Who we are
Media Monitoring Africa (formerly the Media Monitoring Project) has promoted democracy and human rights through the media since 1993. It acts in a watchdog role to promote ethical and fair journalism that supports human rights.
What We Do
Media Monitoring Africa engages in a range of activities that aim to promote human rights and the democratic role of media. We utilise our research results to engage with media, government and civil society to improve practice and understanding around the importance of media ethics, quality and freedom.
Current Projects
MMA is completing the report on the 2011 Local and Provincial Elections in South Africa and the Patients’ Rights: Writing it Right report on health coverage in the Zambian media, funded by OSI, and initiating the children's schools project for 2012, funded by the EU, where we teach children to monitor the media.
Contact Us
For comment on current media issues or any other information contact us on:
Tel: +27 (0) 11 788 1278
Fax: +27 (0) 11 788 1289
Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Latest
- A Tangled Web: Human Trafficking, Child Protection & the Media
As a metaphor, a web does nicely to describe human trafficking: a thing with many threads, sticky, dangerous, and unseen by victims. The sticky threads each different yet inseparable, certainly not linear, clean, neat and easily spotted…well unless you’re the spider that is.
What do we know about human trafficking? What should we know about it? What are we being told by the media? What is the media missing?
- Minister of Communications Speech: The Good, the Optimistic, and the Concerning
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
24 January 2012MMA welcomes the speech from the Minister of Communications, Dina Pule. There is much to be pleased about in the new minister’s plans, with one particular area of concern raised below.
- Submission to ICASA on the Draft Digital Terrestrial Television Regulations
Media Monitoring Africa (MMA, formerly the Media Monitoring Project) welcomes the
opportunity to make a submission to the Independent Communications Authority of South
Africa (ICASA) on the Draft Digital Terrestrial Television Regulations – 10 November 2011.
- Submission to the Press Freedom Commission: regulation of print media
Media Monitoring Africa responded to a call for submission by the Press Freedom Commission (PFC) (15 December 2011) on the Regulation of Print Media in South Africa.
MMA supports more independent self regulation. By definition self regulation refers to a peer review system operating within a set of self- imposed rules by the media. It consists of representatives from the media profession passing judgement of complicated matters of journalistic reporting using a Journalistic Code of Ethics which is applied in determining the final ruling , and benchmarking the generally accepted norms and standards.
- Secrecy Bill Passed
The Director of Media Monitoring Africa William Bird commented in a press release titled “Secrecy Bill: Bad for the country, Worse for South Africa’s International Reputation”.
- Secrecy Bill: Bad for the Country, Worse for South Africa’s International Reputation
Secrecy Bill: Bad for the Country, Worse for South Africa’s International Reputation
Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) notes with deep regret the decision taken in the National Assembly today to pass the Protection of Information Bill.
We call on President Zuma and the African National Congress to follow through on their pledge of a fully public and consultative process on this Bill. While civil society, including Media Monitoring Africa, has stated its willingness to challenge the Bill at the Constitutional Court, we believe it is not too late for President Zuma to ensure the Bill can pass constitutional muster. We call on President Zuma to send the Bill back for revision.
- Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory Expresses Concern with the Protection of State Information Bill
The Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory has expressed its concern with the Protection of State Information Bill which will be passed by the National Assembly today. The Centre has as a result released a press statement analysing the Bill’s remaining flaws.
- Tune in to Safm next Monday the 21st November from 14:00 to 15:00 for the inside stories on traffick
Tune in to Safm next Monday the 21st November from 14:00 to 15:00 for the inside stories on trafficking.
What are we seeing and hearing in the media about child protection and trafficking? What is the media missing, what are they getting right? What do ordinary people understand by the concept human trafficking? How does the reality of it differ from people’s ideas and perceptions, and more importantly how much is known and understood by those who are most vulnerable in South Africa and the region? These are the questions Media Monitoring Africa asks and which its groundbreaking report “A Tangled Web: Human Trafficking, Child Protection and The Media” sheds some much needed light on.
