AN INVESTIGATION INTO WHETHER THE WEEKLY NATIONAL NEWSPAPERS REPORTED UNETHICALLY ON SOUTH AFRICA’S 2014 GENERAL ELECTIONS: A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF THE CITY PRESS, SUNDAY TIMES AND THE MAIL & GUARDIAN BY VILOSHNEE NAIDOO submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF COMMUNICATION SCIENCE in the subject Media Studies at the University of South Africa SUPERVISOR: Professor Stefan Sonderling November, 2018 DECLARATION Name: Viloshnee Naidoo Student number 36522147 Degree: Master of Communication Science Title of dissertation: An investigation into whether the weekly national newspapers reported unethically on South Africa’s 2014 General Elections: A Critical Discourse Analysis of the City Press, Sunday Times and the Mail & Guardian I declare that the above dissertation is my own work and that all the sources that I have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged by means of complete references. 10 November, 2018 ____________________ _________________ SIGNATURE DATE ii DEDICATION I dedicate this research project to my very special, only, late, big sister Suraya Naidoo who passed away from Lupus in March, 2012. You wanted me to achieve this ‘for the both of us’. Although you won’t see my completed work, I know how proud you would have been of me. This is for you! iii ABSTRACT This thesis investigates whether or not the press reported unethically on South Africa’s 2014 General Elections in the weekly national newspapers the City Press, Sunday Times and the Mail & Guardian. This study was undertaken on the basis of the ongoing contention between the press and the state which has resulted in polarised positions between both institutions amid accusations of press bias. It has given voice to measures to regulate the press through a Media Appeals Tribunal (MAT) and proposed state regulation. This could negatively impact free speech, public interest and ultimately democracy. This researcher contends that this will not be in the best interest of South Africa. Through this study, it is argued that an ethical press that executes a libertarian duty to society, integrating a watchdog role over the state, while simultaneously overseeing its social responsibility to society, upholds the welfare of society and democracy and should therefore not be regulated by the state. The elections thus forms an important platform for the press to demonstrate unbiased ethical reportage to the state in the wake of being regulated and prove its fundamental role in society’s interest and democracy. Therefore, to determine whether the election coverage was ethical or unethical, the problem investigated whether the press, that is, the print medium in the form of the newspaper, reported truthfully, in a balanced manner and independently for South Africa’s 2014 General Elections, upholding its watchdog and social responsibility roles. This was done through a Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) of the front-page news reports of the aforementioned national newspapers for the cross sectional time-frame of 13 April to 11 May, 2014. This study argues that language is the most important channel of communication for the exchange of ideas and can be used as an instrument to calculatedly manipulate message and reinforce a particular viewpoint. Hence, it contends that CDA can effectively be utilised as a conceptual framework for language analysis to determine unethical press coverage by journalists. The study identifies and applies two significant theoretical models that is, the Libertarian and Social Responsibility models for the elections which further serves as a form of triangulation to verify the results of the CDA. The study challenges the conventions of a distinct libertarian or a social responsibility model for the press, arguing that both models are not mutually exclusive for the elections. The analysis shows that the press apply both social responsibility and libertarian roles simultaneously in election reporting. It further maps out the incorporation of the developmental journalism model where the press upholds the best interests of both the electorate and the state ethically, without the requirement of a state-regulated media. iv KEY TERMS Ethical/unethical reporting; truth; balance; independence; Normative ethics; Social Responsibility theory; Libertarian theory; Developmental journalism; General elections; Critical Discourse Analysis measuring instrument; watchdog journalism, press freedom v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Firstly, I would like to thank my supervisor Professor Stefan Sonderling for supervising my thesis and painstakingly and patiently helping me through each chapter. I am extremely grateful for his support, understanding and guidance in helping me complete a very tenacious project. I am also thankful to my two beloved, late dogs, Hugo and Toffee - who were family to me - and to my three present, treasured dogs, Charlie, Sparkles and Molly, who have all been devoted companions at my desk for the duration of all my studies. I pay homage to my God, Lord Krishna, for the spiritual foundation, divine blessings and strength for this project. Finally, I sincerely thank my husband, Kumar Moodley, for his steadfast support and encouragement throughout this project. He has given me invaluable advice, insight and motivation. He has tenaciously steered in my low moments to make sure I never give up and complete this thesis. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS DEDICATION........................................................................................................................ iii ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................. iv LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................... xiii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS .............................................................................................. xiv CHAPTER 1 ........................................................................................................................... 15 CONTEXT OF THE STUDY ............................................................................................... 15 1.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................ 15 1.2 BACKGROUND INFORMATION ................................................................................. 16 1.2.1 Amendments by the Press ....................................................................................... 19 1.3 MEDIA ETHICS IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN CONTEXT ............................................ 19 1.3.1 Codes of Ethics: The South African Press Code .................................................... 22 1.3.2 Criticisms of Media Codes of Ethics ...................................................................... 24 1.3.3 Ethical Dimensions for the study: Truth, Balance and Independence .................... 26 1.4 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM ................................................................................ 28 1.5 MAIN RESEARCH ISSUE .............................................................................................. 30 1.6 RESEARCH QUESTIONS .............................................................................................. 31 1.6.1 Main Research Question ......................................................................................... 31 1.8 CONTRIBUTION OF THE STUDY ............................................................................... 32 1.9 OUTLINE OF THE STUDY ............................................................................................ 33 1.10 Conclusion ............................................................................................................... 34 CHAPTER 2 ........................................................................................................................... 35 LITERATURE REVIEW ..................................................................................................... 35 2.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................ 35 2.2 CASE STUDIES OF ETHICAL MEDIA CONDUCT IN THE ELECTION CONTEXT .................................................................................................................................................. 36 2.2.1 International Studies on Press ethics....................................................................... 36 vii 2.2.2 General Ethics Studies on the newspaper in South Africa ..................................... 38 2.3 IMPORTANCE OF THE PRESS FOR ELECTIONS ..................................................... 40 2.4 THE ELECTION COVERAGE IN SOUTH AFRICA .................................................... 43 2.4.1 South Africa’s 2014 General Elections.................................................................... 45 2.5 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK: SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND LIBERTARIAN THEORY ................................................................................................................................. 48 2.5.1 Philosophical Normative Ethics Theories: Deontology and Utilitarianism ............ 49 2.5.1.1 Deontology ........................................................................................................... 50 2.5.1.2 Utilitarianism ...................................................................................................... 52 2.5.2 The Social Responsibility and Libertarian Theories