African Journals Online
Ecquid Novi

Volume 23, Issue 1, 2002
Abstracts

Sanef's 2002 South African National Journalism Skills Audit: an introduction

Tsedu, Mathatha; Wrottesley, Stephen; Clay, Paddi

Abstract: The South African National Editor's Forum (Sanef) commissioned a national audit of journalism skills in 2002. The results of the audit were announced and discussed at a media conference on 24 May 2002 in Johannesburg. In the following section some of the remarks made by Sanef committee members involved in the audit are given.

Sanef's ‘2002 South African National Journalism Skills Audit’

De Beer, Arnold S.; Steyn, Elanie

Abstract: This article presents the media section of the Sanef 2002 skills audit. The purpose of the research was to conduct a situation analysis of reporting, writing, and accuracy skills among reporters with 2-5 years experience. It was conducted amongst 112 reporters working at a stratified sample of 32 media institutions in South Africa. Some of the recommendations include that reporting, writing and accuracy skills were areas that needed urgent attention. It was also found that improved interaction between the media industry and tertiary institutions; a regulated system of internships; and an accreditation system should be put in place as soon as possibl

Nie net internasionaal nie, maar ook in Suid-Afrika het die kwessie van joernalistieke onderrig en opleiding die laaste paar jaar sterk onder die soeklig gekom. Veranderende sosiale, ekonomiese en tegnologiese redes was die grootste bydraende faktore hiertoe. Hierdie artikel doen verslag oor 'n oudit na verslaggewers se joernalistieke vaardighede in geselekteerde media in Suid-Afrika. Naas die verwagte uitkoms dat opleiding in basiese vaardighede noodsaaklik is, het die oudit ook aangetoon dat die rol van mediabestuur besonder belangrik is en nog nie voldoende aandag kry nie. Daar is ook 'n behoefte na nouer samewerking tussen die media en die onderriginstansies om beter opleiding vir toekomstige joernaliste te bevorder.

Comments on the Sanef media audit: a new news culture is facing the media and journalism educators: the time to act is now!

Deuze, Mark; Boyd-Barrett, J. Oliver; Claassen, George; Diederichs, Pedro; Tyler Eastman, Susan; Jordaan, Danie; Louw, P. Eric; Newsom, Doug; Quinn, Stephen; Rabe, Lizette; Steenveld, Lynette; Stevenson, Robert L.; Van Rooyen, Gert; Wasserman, Herman; Williams, John

Abstract: This omnibus article deals with some of the comments received by the authors of the Sanef media audit (see p. 11) of the edition of Ecquid Novi). As Mark Deuze, one of the commentators puts it: The threats and challenges to contemporary journalism have caused scholars, publics, journalists, and thus journalism educators, to reconsider their approaches, definitions, roles, and function in community and society. Widely recognized as the four main changes or challenges facing education programmes in journalism are: the multicultural society; the rise and establishment of infotainment genres; the convergence of existing and new media technologies (cf. multimedia); and the internationalization or 'glocalization' of the media and journalism playing field. The four mentioned challenges and developments could be seen as reflected in the 2002 Sanef audit. The report particularly stresses the 'new culture' within which journalists are expected to do their work. This is a culture determined by fragmented audiences; a widening gap between journalists and their publics; and an increased need for quality information. It is also a culture of enhanced interactivity and media accountability; intercultural communication; recognition of cultural diversity; and dealing with 'nonhierarchical' management styles. Journalism education, in other words, is gearing up to face a tough challenge: keeping the best practices of the teaching context and practical skills courses on the one hand, and including cultural and critical reflective didactics on the other. This is not the traditional theory versus skills debate of old - this is definitely something 'new' - as is clearly shown in the Sanef audit. In this respect the Sanef audit stands out for its discourse of emphasizing changes in journalism and news culture, rather than simply advocating more or less theory- or skills-based curricula.

Daar is geen kitsantwoorde op die probleme wat deur Sanef se oudit uitgewys is nie, volgens Danie Jordaan, een van die kommentators op die oudit. Opleidingsinstansies kan die probleme wat in die verslag genoem word, nie in isolasie aanspreek nie. Wedersydse samewerking tussen die akademie en die praktyk is die enigte opsie, maar dit verg ongelukkig meer as net entoesiasme en bereidwilligheid onder mediawerkers en akademici om saam te werk. Uiteindelik sal die mediabedryf en die opleidingsinstansies substansieel vir sodanige samewerking moet begroot. Slegs dan sal begin kan word om van die leemtes reg te stel wat die verslag uitwys. Die verslag behoort uiters waardevol te wees vir programleiers en ander akademici wat met kurrikulumontwikkeling gemoeid is, want dit is nou moontlik om kurrikula aan te pas, of selfs grondig te hervorm, op grond van bevindinge wat empiries gesteun word, en dan wel binne die konteks van die Suid-Afrikaanse mediabedryf. Vroeër was diegene wat met kurrikulering gemoeid is te afhanklik van oorsese insette oor tendense in die media-industrie en media-verwante opleiding. Die Sanef-oudit lewer om die rede 'n waardevolle bydrae uit eie bodem.

