situation in which pain, very often black pain, is problematically commodified and used for work experience and exposure in the industry.
Student journalists are also caught in a Catch-22 because the kind of sensitivity that the protestors have called for in their Media Rules is crucial but doing your job is just as important. Inevitably a journalist’s sensitivity and politics informs the framing of the story. Objectivity is a myth and we need a more self-aware engagement with what that means in our own practice. Even thinking about writing this piece requires an ethical engagement. I have to consider my privilege and position in relation to what I’m writing about. I have to be aware at all times of the way that my race and class complicate my perspective and also the way my work will be read by others. I have to acknowledge, as I hope I am doing now, how my limitations inform my framing of the story.
In situations like the one at UCKAR right now where an interdict hangs over the student body, journalists have to consider the damage a single photograph or tweet could do: for example get a student or staff member arrested or excluded. At the same time they need to get information to the people that need it and while doing so consider their framing of the situation so that the narrative does not demonise or dehumanise the protestors. This means asking yourself all the right questions all the time, because the consequences of unengaged reporting affect people’s lives.
Choosing your story
While publishing Media Rules has been interpreted as a veiled threat of oppression of the right to free speech, it is also an attempt by student protestors to control their own narrative in a media landscape that has painted them as irrational, stupid, immoral and animalistic. This does not make the publication of such rules acceptable, but it does suggest that some introspection is necessary for journalists because if the very people we say we’re trying to protect by giving them fair coverage still feel as though they’re being misrepresented then surely we should be doing better?
Despite the honourable intention of a leaderless cause, the #FeesMustFall movement risks derailing itself should it fail to cohere across the education sector throughout institutions of learning, and journalists could play an essential role in putting across the variegated nature of the movement which faces a variety of complex challenges across the country. The movement should not forget that media freedom is crucial to a democracy and regardless of the various problems that democracies pose it seems to be the best bad option we have right now.
This paragraph is actually a nice one it helps new the
web users, who are wishing in favor of blogging.
Attractive section of content. I just stumbled upon your web site and in accession capital to assert that I acquire in fact enjoyed account your blog posts.
Any way I will be subscribing to your augment and even I achievement you
access consistently fast.
WRCNM deeploy respects and honors ladies annd housrholds of every culture, heritage and race.
Feel free to visit my web page – 미수다알바
It really is also a great chance for eexperienced players to
test out neew games.
Stop byy my page … 바카라사이트
The dramatic dichotomy in gender imagery in the 1950s tends to make men and women laugh 50 years later.
Review my homepage :: 미수다
Ignition Casino also boasts some of the finest poker
tournaments in the market.
Also visit my site … homepage
I think that everything wrote was very logical.
But, what about this? what if you typed a catchier
title? I ain’t saying your content isn’t good., but suppose you
added a headline to possibly grab a person’s
attention? I mean Media Freedom and the #FeesMustFall movement |
The Journalist is kinda vanilla. You ought to peek at Yahoo’s front page
and note how they create article headlines to grab viewers interested.
You might add a related video or a pic or two to grab people excited about what you’ve written. Just my opinion, it might bring your posts a little livelier.
Hello! I just wish to give you a huge thumbs up for the excellent info you have right
here on this post. I am returning to your web site for more soon.
Hey there I am so glad I found your webpage, I really found you by accident, while I was looking
on Askjeeve for something else, Regardless I am
here now and would just like to say kudos for a fantastic post and a all round entertaining
blog (I also love the theme/design), I don’t have time to read it all at the moment but
I have book-marked it and also added your RSS feeds, so when I have time I
will be back to read a great deal more, Please
do keep up the fantastic work.
There is definately a lot to know about this subject.
I like all the points you have made.
Pretty! This was an extremely wonderful article.
Thanks for providing these details.
Very shortly this web page will be famous among
all blogging users, due to it’s nice posts
Fantastic beat ! I would like to apprentice while you amend your website, how could i subscribe for a blog
website? The account helped me a acceptable deal.
I had been a little bit acquainted of this your broadcast provided bright clear idea
Does your website have a contact page? I’m having trouble locating it but, I’d like to shoot you an email.
I’ve got some suggestions for your blog you might be interested
in hearing. Either way, great site and I look forward to seeing it develop over time.
Wow, this post is fastidious, my sister is analyzing these things, thus I am going to tell her.
This article presents clear idea for the new visitors of blogging,
that in fact how to do blogging and site-building.
Hey! Do you know if they make any plugins to assist with SEO?
I’m trying to get my blog to rank for some targeted keywords
but I’m not seeing very good results. If you know of any please share.
Many thanks!
I am actually glad to read this website posts which contains tons of valuable data, thanks for providing these kinds of statistics.
Every weekend i used to pay a visit this web page, because i want enjoyment, since this this site conations in fact
good funny stuff too.
I visited several websites however the audio feature for audio songs existing at this web page
is in fact superb.
Cool blog! Is your theme custom made or did you download it from somewhere?
A theme like yours with a few simple tweeks would really make
my blog jump out. Please let me know where you got your theme.
Cheers
It’s great that you are getting thoughts from this paragraph as well
as from our discussion made at this time.
It’s fantastic that you are getting thoughts from this piece of writing as well as from our discussion made at this place.
I am sure this post has touched all the internet users,
its really really nice article on building up new
webpage.
Excellent goods from you, man. I’ve have in mind your stuff prior to and you are just too wonderful.
I actually like what you have received here, certainly like what you are saying and the way wherein you assert it.
You make it entertaining and you still take care of to keep it wise.
I can’t wait to read much more from you. That is actually a tremendous site.
Appreciate the recommendation. Will try it out.
I blog frequently and I seriously appreciate your information. The article has truly
peaked my interest. I will take a note of your website and keep checking for new details about once per week.
I opted in for your RSS feed too.
May I simply say what a relief to uncover someone who really understands what they’re talking about on the net.
You certainly understand how to bring a problem to light and make it important.
A lot more people need to read this and understand this side of the story.
I was surprised you’re not more popular given that you definitely
possess the gift.
In that situation, we advise applying our White Label casino system’s checked license.
If you haven’t gone bust and have a reduce hand than the
dealer, you shed.
Established in 2011, Bovada has cemented its brand
as 1 of the greatest legal casinos on the internet.
Even so, Felix Falguierein should have got credit for coming up with this game.
Hi mates, its great post regarding cultureand entirely defined, keep it up all
the time.