- Concerns about the “Electronic Communication Amendment Draft Bill”
Concerns about the “Electronic Communication Amendment Draft Bill”
MMA calls on the Department of Communication to withdraw the Electronic Communications Amendment Bill.
On the 4th of November 2011 in the Government Gazette, the Department of Communication (DOC) released the Electronic Communication Amendment Draft Bill for discussion. Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) finds the bill deeply concerning. There are certain areas of the draft bill, which if enacted, would fatally undermine the independence of the Independent Communication Authority of South Africa (ICASA).
- Somalia in Media Images: Battling Compassion Fatigue
Images of emaciated children have recently made their way into the media following the widely reported famine in Somalia. Media Monitoring Africa conducted an in-depth analysis into the visual portrayal of the famine and the underlying messages.
- Mbalula vs the media: privacy, dignity vs public interest
Sports minister Fikile Mbalula’s sex scandal, comprehensively exposed by Sunday newspapers City Press, Sunday World and Sunday Sun, has once again fuelled the debate about the burning issue facing South Africa: privacy and dignity versus the public’s right to know where public figures - who many people look up to for inspiration and guidance - are concerned.
- Children’s News Agency article featured in Times Live written by CNA journalist Alex Rushmere
A grade 10 pupil and a member of the Children’s News Agency, Alex Rushmere, interviewed a range of children on the underworld of buying and dealing in steroids.
Alex spent extensive time with the dealers and customers who desire the effects of steroids.
News
- Minister of Communications Speech: The Good, the Optimistic, and the Concerning
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
24 January 2012MMA welcomes the speech from the Minister of Communications, Dina Pule. There is much to be pleased about in the new minister’s plans, with one particular area of concern raised below.
- Secrecy Bill Passed
The Director of Media Monitoring Africa William Bird commented in a press release titled “Secrecy Bill: Bad for the country, Worse for South Africa’s International Reputation”.
- Secrecy Bill: Bad for the Country, Worse for South Africa’s International Reputation
Secrecy Bill: Bad for the Country, Worse for South Africa’s International Reputation
Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) notes with deep regret the decision taken in the National Assembly today to pass the Protection of Information Bill.
We call on President Zuma and the African National Congress to follow through on their pledge of a fully public and consultative process on this Bill. While civil society, including Media Monitoring Africa, has stated its willingness to challenge the Bill at the Constitutional Court, we believe it is not too late for President Zuma to ensure the Bill can pass constitutional muster. We call on President Zuma to send the Bill back for revision.
- Tune in to Safm next Monday the 21st November from 14:00 to 15:00 for the inside stories on traffick
Tune in to Safm next Monday the 21st November from 14:00 to 15:00 for the inside stories on trafficking.
What are we seeing and hearing in the media about child protection and trafficking? What is the media missing, what are they getting right? What do ordinary people understand by the concept human trafficking? How does the reality of it differ from people’s ideas and perceptions, and more importantly how much is known and understood by those who are most vulnerable in South Africa and the region? These are the questions Media Monitoring Africa asks and which its groundbreaking report “A Tangled Web: Human Trafficking, Child Protection and The Media” sheds some much needed light on.
Resources
- A Tangled Web: Human Trafficking, Child Protection & the Media
As a metaphor, a web does nicely to describe human trafficking: a thing with many threads, sticky, dangerous, and unseen by victims. The sticky threads each different yet inseparable, certainly not linear, clean, neat and easily spotted…well unless you’re the spider that is.
What do we know about human trafficking? What should we know about it? What are we being told by the media? What is the media missing?
- Submission to ICASA on the Draft Digital Terrestrial Television Regulations
Media Monitoring Africa (MMA, formerly the Media Monitoring Project) welcomes the
opportunity to make a submission to the Independent Communications Authority of South
Africa (ICASA) on the Draft Digital Terrestrial Television Regulations – 10 November 2011.
- Submission to the Press Freedom Commission: regulation of print media
Media Monitoring Africa responded to a call for submission by the Press Freedom Commission (PFC) (15 December 2011) on the Regulation of Print Media in South Africa.
