Skip to content
1981
Volume 15, Issue 1
  • ISSN: 2040-199X
  • E-ISSN: 1751-7974

Abstract

Since early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic demanded ongoing media coverage unprecedented in its scope and reach. As a result, the pandemic dominated global and national news headlines for an extended period of time. Science and health journalists, and their colleagues covering other journalistic beats, were called upon to report on various aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic and many journalists found themselves in unchartered waters. To investigate the effects of the pandemic on journalists in South Africa, we adopted a qualitative approach and conducted semi-structured, in-depth interviews with twenty science, health and environmental journalists. We explored the challenges and demands that they faced, as well as how the pandemic changed science journalism in South Africa. This study highlights journalists’ capacity-building needs as identified during the pandemic and suggests ways to strengthen science journalism in the country.

Funding
This study was supported by the:
  • The European Union’s Horizon 2020 (Award 824634)
Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1386/jams_00095_1
2023-03-08
2024-11-11
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Abdool Karim, S. S.. ( 2020;), ‘ The South African response to the pandemic. ’, New England Journal of Medicine, 382, https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2014960. Accessed 27 February 2022.
    [Google Scholar]
  2. Abdool Karim, S. S.. ( 2022;), ‘ Public understanding of science: Communicating in the midst of a pandemic. ’, Public Understanding of Science, 31:3, pp. 28287.
    [Google Scholar]
  3. Allsop, J.. ( 2020;), ‘ How journalists around the world are covering the coronavirus. ’, Columbia Journalism Review, 17 March, https://www.cjr.org/the_media_today/coronavirus_uk_italy_france_south_korea.php. Accessed 27 February 2022.
    [Google Scholar]
  4. Antwi-Boasiako, K.. ( 2017;), ‘ Reporting health emergency outbreaks: African journalists on the frontlines of Ebola coverage. ’, Ph.D. thesis, Athens, OH:: Ohio University.
    [Google Scholar]
  5. Appiah, B.,, Gastel, B.,, Burdine, J. N., and Russell, L. H.. ( 2015;), ‘ Science reporting in Accra, Ghana: Sources, barriers and motivational factors. ’, Public Understanding of Science, 24:1, pp. 2337.
    [Google Scholar]
  6. Babbie, E., and Mouton, J.. ( 2001), The Practice of Social Research, , South African edition., Cape Town:: Oxford University Press Southern Africa;.
    [Google Scholar]
  7. Bakyawa, J.,, Devlin, M.,, Serwadda, D., and IJsselmuiden, C.. ( 2013;), ‘ Implementing a health research communication program in a low resource country: Experience from Uganda’s Makerere University School of Public. ’, Scholarly and Research Communication, 4:2, https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11766/7241. Accessed 27 February 2022.
    [Google Scholar]
  8. Bryman, A.. ( 2012), Social Research Methods, New York:: Oxford University Press;.
    [Google Scholar]
  9. Burrell, G., and Morgan, G.. ( 1979), Sociological Paradigms and Organisational Analysis: Elements of the Sociology of Corporate Life, London and New York:: Routledge;.
    [Google Scholar]
  10. Chari, T., and Akpojivi, U.. ( 2021;), ‘ Media and global pandemics: Continuities and discontinuities. ’, Journal of African Media Studies, 13:3, pp. 30515.
    [Google Scholar]
  11. Claassen, G.. ( 2011;), ‘ Science and the media in South Africa: Reflecting a “dirty mirror”. ’, Communicatio, 37:3, pp. 35166.
    [Google Scholar]
  12. Claassen, G.. ( 2020;), ‘ What COVID-19 could teach journalists about science. ’, University World News, Africa Edition, 10 December, https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20201209232105667. Accessed 27 February 2022.
    [Google Scholar]
  13. Clayton, J., and Joubert, M.. ( 2012), The Need for an African Science News Service, London:: UK National Commission of UNESCO;, https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/35432077/the-need-for-an-african-science-news-service-uk-national-. Accessed 27 February 2022.
    [Google Scholar]
  14. Currah, A.. ( 2009), What’s Happening to Our News, Oxford:: Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Oxford (RISJ);, https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:86de3c9d-cc55-4608-a433-9d630fd3b53b. Accessed 27 February 2022.
    [Google Scholar]