Eve-olution: the status of female voice in South African media

Rabe, Lizette

Abstract: What is the status of women in South African media, both as providers of and subjects in media? The stereotypical representation of women in news is questioned against an historical overview of women as news providers. Not only is there a need to focus on gender in media, but also the position of black women in media. A new mindset in media offices must be reached before women can make significant progress as news providers and news subjects. A new definition of news is also necessary, and the need for a gender / diversity approach in the media classroom is suggested. Only once all these issues are addressed the female voice can respond equally to 'ecquid novi?' - 'what is new(s)'?

Wat is die status van vroue in die media, as verskaffers van en onderwerpe in die media? Die stereotipe uitbeelding van vroue in die nuus word bevraagteken teen 'n historiese oorsig van vroue as nuusverskaffers. Nie alleen is daar 'n behoefte om op gender in media te fokus nie, maar ook die posisie van die swart vrou in media. 'n Nuwe denkraamwerk in die mediakantoor moet posvat voordat vroue beduidende vooruitgang as nuusverskaffers en as nuusonderwerpe kan maak. 'n Nuwe definisie van nuus is nodig. Voorts word die nodigheid van 'n gender / diversiteits aanslag in die mediaklaskamer voorgestel. Slegs dan kan die vroulike stem met gelyke status antwoord op 'ecquid novi'?

Reporters' difficult relationship with editors: causes and consequences

Fedler, Fred E.

Abstract: The conflict between reporters and editors has existed since the beginning of time. The basic cause was simple: reporters and editors had different interests / responsibilities. Early reporters were trained on-the-job. Their lessons were harsh and working conditions dreadful. Reporters were most upset, however, by editors' handling of their stories. Editors' views were much different. They worked at top speed all day, pressured from all sides. They were responsible for obtaining the day's news accurately and efficiently, for presenting that news in an attractive format, and for implementing their newspapers' policies, including policies they disagreed with. They used a combination of rewards / punishments to train their staffs and to obtain instant compliance with their orders.

Die verskil in werkomstandighede in die joernalistiek die laaste paar jaar is nie net tot Suid-Afrika beperk nie, maar kom vrywel oral voor. Die skrywer gee hier 'n byna grafiese voorstelling van hoe dit vir jong verslaggewers in die VSA was om in die spreekwoordelike 'soutmyn' te werk: min simpatie van redakteurs; weinig ondersteuning (mentorskap). In die Sanef oudit was dit ook duidelik dat die 'tradisionele' hantering van verslaggewers nie meer van toepassing is in 'n era waarin erkenning, regverdige arbeidspraktyke, inspraak en 'n 'medewerkende arbeidsverhouding' aan die orde van die dag is nie. Die skrywer meen egter dat die spanning tussen redakteurs en verslaggewers waarskynlik nooit heeltemal sal verdwyn nie.

State of the discipline communication studies in South Africa

Tomaselli, Keyan G.; Shepperson, Arnold

Abstract: This article is an abridged version of a longer report commissioned in 1999 by the National Research Foundation (NRF) on the State of the Discipline: Communication Studies. The study reports on the challenges facing the discipline during the post-apartheid, post-disciplinary era. The report deals with communication in general, but focuses on journalism and mass communication teaching. The findings examine how practitioners teaching the discipline responded, especially with regard to issues of megadisciplinarity. The article offers a series of recommendations aimed at both opening up the discipline organizationally, and creating more focus in terms of how practitioners can improve their engagement with the subject matter in the southern African context.

Die artikel sluit baie goed aan by die Sanef oudit, hoewel die invalshoek anders is. Die klem lê op die akademiese sy van die vraag oor hoe en waarheen met die onderrig van en navorsing oor die joernalistiek en massakommunikasie. Die skrywers voer onder meer aan dat die tyd meer as ryp is vir dosente en navorsers in die vakgebied om nou vir eens hul huis in orde te kry en 'n professionele vereniging te stig wat die belange van die vakgebied binne die konteks van Suider-Afrika op die hart sal dra. Hulle 'n aantal praktiese voorstelle aan die hand van hoe dit gedoen moet word, maar waarsku ook teen universiteite en technikons wat studente te werf deur op een of ander wyse die woorde 'kommunikasie' of 'media' by hul kursusse in te voeg.