Science and communication : a critical analysis of the coverage by the Namibian press of the introduction of communal conservancies as a form of community based natural resource management (CBNRM)

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT:Science forms an integral part of our lives. It is tied to social practices, public policiesand political affairs. Yet, very little is reported on it unless it is making hard news.This thesis was written from the premise that the public requires as much accurateinformation as possible to make choices and decisions. In many instances, they solelydepend on the news media to supply that information.Journalists have a responsibility to reflect and explain the complexity of a world thatis increasingly influenced by science. In Namibia the establishment of conservanciesunder the CBNRM programme of government, have an influence on many ruralpeople's lives who would previously not have been too concerned about science news.Through the Media and Publicity Strategy of the CBNRM programme,communication of the environmental message of conservancies has been successful toa large extent, especially in terms of reportage in the local press.The messages conveyed in the press have been overwhelmingly positive andsupportive of the system.From the perspective of the level of journalism practised in this regard, the effort hasnot been that great. Publications in Namibia operate on very limited budgets and haveto manage with a minimum number of reporters.This means journalists are expected to cover a range of different beats, and are seldomoffered the opportunity to develop as specialist writers in specific fields. The field ofscience and environment is generally not regarded as an area that produces hard newson a regular basis.This was evident in the articles reviewed for the purposes of this thesis. The majorityof stories were written from press releases or field trips organised by the CBNRMprogramme organisers. Stories that were self-generated were not very well researched,or did not follow through on potential hard news angles or ideas. In a world of war, hunger, poverty, diseases and many other tragedies, the story of thedevelopment of communal conservancies is a wonderfully positive story thathighlights the success of sustainable development, the upliftment of the rural poor andachievements in terms of conservation. It is a welcome change for journalists to tell apositive story to the world.However, as journalists should know, every story has two sides. The purpose is notnecessarily to find fault with the conservancy philosophy or to shoot it down or findsensationalism where it is not due. Their role is to present a full, unbiased account ofthe facts so that their readers can make up their own minds on whether they supportthe concept, or not.If journalists failed to inform their readers about the problems experienced by theimplementation of conservancies, then they have failed to give their readers the fullpicture.The conclusions drawn in this thesis on the level of science or environmentalreporting in Namibia, serve to emphasise the urgent need for specialist writers in theprofession.A handful of dedicated and committed science writers that increasingly raises thelevel of reporting will make a vast difference in the fields of science and environmentin Namibia.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University