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Democracy and the media- a view from South Africa Guy Berger

Democracy and the media- a view from South Africa Guy Berger. Coming up. In the beginning… The democracy-media dance Cheers for civil society Praise for public sphere Remembering the private Predicting digital dreams. 1389. 1666. 1896. Periodising media history. GHANA 2007

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Democracy and the media- a view from South Africa Guy Berger

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  1. Democracy and the media-a view from South AfricaGuy Berger

  2. Coming up • In the beginning… • The democracy-media dance • Cheers for civil society • Praise for public sphere • Remembering the private • Predicting digital dreams

  3. 1389 1666 1896

  4. Periodising media history GHANA 2007 50 years of independence:

  5. Some lessons Precolonial: original indigenous media – rock art, folk tales and drama, drums, statues, griots, hieroglyphics, Timbuctu manuscripts = rich heritage

  6. Colonial:censorship & control = poor heritage! Lessons

  7. early decades • 1950s: nationalist media – newspapers. p • 1960s: national development – FM radio. p • 1970s:propaganda. i

  8. democracy decades • 1980s: independent press (DTP) p? • 1990s: broadcast pluralism p?? • 2000s: reform state broadcasting ??? • 2010s: phones = interactive media… (digital networks, incl TV)

  9. Enough already! Summing up: • Independent press = celebrate civil society! n • Broadcast pluralism = statemakes space for civil society & business. n • PBS reform = state itself must change.

  10. Still with us…C O N T R O L

  11. Choice of stereotypes! Or? ‘Barbie doll democracy is alien’ “Cultures are not suited to liberal democracy” Francis Nyamnjoh: Media role?

  12. Elections = universal But, like anywhere, they are just one part of the story…

  13. Definitions • M&D = two institutions • With historically specific forms • So look at processes & functions. • African democracy vs Western? • But: apples & oranges still count as edible foodstuffs

  14. Concepts to grasp democracy: Civil Society Public Sphere Summing up

  15. Making democracy work:the CS paradigm • Civil society – ushers in African democracy • keeps a government on its toes. • The media is expected to express CS’s democratic role (eg. Human rights). • Qtn: Rural areas – CS sparse? • Qtn: Sustainability? • Qtn: is Business included?

  16. Civil Society & media • Non-state activities • Organisations, churches, (businesses?) • Do they have their own media? • Is that cost-effective and feasible? • Is media outside of civil society? • Or at least different to the rest of cs? • What about community media?

  17. Civil Society- assumptions “state bad, civil society good” • But what of democratic qualities in state? • What if private media is part of the problem?

  18. Civil Society- limitations • Summing up CS complexities: • Can’t apply willy-nilly to African media. • Instead, we have to think about: • Donor-driven and urban bias, • Business as ally for democracy, • Not all media being within or part of CS, • Get past good-bad dualism.

  19. Enter PS paradigm • Public sphere – where democracy lives. • Qtn: Singular or plural? • Qtn: Includes civil society & state? • Qtn: Private & primordial realms?

  20. How PS works • Public (opinion): • Impacts on exercise of power • Sets agendas, limits “the possible” • Sphere (of influence): • contrasts to governmental & private. • Not all politics is public sphere PS implies a realm distinct from force.

  21. Re-thinking Public Sphere • Contrary to Habermas’ (normative) view: • non-democrats are involved; • irrationality is a force. • Result: ever-moving & re-sizing space. • Africa: state-owned media has reach & languages for an urban + rural PS …

  22. CS & PS enrich each other • PS sans CS … issterile (or coloured by govt/business) • CS sans PS … lacks a centre.

  23. The logic leads to media Both CS and PS see role for media, but: • CS sees media broadly (eg. Including banners; song; drama); • PS sees the classic mainstream. • CS → private press + community radio; • PS sees a role for state-owned media.

  24. PS as holistic • PS looks at role of all media. • PS ideal: totality of voices needed, • Place of ps-style journalism ethics reflecting the full spectrum? • Degree of pluralism & dialogue is an issue. • PS embraces: impartial PBS, + partisan private media, + community media + even govt media.

  25. Role of media • CS suggests rights against the state, (watchdog & community media IDs) • PS suggests rights through the state (forum & educational media IDs). Thus, PS = strategic view of state: • Transform government-controlled media, • Promote enabling regulation, • Develop notion of citizenship.

  26. Happily ever after? • Need both together – lesson of African media history. • Trajectory: • From civil society to public sphere, • And beyond, a continuing contribution. • Communications central to it all.

  27. Horizons: Globalisation

  28. The issues: • Global agendas? Only security? • Transnational public space with diasporas? • African continent public space? • African cybersphere with cellular media?

  29. Conclusion: • History lessons • Democracy is universal & particular • CS and PS concepts → media roles • Synthesis advanced • Limitations noted • International dimensions

  30. Thank you • Democracy is an end in itself • It runs from macro to micro • Media can help to make it.

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