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‘Journalism under Digital Siege’ - the focus of #WorldPressFreedomDay

───   15:34 Tue, 03 May 2022

‘Journalism under Digital Siege’ - the focus of #WorldPressFreedomDay | News Article
PHOTO: Unsplash/Bank Phrom

World Press Freedom Day is a commemoration of the fundamentals of press freedom and ethical journalism.

This day serves as a reminder to the government and government officials that press freedom is important to the media. The press offers a world of knowledge and the ability to communicate and interact with others, as it is a reflection among media professionals.

This year’s theme is “Journalism under Digital Siege”.

Investigative journalist and journalism trainer, Raymond Joseph, gave his view on World Press Freedom Day and how the media and press are being portrayed and treated by the general public.

“It has never been easier to be a journalist, and it has never been harder to be one too. Social media has opened up a platform for everyone who may have beef with a journalist about any story, to troll and harass journalists using pseudonyms or even their own identity.”

He added that this is what journalists have to live with day by day, and this usually follows when he or any other journalist pursues a risky or controversial story.

“Social media is a fantastic tool for journalists in resourcing and finding story ideas. However, it has become a weapon of attack to journalists and their view and opinion on stories.”

Joseph added that it was much easier in the previous years to get a response directly from a cabinet minister, it has now become nearly impossible to speak directly to the officials. Regarding response time and enquiries sent to government officials and people in high positions, he expressed that most spokespersons representing senior officials, may be ex-journalists or media representatives who would have never tolerated the response time or disregard that they display to media representatives.

He further added that if there is one thing journalists can take away from this is that just because a spokesperson and/or official does not answer does not mean that the story will not be written. “All I will do is write the story and add that the person in question has failed to respond, although they were given a reasonable time frame,” he said.

“Spokespersons have a responsibility to liaison between the officials and the public. Journalists ask questions to inform and for a purpose. However, these spokespersons make a journalist's job much harder to do and restrict their responsibility to inform the public about what is going on in the world".

According to a joint statement by the Amnesty International SA, Campaign for Free Expression, Committee to Protect Journalists, Media Monitoring Africa, and the SA National Editors’ Forum, South Africa is facing several threats to freedom of expression. These include police, political parties, and public attacks on journalists, as well as online threats such as hate speech and harassment.

”Almost 59 distinct incidences of journalists, working in the field, being assaulted or verbally and physically harassed, have occurred in the past five years, preventing them from doing their jobs. Police, political parties and groups, their followers, as well as communities - where reporting occurs - are the main culprits.”

World Press Freedom day is an opportunity to inform citizens about violations of press freedom - a reminder that publications are restricted, fined, suspended, and closed down in dozens of nations throughout the world, while journalists, editors, and publishers are harassed, attacked, jailed, and even assassinated.

It is a day set aside to promote and develop actions in support of press freedom, as well as to review the current situation of press freedom around the world.

OFM News/Heidré Malgas

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