How ironic? All this, coupled with the dwindling global revenues in the face of a growing digital platforms threats and a challenge to credibility makes matters worse. Additionally, a lack of laws that protect journalists and explicitly pronounce free speech within the constitution, spells doom for the industry.
However, to this end, a number of publications have thus survived. Post the COVID-19 pandemic, media business has not done well which saw some outlets retrenching staff whereas others mainly rely on cheap labor and or inexperience to navigate this difficult financial terrain. Who can blame them? It is an industry at a crossroads and in dire need of vigorous self -introspection. Rhetorically, we can spend all the time speaking, but the reality of the matter is that the media needs innovative solutions.
My purpose today is not to magnify the challenges but make us appreciate the need for reforms. The media (state and private), academia, civil society and law makers should see to it that they instigate such dialogue and not only that but targeted interventions. How does a fully-fledged industry operate without a union? Who addresses the work related issues of journalists and freelancers who tend to suffer injustices sometimes?
Can the conduct of journalists be governed in the absence of a code of ethics? This is a rather simple but serious question which can distinguish between a thriving news industry and one headed to the dogs? Should journalism be fed to the dogs under our watch? Well, as I write this, I only seek to invoke discourse. I am not a holier than though character and even if I was- I would only be akin to the biblical John the Baptist who paved a way preaching repentance before Jesus Christ.
Indeed, a time will come when we will not be able to write or speak as we do but we will be put to strict judgment for failing to redeem a globally revered profession on a free-fall the world over. Only journalists can save journalism. How about we adopt a code of conduct to govern the conduct of reporting? What is currently in place for both mainstream and digital media coverage of elections? Have media houses coined in-houses editorial codes of conduct that govern the reportage of elections? Save for the Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA) which regulates private radio stations who else sees to it that state broadcasters play within the rulebook?
Who sees to it that apart from the tried and tested self-regulatory model print publications actually do account in the event they are caught on the wrong side of things. Regulation for online is a real nightmare across the world. We will focus on it next time
Journalism as a governed profession However, like any other profession, journalism has code of ethics that govern the conduct of reporters. That should be the case for any outlet in the industry of news making. Or at least one that purports to be.
When journalism allows itself to be a propaganda vehicle; it sells itself short and come across as hired. Even worse, in the digital era, cheap propaganda sells like fatcakes hence robbing audiences of credible news.
Journalism is about facts, not feelings of sources or authors and or rumors. News is what a journalist establishes rather than what a source allege hence a duty to verify.
Informed Journalism is not rumor mongering but an account of the truth, or at least an attempt at the truth.
2024 elections coverage
The build up to the 2024 general elections have seen a mixed bag of both palatable and unpalatable conduct emanating from the media. For its credit, it is without a shadow of doubt that the media has greatly strengthened discourse by offering candidates a platform to express themselves and political ideologies (if we still have any movement leaning toward those). The media has served as a basis for education while at the same time sharing knowledge on political events, manifesto’s and all thereto. To my surprise, even state media (RB, RB2, Botswana Television, BW government Facebook, Daily News) have come to the party. Whilst I expressed shock in that, coverage for the Opposition which has been a challenge over the years, has seemingly improved, I reckoned that let us not jump the cart. It is a move in the right direction but would even add value to our democracy should the coverage extend equally to both the Botswana Democratic Party(BDP) as it does with political parties like the Botswana Congress Party(BCP), Umbrella for Democratic Change(UDC), Botswana Patriotic Front(BPF) as well as many other parties. Impartiality amid polarization Whereas it is crystal clear that post the Ian Khama presidency, media stands divided between those sympathetic to the former and others to president Mokgweetsi Masisi(whom I will refer to as the latter), it would be disingenuous for anyone to deny the political polarization. It has paned itself out in the open wherein some observers within the social media space have accused journalists and editors of alignment. Although some have publicly declared their political interests others remain silent. Ethically, it is assumed that journalists should be neutral and therefore keep their political views to themselves. This reminds me of an article by Markus Ojala(2021) titled: “Is the Age of Impartial Journalism Over? The Neutrality Principle and Audience (Dis) Trust in Mainstream News. For five (5) years now, the Khama-Masisi has dominated discourse even though to some extent now boring has been repeated over and over again. The same script and not even different characters. The uncommon story of the two at loggerheads for what have been mainly speculation and a reliance on the subjects themselves has not solved that the country continues to grapple with far more pressing matters. In the period, a number of stories worth telling where shelved thanks in part to the fallout. Nevertheless, in the face of such political polarization, the media became the centre of the dispute. From being private media’s worst enemy, Khama would then develop a lovey-dovey relationship that has served him to this end. Over the years, it became easy to spot with ease which side of the aisle a publication falls. Are they with Khama or Masisi? Efforts to remain neutral have somewhat seemingly hit a snag. If indeed the age of impartial journalism is over, then in Botswana it would have been ended by this polarization. For now, I choose to stop here. Kabo Ramasia is a Senior Journalist and media scholar
