Public trust - The African Mirror

Jun

2023

Nigeria’s elections eroded public trust in voting, EU observers say

NIGERIA'S elections early this year were marred by problems that reduced public trust in electoral processes, European Union observers said in a final report, urging reforms to enhance transparency and accountability. President Bola Tinubu won the disputed February vote, whose result is being challenged in court by his two main rivals. The EU mission said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should improve in six priority areas, including removing ambiguities in electoral law, ensuring the real-time publication of and access to election results and clamping down on electoral offences. "Shortcomings in law and electoral administration hindered the conduct of well-run and inclusive elections and…

Apr

2023

By The African Mirror

From advertising blackmail to physical threats, Kenya’s journalists are under attack – but they must also regain public trust

MEDIA FREEDOM

IN recent months, Kenyan journalists have been harassed, intimidated and attacked by government officials, politicians and members of the public. George Ogola, a professor of media industries, explains the impact of these attacks on media freedom in Kenya. What are the major emerging threats against media freedom in Kenya? Author GEORGE OGOLA, Professor of Media Industries, University of Nottingham Kenya’s media face threats from both state and non-state actors as repressive practices of the past reemerge. Government and opposition politicians are actively undermining media freedom in the country. This isn’t entirely new. But the threats have taken a new dimension…

Feb

2022

By The African Mirror

Saving journalism: views on how to pay for reliable information

MEDIA FREEDOM

JOURNALISM globally faces a sustainability crisis. It largely stems from declining advertising revenue, loss of revenue to technology giants, control of news media by political actors and individuals with business interests, disinformation and dwindling public trust. Author THEODORA DAME ADJIN-TETTEY, Research Associate, School of Journalism and Madia Studies, Rhodes University, South Africa / Lecturer, Department of Communication Studies, University of Ghana, Rhodes University Twisting the knife in the wound, the financial pressure on media organisations has been worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. In the US, for example, at least 21 local newspapers merged and about 1,400 newsroom staffers lost their…

Feb

2021

By The African Mirror

Public trust in the media is at a new low: a radical rethink of journalism is needed

MEDIA FREEDOM

A recent report by an independent panel on the ethics and credibility of South Africa’s news media makes for worrying reading. The panel, headed by retired judge Kathy Satchwell, was commissioned by the South African National Editors’ Forum following a series of ethical lapses by the Sunday Times. The paper dominated the country’s media landscape for over 100 years. As the largest by circulation, it was also considered the most powerful newspaper. HERMAN WASSERMAN, Professor of Media Studies in the Centre for Film and Media Studies, University of Cape Town The lapses included factual inaccuracies in reports on allegations of…