A paradigm in process: What the scapegoating of Vusi Mona signalled about South African journalism

A paradigm in process: What the scapegoating of Vusi Mona signalled about South African journalism

In recent years, normative questions about South African journalists' roles in the post-apartheid era have become an issue in regard to the intense contest over a likely presidential successor. The case of disgraced former City Press editor Vusi Mona in 2003/2004 is a cameo instance that shows...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Communicatio Vol. 34; no. 1; pp. 1 - 20
Main Author: Berger, Guy
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 01-07-2008
Subjects:
Confidential briefing
ethics
Hefer Commission
journalism
Mathatha Tsedu
paradigm repair
Ranjeni Munusamy
Sanef
sources
Vusi Mona
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Summary:In recent years, normative questions about South African journalists' roles in the post-apartheid era have become an issue in regard to the intense contest over a likely presidential successor. The case of disgraced former City Press editor Vusi Mona in 2003/2004 is a cameo instance that shows how media practitioners (especially in print) navigated this issue. The experience can be analysed in three areas: Actors' motives in regard to publishing, participation in confidential briefings, and stances towards judicial process. This rich case also reveals a lack of substantive awareness of the deeper stresses thrown up by democratic transition in South African inflections about the field of journalism. It also suggests some possible modifications to the 'paradigm repair' framework when analysing media in transitional contexts.
ISSN:0250-0167
1753-5379
DOI:10.1080/02500160802144470