MMA supports more independent self regulation. By definition self regulation refers to a peer review system operating within a set of self- imposed rules by the media. It consists of representatives from the media profession passing judgement of complicated matters of journalistic reporting using a Journalistic Code of Ethics which is applied in determining the final ruling , and benchmarking the generally accepted norms and standards.
- Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory Expresses Concern with the Protection of State Information Bill
The Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory has expressed its concern with the Protection of State Information Bill which will be passed by the National Assembly today. The Centre has as a result released a press statement analysing the Bill’s remaining flaws.
- Somalia in Media Images: Battling Compassion Fatigue
Images of emaciated children have recently made their way into the media following the widely reported famine in Somalia. Media Monitoring Africa conducted an in-depth analysis into the visual portrayal of the famine and the underlying messages.
Blog
- SABC - helping to protect children?
SABC’s new “Hold My Hand” initiative aimed at helping protect children begs the question: what is SABC doing to help South Africa’s most vulnerable citizens? Not enough says MMA Director William Bird
- A case of politics before principle?
Is a move to more independent regulation of print media a good idea? If this means a new structure along the lines of that being proposed in Rapport’s Editorial then I am not so sure!
- SABC in danger of becoming a state broadcaster
The SABC is in the news again – for all the wrong reasons – again. We are almost getting used to this. This time however it is different. This time after an interim board had worked tirelessly to secure a loan agreement to allow the SABC to operate, after so many committed staff had ensured that despite the chaos the SABC still goes on air, even with one or two good programmes, (I would have said three or four but these other two are just repeats. Even the new 50/50 is a sad shadow of itself with more glitz but far less quality and content).
- Another SABC Public Mandate Bungle?
A story in the Sowetan, focused on how the SABC has bungled its own arrangements for finding a venue for its World Cup broadcast. According to the story SABC’s World Cup broadcasts were originally intended to be based at Nasrec – which if I recall correctly is the venue of the Media Centre for the World cup – so that at least made sense, as they would be with all the other media, making all the big personalities and celebrities easier to access, and they may even have had a view of the World Cup Calabash stadium in the background. This I can understand. What I cannot understand is why Sandton Convention Centre??
- Funding challenge and undervaluing the public service
Funding is one of the biggest problems the SABC faces. But it seems to me that they are missing using some of their best programming and most profitable channels to answer some questions about how best to proceed. A new and creative model and should explore some of the alternatives, and I think, surprise surprise, that a policy review process would enable us all to do this, and this will take time - so I also think we need to see if we can get SABC to operate more effectively as it is.
- SABC in crisis but still broadcasting
Our public broadcaster is in crisis, nothing new there. The SABC manages to confound and amaze, nothing new there either really. It amazes because despite all the crises we really do need to give credit to those who ensure that it is still ticking over.
- Elections bull driving you mad, politicians full of it? Here’s how you can make a difference
According to figures from the Stats SA website (www.statssa.gov.za – you should go there –it offers really cool ways to play with population data) based on their 2008 mid year population estimate, children account for between 39% and 43% of South Africa’s population.
That seems quite a lot. Seriously. Zambia has more, 52% of Zambia’s population are children, incredible. If we look at news, we certainly wouldn’t have any idea that children make up such a huge chunk of the population.
- Calling on media to adopt an agenda in reporting elections
Tune in to Media @ SAfm
Elections are coming and some say they may be sooner than we anticipate. We say hooray! We love elections at MMA. There is a certain inexplicable joy at the prospect of monitoring a whole lot of media, analysing each news item, tracking the big stories and the little ones too, considering issues of fairness and bias, party coverage and gender equality.
- 50/50 - highlighting the potential of the SABC
50/50 Watch this programme!
Sometimes you aren’t sure about telling people about something good in case it ruins it. Usually in the case of a restaurant if you tell too many people about it, it can get too popular, lose its charm and authenticity and become rubbish. In the current instance, I am thinking of a television programme. My fear isn’t so much about the programme becoming too popular, rather I think if it continues to fly under the radar it may just stay on air.