  15. Dunwoody, S.. ( 2021;), ‘ Science journalism: Prospects in the digital age. ’, in M. Bucchi, and B. Trench. (eds), Handbook of Public Communication of Science and Technology, London:: Routledge;, pp. 1432.
    [Google Scholar]
  16. Finlay, A.. ( 2019), State of the Newsroom: 2018 – Structured Unstructured, Johannesburg:: University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg;, https://journalism.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/State-of-the-Newsroom-report-2018_updated-20190709.pdf. Accessed 27 February 2022.
    [Google Scholar]
  17. Finlay, A.. ( 2020), State of the Newsroom: 2020 – Tipping Point, Johannesburg:: University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg;, https://journalism.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/SON-2020-Final-23-Feb.pdf. Accessed 27 February 2022.
    [Google Scholar]
  18. Fleerackers, A.,, Riedlinger, M.,, Moorhead, L.,, Ahmed, R., and Alperin, J. P.. ( 2021;), ‘ Communicating scientific uncertainty in an age of COVID-19: An investigation into the use of preprints by digital media outlets. ’, Health Communication, 37:6, pp. 72638, https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2020.1864892. Accessed 27 February 2022.
    [Google Scholar]
  19. Fraser, N.,, Brierley, L.,, Dey, G.,, Polka, J. K.,, Palfy, M.,, Nanni, F., and Coates, J. A.. ( 2021;), ‘ The evolving role of preprints in the dissemination of COVID-19 research and their impact on the science communication landscape. ’, PLoS Biology, 19:4, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3000959. Accessed 20 September 2021.
    [Google Scholar]
  20. Heyl, A.,, Joubert, M., and Guenther, L.. ( 2020;), ‘ Hype and churnalism in science communication: Comparing university press releases and journalistic articles in South Africa. ’, South African Journal for Communication Theory and Research, 46:2, pp. 12645.
    [Google Scholar]
  21. Lewis, T.. ( 2022;), ‘ Science journalism shifted with new realities. ’, Scientific American, 326:3, pp. 3839.
    [Google Scholar]
  22. Makri, A.. ( 2021;), ‘ What do journalists say about covering science during the COVID-19 pandemic?. ’, Nature Medicine, 27, pp. 1720.
    [Google Scholar]
  23. Malan, M.. ( 2006;), ‘ Exposing AIDS: Media’s impact in South Africa. ’, Georgetown Journal of International Affairs, 7:1, pp. 4149.
    [Google Scholar]
  24. Malan, M.. ( 2020;), ‘ Politicking, pandemics and prestige: What’s really behind the squabbles at South Africa’s high-level COVID-19 committee?. ’, BHEKISISA: Centre for Health Journalism, 19 May, https://bhekisisa.org/article/2020-05-19-ministerial-advisory-committee-politics-of-science-glenda-gray-salim-abdool-karim-zweli-mkhize/. Accessed 27 February 2022.
    [Google Scholar]
  25. Massarani, L.,, Entradas, M.,, Neves, L. F. F., and Bauer, M. W.. ( 2021;), Global Science Journalism Report 2021. , Science and Development Network, https://www.scidev.net/global/learning-series/global-science-journalism-report-2021-2/. Accessed 27 February 2022.
    [Google Scholar]
  26. Metcalfe, J.,, Riedlinger, M.,, Bauer, M. W.,, Chakraborty, A.,, Gascoigne, T.,, Guenther, L.,, Joubert, M.,, Kaseje, M.,, Herrera-Lima, S.,, Revuelta, G.,, Riise, J., and Schiele, B.. ( 2020;), ‘ The COVID-19 mirror: Reflecting science-society relationships across 11 countries. ’, Journal of Science Communication, 19:7, https://doi.org/10.22323/2.19070205. Accessed 1 October 2020.
    [Google Scholar]
  27. Murcott, T., and Williams, A.. ( 2013;), ‘ The challenges for science journalism in the UK. ’, Progress in Physical Geography: Earth and Environment, 37:2, pp. 15260.
    [Google Scholar]
  28. Ndlela, M. N.. ( 2021;), ‘ The coronavirus pandemic in Africa: Crisis communication challenges. ’, Journal of African Media Studies, 13:2, pp. 13338.
    [Google Scholar]
  29. Nguyen, A., and Tran, M.. ( 2019;), ‘ Science journalism for development in the Global South: A systematic literature review of issues and challenges. ’, Public Understanding of Science, 28:8, pp. 97390.
    [Google Scholar]
  30. Nortier, C.. ( 2021;), ‘ Collaborate to communicate in a crisis: How clinicians, scientists and journalists pulled together to spread good science. ’, Daily Maverick, 20 June, https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2021-06-20-collaborate-to-communicate-in-a-crisis-how-clinicians-scientists-and-journalists-pulled-together-to-spreadgood-science/. Accessed 27 February 2022.
    [Google Scholar]
  31. Oyeyemi, S. O.,, Gabarron, E., and Wynn, R.. ( 2014;), ‘ Ebola, Twitter, and misinformation: A dangerous combination?. ’, British Medical Journal, 349, https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.g6178. Accessed 20 November 2021.
