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Journalist must always strive for the truth: Press Ombudsman

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Journalist must always strive for the truth, independent verification and should be loyal to the citizens. This is according to Press Ombudsman Pippa Green during the annual Percy Qoboza memorial lecture.

The Apartheid regime banned several newspapers and publications 43 years ago. Percy Qoboza, who was the editor of the World newspaper, and several others were detained for months without trial.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the lecture.

Green says journalism should serve as the reference for verification of the information peddled in social media.

“Journalism’s first obligation is the truth. Its first loyalty is to citizens. Its essence is the discipline of verification. Its practitioners must maintain an independence from those they cover and it must serve as an independent monitor of power. The problem with social media is that the obligation to the truth and the discipline of verification frequently comes second to click bate, rumour and outright propaganda. In South Africa, we experienced a deliberate social media campaign as pushback to the exposes on the Gupta and state capture.”

Delivering the virtual Percy Qoboza memorial lecture, Green says journalism can be used to hold those in power to account.

The theme of this year’s lecture: “Why journalism matters. The challenges have changed but has its core purpose?”.

#BLACKWEDNESDAY | 10th annual Percy Qoboza memorial lecture: 

Green says despite challenges that media faces, journalism can still play a pivotal role.

“We face other severe threats to the fabric of our democracy. Corruption is one. It deliberately siphones money and resources paid for by taxpayers and intended to benefit the poor in our deeply unequal society and redistribute it to a politically connected elite class. The work of the Daily Maverick, convened team that included News24 and the investigative news agency, Amabhungane, exposing the extent of state capture through what is now known as the Gupta leaks, is one example of how journalism can hold those in power to account.”

Fake news and disinformation

In the face of new trends created by digital technologies, proliferation of fake news and disinformation, as well as blurred lines created by social media and the gig economy continue to be important today.  MDDA discusses these and other pertinent issues pertaining to Media freedom via Zoom.

Black Wednesday commemoration, 19 October 2020:

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