By Prof Mandla J Radebe
As the world marked World Press Freedom Day in May under the theme “A Press for the Planet: Journalism in the Face of the Environmental Crisis”, an essential aspect often overlooked emerged – journalism’s profound influence in perpetuating dominant ideologies within society.
While the day celebrated journalistic freedom, it also prompted reflection on the broader role of media in shaping societal perspectives and values. In South Africa the focus was on 30 years of democracy. But globally the discussions diverged ranging from media’s financial woes to threats against press freedom and rankings like the World Press Freedom Index, perspectives abounded.
Certainly, this day presents an opportune moment to examine the impact of journalism in society, both its constructive contributions and the challenges it faces.
Premised on the United Nations’ 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which affirms everyone’s right to freedom of opinion and expression, this day underscores the importance of freedom of the press and media. It upholds the principle that communication and expression through diverse media, including print and electronic platforms, should be regarded as a fundamental right to be exercised without restraint.
While on one hand, journalists continue to make invaluable contributions to the development of humanity, on the other hand, especially those embedded within the commercialised media system, play a significant role in upholding a system that contributes to the marginalisation of many underprivileged people globally.
Nonetheless, it is the journalists who risk their lives to bring us the news. Despite grappling with challenges such as gatekeeping, the impact of commercialisation leading to reduced budgets, and the emergence of generative AI threatening job security, journalists remain an indispensable component of news production.
As a matter of fact, journalists operate under increasingly challenging circumstances, and their profession is becoming increasingly perilous. Reporters Without Borders reported that in 2023, 45 journalists worldwide were killed in connection with their work. Additionally, the Committee to Protect Journalists reported nearly 100 journalists killed in the recent conflict in Gaza alone.
Here in South Africa, the South African National Editors’ Forum has been outspoken about the violence journalists face, particularly during elections. These threats range from online bullying to criminal victimisation, with journalists often being robbed of their equipment and belongings while in the field.
Despite the challenges facing journalists, which rightfully deserve attention, we should not shy away from scrutinising and pointing out the role of journalists in ideology production on behalf of powerful commercial interests.
Every day, the media, through journalists, advances their ideological preferences on behalf of various interests. This is often disguised using terms such as “investor confidence” or “policy uncertainty”. Numerous scholars have explored how the South African media, through journalists, portrays ideological adversaries of the West such as Cuba, China, Russia, and now lately Iran, as undemocratic and backward states.
The starting point in understanding this stance perhaps lies in acknowledging that the media is comprised of individuals whose perceptions of the world are mediated through ideology.
Just like everyone else, journalists view and interpret reality through the lens of their own histories and ideologies. Each journalist reports on the world from within the framework of their own ideological perspective.
The significance of journalists’ role is further underscored by the fact that prevailing ideas in society are entrenched through intellectuals and cultural producers employed by the ruling class to generate ideas that uphold their institutions and way of life, disseminated through cultural channels such as the media. Therefore, advocating for freedom of expression should not be equated with endorsing the ideas and values of the dominant economic factions in society.
As integral components of cultural organisations and civil society within the capitalist edifice, the media operates under the influence of intellectuals, making journalists pivotal in promoting the ideas and agendas of dominant economic interests. Particularly in commercial media outlets, journalists frequently articulate a worldview aligned with the economic interests of the social groups they represent.
Of course, it would be simplistic to categorically assert that all journalists uniformly seek to promote capitalist interests. In fact, many are critical of the capitalist system, especially its exploitative nature in the Global South, particularly on the African continent. However, it is undeniable that their function is pivotal not only in the creation but also in the perpetuation and dissemination of prevailing ideological narratives.
It is primarily ideology that enables and drives journalists to interpret events and developments in a particular light. Additionally, gatekeeping in the news production process plays a crucial role in selecting what is deemed “newsworthy” while omitting other events.
The combination of these factors often results in negative coverage of issues and interests of the marginalised, reflecting the inherent ideology in the news production process. In essence, news production is not an innocent process, and neither is the role of journalists.
Journalists play a central role in producing media texts, which are then commodified, packaged, and sold as products to consumers. Throughout this process, ideology often permeates the content.
In class divided societies such as ours, journalists operate as part of the social strata designed to serve the primary interests of the ruling class. As the distinguished communication professor Keyan Tomaselli argued decades ago, journalists perpetuate the dominant ideology not only in what and how they write but also in the productive-distributive process.
This comprehensive understanding of the role of journalists is crucial. However, this shouldn’t overshadow the commendable work performed by media workers, often under extreme and challenging circumstances.
* Mandla J Radebe is an author, associate professor in the University of Johannesburg’s School of Communication and Director of the Centre for Data and Digital Communications. He is the author of “Constructing Hegemony: The South African Commercial Media and the (Mis)Representation of Nationalisation” (UKZN Press/Taylor & Francis). He writes in his personal capacity.
** The views expressed herein are not necessarily those of IOL or Independent Media.
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