Journos' SOS call unanswered
Thalefang Charles | Friday August 28, 2020 12:44
This great profession that has been our calling, is dying. Former Mmegi editor Ntibinyane Ntibinyane predicted this in April in his widely published article titled “Coronavirus may spell the end for many of Africa’s print newspapers”.
In the article that was originally published in the INK Centre for Investigative Journalism, Ntibinyane said, “Newspapers are on financial ventilators. Even before the coronavirus outbreak, the writing was already on the wall. Newspapers were bleeding money. The traditional business model was collapsing. The virus is only expediting the inevitable death”. As I started to type this, just a moment ago, I received the bank salary SMS, the one that we call (((PING))) in our WhatsApp group and it is evidence enough that we are facing the end of the newspapers – at least the way we knew them. (((PING))) used to be the most positive news we get monthly.
Although it has never increased in the past 10 years, well as far back as newsroom old timers can remember – it has always temporarily lifted our spirits up. But it is that stagnant payment that made the industry to lose some of the most talented journalists and business development managers to other lucrative industries. Since the COVID-19 outbreak newspapers have further shrunk, some have folded, others gave up selling their hard print copies and are now ‘WhatsApping’ readers their news.
Few days before our August (((PING))), management sent out the inevitable bad news, announcing a hopping 50% pay cuts for the month of August salaries. The news sent shockwaves through the staff because it came just a few days before payday. This week another local media house announced salary cuts for the next three months for all their staff.
Journalists are the loneliest heroes who have dedicated their lives to fighting crime, exposing corruption, speaking truth to power, telling other people’s stories but not our own sufferings. We have bravely taken on the most dangerous criminals, fought for the disadvantaged, marginalised, marched with workers seeking salary increments without complaining about our own deteriorating welfare.
And as COVID-19 reared its ugly head and caused layoffs and salary cuts, journalists fought for many workers – most of them getting bigger paycheck than journalists – who were unfairly dismissed and denied payments by unscrupulous employers. We exposed dishonest employers who wanted to maximise profits in the plight of workers. We have forced ourselves into factories to face bad employers that wanted to run away with moneys of our fellow Batswana.
Journalists are frontliners in every war including this COVID-19 war. We have had journalists that have been quarantined after working in risky areas without protective gear. Through lockdowns and COVID-19 scares, journalists have put their lives on the line to come to work and produce news that forced leaders to account and even entertained those struggling to cope.
Today, as the COVID-19 finally hits our pocket, there is no one to run to for help. No one at the other end of media SOS call. The life and perks of the profession are all gone. There is no money. There are no familiarisation trips to exotic places. No events, no free food, drinks (at least) or Golden circle passes.
But amidst all these, journalists must still produce, they must still put their bodies on the line, they must still fight for the people. They must still remain sane. It often feels like a thankless profession but we were used to have the (((PING))) that made us to wake up in the morning, clothe our children and put bread on the table. With the (((PING))) now slashed in half, loans sharks waiting to swallow us and transport prices going up, together with food and rent, it is going to be extremely hard for the media workers.
This week Managing Director of Mmegi, Titus Mbuya, a former Editor - updated the workers about the dire financial situation of the company. He made it clear that the situation could get much worse than it is now. And there is no one at the other end of our SOS call.