Newsroom Disruptions and Opportunities in Times of Crisis: Analysing Southern African Media During the COVID-19 Crisis

Chibuwe, Albert; Munoriyarwa, Allen; Motsaathebe, Gilbert; Chiumbu, Sarah; Lesitaokana, William

doi:10.1080/23743670.2022.2071961

Cited by 7 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 27 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…We focus on media-state relations as constituting an impediment to data journalism practices. Media-state relations in many African countries are fractured (Chibuwe et al, 2022). The political elite dominating African states do not see the media as serving a public interest but as colluding with imperialist forces to recolonise Africa.…”

Section: African Media Ecosystems and Their Influence On Data Journal...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The future is digital, and practices such as data journalism are becoming part and parcel of the journalism profession. In Africa, data journalism has the potential to reinvigorate the purpose and essence of journalism in a continent dogged by massive corruption (Mutsvairo, 2019), declining public trust in the media (Chibuwe et al, 2022), and a growing imperative for media that serve the public interest (Chibuwe et al, 2022). Research by Moyo (2019), Mutsvairo et al (2020) and Muneri (2019) shows that the uptake of data journalism has been slow and remains less utilised across the continent.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Exploring data journalism practices in Africa: data politics, media ecosystems and newsroom infrastructures

Chiumbu

Munoriyarwa

2023

Media, Culture & Society

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Extant research on data journalism in Africa has focused on newsroom factors and the predilections of individual journalists as determinants of the uptake of data journalism on the continent. This article diverts from this literature by examining the slow uptake of data journalism in sub- Saharan Africa through the prisms of non-newsroom factors. Drawing on in-depth interviews with prominent investigative journalists sampled from several African countries, we argue that to understand the slow uptake of data journalism on the continent; there is a need to critique the role of data politics, which encompasses state, market and existing media ecosystems across the continent. Therefore, it is necessary to move beyond newsroom-centric factors that have dominated the contemporary understanding of data journalism practices. A broader, non-newsroom conceptualisation beyond individual journalistic predilections and newsroom resources provides productive clarity on data journalism’s slow uptake on the continent. These arguments are made through the conceptual prisms of materiality, performativity and reflexivity.

show abstract

Section: African Media Ecosystems and Their Influence On Data Journal...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring data journalism practices in Africa: data politics, media ecosystems and newsroom infrastructures

Chiumbu

Munoriyarwa

2023

Media, Culture & Society

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically reshaped the collection, processing, and dissemination of news and information, bringing technological determinism to the fore of journalism studies (Appelgren, 2023). In the collection of news, disruptions in Southern African media during the COVID-19 crisis highlighted a significant impact on traditional news-gathering practices (Chibuwe, Munoriyarwa, Motsaathebe, Chiumbu, & Lesitaokana, 2022). These disruptions opened new dialogues around the role of technology in societal changes, engaging debates on technological determinism, including its typologies, scope conditions, and mechanisms.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

New Technologies and Journalistic Practices at the Time of COVID-19 in Africa

Jean-Paul,

Erneo,

Rosemary

2023

AJC

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This article aimed to show how new information technologies have influenced and innovated journalism practice during COVID-19 in terms of collecting, processing and disseminating news and information. The study was literature based. A literature-based study primarily relies on existing published literature rather than collecting primary data through experiments or surveys. The findings reveal that the management of new information technologies has led to the rise of infodemia, a phenomenon of misinformation that disrupts the informational ecosystem due to the prevalence of erroneous or misleading news. As a result, the media's role as a watchdog is compromised. Infodemia has become the most prominent dimension of this challenge, with traditional media struggling to maintain their status as reliable source of information amidst the influence of amateur journalism on social media. The traditional media plays a crucial role in covering COVID-19 but faces challenges in producing and disseminating accurate information due to the specialization of journalism and the shortage of specialists. The emergence of new categories of journalistic practices, including terrorist journalism, diversionary journalism, ideological journalism, and journalism as a business, poses a major threat to the credibility, trust, and timeliness of real news. New technologies, particularly social media, have filled the void left by traditional media and facilitated the spread of fake news and rumors. Despite the challenges, information and communication technologies have brought innovation to journalistic practices in raising awareness against COVID-19 in Africa. The study provides several recommendations based on its findings. Traditional media outlets in Africa are recommended to prioritize hiring and training specialist journalists to cover health-related topics, establishing measures to combat the spread of fake news and rumors related to COVID-19, continuing to adapt to the use of new technologies in disseminating information, upholding ethical standards in reporting, and prioritizing public health How to cite this paper:

show abstract

Public Service Broadcasting in Transition: The Rise of Digital Non-State Public Service Media in Southern Africa

Ndlovu,

Mutanda

2024

The Palgrave Handbook of Everyday Digital Life

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Newsroom Disruptions and Opportunities in Times of Crisis: Analysing Southern African Media During the COVID-19 Crisis

Cited by 7 publications

References 27 publications

Exploring data journalism practices in Africa: data politics, media ecosystems and newsroom infrastructures

Exploring data journalism practices in Africa: data politics, media ecosystems and newsroom infrastructures

New Technologies and Journalistic Practices at the Time of COVID-19 in Africa

Public Service Broadcasting in Transition: The Rise of Digital Non-State Public Service Media in Southern Africa

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About