February 28, 2018

Free public event: From Fire-pools to Ramaphoria: Key media moments over the last ten years and why they matter for our democracy.

DEMOCRACY & GOVERNANCE RESEARCH AND ANALYSISMEDIA POLICY & QUALITY RESEARCH AND ANALYSISMedia Release
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Media Monitoring Africa (MMA), South African National Editors Forum (SANEF) and Nelson Mandela Foundation (NMF), are thrilled to invite you to a free public event:

From Fire-pools to Ramaphoria: Key media moments over the last ten years and why they matter for our democracy.

Date: Thursday, 8 March 2018

Time: 18h00 for 18h30 until 20h00 followed by refreshments

Venue: Nelson Mandela Foundation (107 Central Street, Houghton, JHB)

Speakers: Ferial Haffajee (Huffington Post)

Chris Maroleng (SABC)

Susan Comrie (Amabhungane)

Mahlatse Gallens (SANEF)

Facilitator: Sakina Kamwendo (SAFM)

RSVP: https://mmamediatenyears.splashthat.com/

While South Africans are becoming increasingly accustomed to political frenzy and uncertainty, it is important to take stock and reflect on the function that the media have played in our recent history. There can be little doubt as to the critical role that our media, and in particular investigative journalism, has played in exposing the abuse of power and state capture in our country. But what does this coverage mean for us, as the public, and how can we use this information to deepen our democracy?

Over the last few years, we have also witnessed the unprecedented abuse of resources by state entities to target and harass journalists as they carry out their responsibilities of holding the powerful to account. Here, too, we have seen active intentional campaigns that seek to undermine the credibility and trust in legitimate media institutions. How do we respond to these challenges and what are their implications for building quality journalism?

This early evening panel discussion intends to highlight some of the key media moments that have dotted our past, and to recognise the efforts of those who have taken great risk to report the very stories that have shaped our current political reality. Critically, too, we seek to unpack some of the crucial lessons that we have learnt as the media fraternity during this chaotic, unpredictable and volatile time, and how we can use these going forward, especially in light of the inevitable chaos we can expect in the lead-up to 2019 elections.

We would also use this as an opportunity to honour Mandy Rossouw who was the first to break the story about Zuma’s controversial homestead, Nkandla, in December 2009.

Please follow online with #MediaMomentsza and at @MediaMattersza (Twitter), MediaMattersza (Facebook) or on our web page (www.mediamonitoringafrica.org) for updates.

For more details, you can also contact:
Sarah Findlay or William Bird
Tel: 011 788 1278
Email: sarahf@mma.org.za or williamb@mma.org.za