I’m talking about 50/50, a programme so good SABC marketing people never think to advertise it as a clear example of what our public broadcaster can do.
- Thank you South Africa thank you, the silly season…
If like me you don’t have satellite TV and you had a little more free time than normal over the last few weeks and rather than the wrestling feast that seems to be on e-tv almost 24hours a day… Hang on, I know this is mid sentence but really there is a new programme on etv that makes Cheaters look like good television. It is called Diva Diaries and it appears to be an excuse for scantily clad women to “wrestle.” Now don’t get me wrong I am all for lowest common denominator media, we all need a break from reality and there is a lot to be said about tabloids and mind numbing television programmes but in the case of Diva Diaries it is just mind numbingly bad. Naturalising violence against women, stupidity and sexism in one programme is a minor feat I guess and it makes the other wrestling look like brilliant programming.
Get Mad/Glad
- Teenage pregnancy is more than a teenage issue, the M&G reveals
Rates of teenage pregnancy in South Africa are among the highest in the world, yet the reasons for this problem are often misunderstood and riddled with myths and stereotypes about teenage girls. However, the Mail & Guardian, health section (04/10/2011, p1) article ‘Teenage moms learn the hard way’ by Katherine Child points to deep underlying social problems. The article reveals that teenage pregnancy results from a complex set of varied and interrelated factors, largely associated with the social conditions under which children grow up. The article also unearths and debunks myths surrounding contraceptives and child grants being blamed for high rates of teenage pregnancy in South Africa. For these and other reasons discussed below, the article deserves a Glad1.
- Daily Sun stages photo of four month-old among rocks
Few would condone lying a four-month old child in sand to pose for a news photograph. Yet, this is what Daily Sun seemingly did for a front cover picture recently. The article accompanying the picture, “Baby boy dumped in veld!” (04/10/2011, p. 1, 3) and the follow-up story “Sunpower shames bad mum!” (05/01/2011, p. 2), further abuses an abandoned baby boy and stigmatises a seemingly desperate mother.
- Saturday Star shows how pre-schoolers are particularly vulnerable
The article “Starving before school-going age” (Saturday Star, 01/10/2011, p.11) by Sheree Bega was selected as a GLAD for focusing on a concerning issue relevant to children of pre-school going age.
- There are ways to prevent teen suicide, so says The New Age
The New Age receives a GLAD for its article which addresses the prevention of teenage suicide.
- Photographs by Beeld violate the dignity and privacy of grieving children and their families
Photographs accompanying an article by Beeld have been selected for a MAD for violating the right to privacy and dignity of children attending a memorial service.
- Mail & Guardian depicts challenges in SA’s education system and children’s learning frustrations
Mail & Guardian receives a GLAD for its insightful and critical article that reflects on challenges in South Africa’s education system.
- Sowetan gets a MAD for indirectly identifying children involved in a murder case
An article by Sowetan receives a MAD for indirectly identifying children involved in a murder case and further failing to provide context by probing reasons behind one of the children’s alleged violent behaviour after his father’s death.
- The New Age commended for paying considerable thought and extreme care in reporting on children
Two articles by The New Age share a GLAD for demonstrating extreme care in reporting on convicted mothers and their children who were born in jail.
- The Citizen misses the broader picture
An article by The Citizen has been selected for a MAD for its insensitive picture and for failing to provide a nuanced and in-depth coverage of the eviction of 2000 people from a derelict building.
- Daily Sun fails to include the “WHY” factor in story.
Daily Sun receives a MAD for its story which lacks basic information and context.
Twitter
William Bird
- “@shaynerobinson Alexandra Ballet school photo essay http://t.co/iq2ps8WR Great pics and some other fascinating content.”– William Bird on 06:53 25/01
Follow William Bird @billbobbird
Media Matters
- “The Media Matters team has been out of office attending a strategy planning meeting the whole of today, hence the silence.”– Media Matters on 14:22 26/01
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