The South African press as watchdog or lapdog : a content analysis of press coverage of a health policy May 1997-February 1998

[摘要] ENGLISH SUMMARY: The debate around the role of a critical media in South Africa has emerged from growinggovernment criticism of media coverage. The general perception appears to be that theneed for a vigilant press has lapsed since the election of a democratic government. In1994, Thabo Mbeki stated that as the liberation leaders are now in government, there isno need for a watchdog press.This exploratory study aims to assess the nature of newspaper coverage of thegovernment. This assessment is limited to coverage by the Cape Times, Die Burger andSowetan of Dr Zuma's Medical, Dental and Supplementary Health Service ProfessionsBill. The May 1997 to January 1998 time frame of the study corresponds with the healthpolicy's development from a clause in the White paper to its promulgation as an Act.Besides assessing the nature of newspaper coverage, i.e. whether coverage is positive,negative, neutral or balanced, two main propositions are suggested. The first propositionis that the ideological stance of a newspaper may influence newspaper coverage ofgovernment policy. The second proposition suggests that media ownership will influencenewspaper coverage of government policy. The quiet revolution of media ownership isexpected to stimulate ideological shifts that may affect the nature of newspaper coverage.As the focus of the study falls on the content of printed media, namely newspapers,content analysis constitutes the research design. Both the manifest and latent contents ofthe newspaper articles are analyzed and the results are interpreted in relation to the threepropositions. The findings suggest that while newspaper coverage of the health policy isgenerally critical, it is not overly critical. Positive, neutral and balanced articles equalizenegative coverage. Newspaper coverage serves as an important indicator of the role that the newspaper isassuming in relation to the government. Although the results of this analysis are limitedto coverage of one aspect of government policy by the Cape Times, Die Burger and\Sowetan, one may extrapolate about the theoretical approach being adopted. Coverage ofthe three newspapers indicate a combination of the libertarian and developmentapproaches to media/society relations. The developmental media approach is not beingespoused by any of the three newspapers. It appears as if the sampled newspapers arefulfilling their watchdog roles by reporting critically on government policies. Theseresults bode well for the press' role in the consolidation of South Africa's democracy.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University