    [Google Scholar]
  32. Perreault, M., and Perreault, G.. ( 2021;), ‘ Journalists on COVID-19 journalism: Communication ecology of pandemic reporting. ’, American Behavioral Scientist, 65:7, pp. 97691.
    [Google Scholar]
  33. Ricchiardi, S.. ( 2020;), ‘ Key quotes: The stark contrast in reporting epidemics in South Africa with journalist Mia Malan. ’, The International Center for Journalists, https://www.icfj.org/news/key-quotes-stark-contrast-reporting-epidemics-south-africa-journalist-mia-malan. Accessed 27 February 2022.
    [Google Scholar]
  34. Schäfer, M. S.. ( 2017;), ‘ How changing media structures are affecting science news coverage. ’, in K. Hall Jamieson,, D. M. Kahan, and D. A. Scheufele. (eds), The Oxford Handbook of the Science of Science Communication, Oxford:: Oxford University Press;, pp. 5160.
    [Google Scholar]
  35. Smallhorne, M.. ( 2021;), ‘ Need and greed: Reporting on COVID-19 in Southern Africa. ’, Knight Center Blog, https://journalismcourses.org/news/need-and-greed-reporting-on-COVID-19-in-southern-africa/. Accessed 27 February 2022.
    [Google Scholar]
  36. Suárez, E.. ( 2020;), ‘ Covering COVID-19 is tough: The head of a health news site explains how to get it right. ’, Reuters Institute, https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/news/covering-COVID-19-tough-head-health-news-site-explains-how-get-it-right. Accessed 27 February 2022.
    [Google Scholar]
  37. Sumner, P.,, Vivian-Griffiths, S.,, Boivin, J.,, Williams, A.,, Bott, L.,, Adams, R.,, Venetis, C. A.,, Whelan, L.,, Hughes, B., and Chambers, C. D.. ( 2016;), ‘ Exaggerations and caveats in press releases and health-related science news. ’, PLoS ONE, 11:12, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0168217. Accessed 15 October 2021.
    [Google Scholar]
  38. van Hout, T., and van Leuven, S.. ( 2016;), ‘ Investigating “Churnalism” in real-time news. ’, in B. Franklin, and S. Edridge. (eds), Routledge Companion to Digital Journalism Studies, Abingdon:: Routledge;, pp. 11725.
    [Google Scholar]
  39. van Manen, M.. ( 1990), Researching Lived Experience: Human Science for an Action Sensitive Pedagogy, Albany, NY:: SUNY Press;.
    [Google Scholar]
  40. van Niekerk, P., and Villiers, P. de. ( 2020;), ‘ [Publishing during a pandemic] Battling misinformation: The rise of science journalism during COVID-19. ’, FIPP, Connecting Global Media, https://www.fipp.com/news/publishing-during-a-pandemic-battling-misinformation-the-rise-of-science-journalism-during-COVID-19/. Accessed 27 February 2022.
    [Google Scholar]
  41. van Zuydam, E.. ( 2019;), ‘ The current state of science journalism in South Africa: Perspectives of industry insiders. ’, unpublished master’s thesis, Stellenbosch:: Stellenbosch University.
    [Google Scholar]
  42. Wasserman, H.. ( 2020;), ‘ The state of South African media: A space to contest democracy. ’, Publizistik, 65, pp. 45165.
    [Google Scholar]
  43. Wasserman, H.,, Chuma, W.,, Bosch, T.,, Uzuegbunam, C.E., and Flynn, R.. ( 2021;), ‘ South African newspaper coverage of COVID-19: A content analysis. ’, Journal of African Media Studies, 13:3, pp. 33350.
    [Google Scholar]
  44. Weingart, P., and Joubert, M.. ( 2019;), ‘ The conflation of motives of science communication: Causes, consequences, remedies. ’, Journal of Science Communication, 18:3, https://jcom.sissa.it/archive/18/03/JCOM_1803_2019_Y01. Accessed 20 June 2021.
    [Google Scholar]
  45. Wollnik, S.. ( 2021;), ‘ The societal importance of journalistic health reporting on the COVID-19 pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa: Impressions from science and health journalism organizations. ’, Journal of African Media Studies, 13:2, pp. 13958.
    [Google Scholar]
  46. World Health Organisation ( 2020;), ‘ Listings of WHO’s response to COVID-19. ’, 29 June, https://www.who.int/news/item/29-06-2020-COVIDtimeline. Accessed 27 February 2022.
  47. Joubert, Marina,, van Zuydam, Lali, and Franks, Suzanne. ( 2023;), ‘ The impact of COVID-19 on science journalists in South Africa: Investigating effects, challenges, quality concerns and training needs. ’, Journal of African Media Studies, 15:1, pp. 11129, https://doi.org/10.1386/jams_00095_1
    [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.1386/jams_00095_1
Loading
/content/journals/10.1386/jams_00095_1
Loading

Data & Media loading...

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a success
Invalid data
An error occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error