Women Journalists in South Africa : Democracy in the Age of Social Media

This edited collection examines women journalists experiences and obstacles in South Africa's (SA) democracy. They exercise power, and add a vital diversity, but they are routinely harassed in the online social media space of big tech companies such as Twitter and Facebook by populist and corrupt politicians and their supporters. Using SA as the case study, this book examines attempts to curb women journalists freedom combining theory and first-hand accounts. The target audience for the book includes scholars of political philosophy, gender, media, communications, NGOs, media freedom activists and journalists. Glenda Daniels is Associate Professor in Media Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand, SA. She is author of Power and Loss in South African Journalism: news in the age of social media (2020); Fight for Democracy: the ANC and media in South Africa (2012) and co-author of Glass Ceilings: women in South African Media Houses, 2018 (2018). Kate Skinner is Executive Director of the Association for Independent Publishers, SA. She has been a media freedom activist, researcher and policy analyst for the last 25 years and has worked in the unions, NGOs, government and the media industry to build a diverse, independent media sector Acknowledgements Contents Notes on Contributors Abbreviations List of Tables Chapter 1: Introduction Theoretically and Methodologically Speaking The Media Landscape in South Africa in the Age of the Pandemic Key Definitions/Glossary A Summary of the Chapters in this Book References Chapter 2: The Triple Oppressions: Race, Class and Gender in South African Journalism Introduction Research on the News Media, Journalism and Gender African Women Journalists and the Triple Oppression Concluding Remarks References Chapter 3: Reporting Sexual and Gender-Based Violence: A Decolonial Gaze on Women Journalists in South Africa Introduction Gender, Journalism and the Media in South Africa Conceptual Framework: Decolonial Feminism Applying the Argument: Reporting GBV in South Africa Victims and Villains Patriarchy in a Contextual Vacuum Sensational Headlines Conclusion: Towards Decolonial Feminism in GBV Media Reporting Training References Chapter 4: Glass Ceilings: Cybermisogyny is a Sign of Unchecked Sexism in Media and Newsrooms Online Harassment of Journalists Worldwide: Women Take the Brunt Radical Democracy, Diversity and Feminist Backlash The Glass Ceiling and Backlash Against Feminist Gains in South Africa Method: Survey of Women in the Media Findings and Discussion: A Patchwork Quilt of Patriarchy Old Boys Networks Sexist Attitudes, Language and Jokes The Gender Pay Gap and Paying the Family Penalty Sexist Stereotyping and the Lack of Opportunity for Growth or Promotion Cybermisogyny, Trolling and Feeling Unsafe Discussion: Unchecked Sexism Conclusions: Towards a Deeper Democracy Recommendations References Chapter 5: The Hounding Racist and Patriarchal Tropes Julius Malema and My History The Hounding of My Colleagues Pauli Van Wyk, Sli Masikane, Karyn Maughan Spilling onto Real Life: Outside the Zondo Commission on State Capture Global Silencing Campaigns and Easy Populist Branding: Racist More Hounding: Karyn Maughan’s Story Conclusion Chapter 6: Threats to Rape and Kill Me Starting Young Enough Change Conclusion Chapter 7: Building Media Credibility and Ethics in South Africa: A Way Forward from the Margins The Critical Role of the Community Media Sector Theoretical Frames—Critical Political Economy and Critical Theories of Technology Critique of the Recommendations of the Sanef Ethics and Credibility Inquiry Media Freedom Media Diversity Ethics and Standards Safety and Security of Journalists Continuing Professional Development Finances Critiques of Sanef’s additional Sustainability research Journalists’ Perspectives on Sanef’s Inquiry—A Preliminary Survey Conclusions References Chapter 8: The Gender Pay Gap in the South African Media Sector Introduction Gender Equality in the Post-Apartheid South African Media Sector The Importance and Impact of Transparent Reporting by Media Companies on Gender Pay Figures Researching the Gender Pay Gap Amid a Dearth of Transparency and Lack of Access to Information South African Gender Pay Transparency and Reporting Mechanisms A Case in Point: Analysing the Reporting of Three South African Broadcast Media Houses The Ethical Implications of Non-transparency in Reporting Gender Pay Information in the Media Sector References Chapter 9: The Marginalisation of Women’s Voices in News Stories: Thoughts on a Way Forward Introduction Women’s Voices in Election News Climate Change—Agenda Setters in the Media Gender-Based Violence—Whose Voice Is Being Heard in the Media? The Global Pandemic Covid-19: Women’s Voices in News Social Media Reshaping Coverage A Way Forward for Media to Amplify Women’s Voices References Chapter 10: Reflections: Re-imagining Journalism for a Feminist Future Recommendations, Reflections and Re-imaginings Index