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

✍ Scribed by Glenda Daniels, Kate Skinner

• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
• Year: 2022
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 166
• Series: Palgrave Studies in Journalism and the Global South
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

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.

✦ Table of Contents

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