By Teboho Moloi
QWAQWA – Media ethics lecturer and researcher Richard Stupart says journalists across the world are increasingly battling to defend their professional space as social media blurs the line between journalism and content creation.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with The Guard Newspaper on Wednesday, Dr Stupart warned that the rise of social media has created dangerous misconceptions about journalism, with many people now viewing online content as entertainment designed to attract reactions, followers and likes rather than report the truth.
He stressed that journalists must remain committed to ethical reporting, truth and public accountability in order to protect the credibility of the profession.
“Journalists are now fighting for their rightful space and trying to make people understand the difference between journalism, which is rooted in rules, ethics and dedication to the truth, and content designed purely to entertain or provoke, even when it is not true,” said Dr Stupart.
He linked the trend to the global rise of fake news and disinformation, warning that misleading content continues to erode public trust in the media.
Dr Stupart, who is also a researcher at the British Academy and South African Institute of International Affairs, serves as editor of the Media, War & Conflict journal and chairs the ethics of mediated suffering working group under European Communication Research and Education Association.
He said South Africa remains fortunate to enjoy relatively strong media freedom compared to countries where journalists face intimidation, imprisonment or death for holding governments accountable.
“In places like Zimbabwe and South Sudan, publishing anything critical of government can put your life in danger. In Ukraine, reporting on the war means taking your life into your own hands. Compared to that, South Africa remains a much safer space for journalists,” he said.
Despite this, he stressed that South African journalists, whistle-blowers and sources still require stronger protection, particularly those covering corruption, politics and crime.
Dr Stupart said journalism globally continues to face severe economic pressures as news organisations struggle to generate sustainable revenue while ensuring public access to information.
“It is very rare for journalists in South Africa to be arrested or assassinated, even when reporting on corruption, crime or politics. Society still values journalism to the extent that even violent criminals and corrupt politicians often think twice before targeting journalists,” he said.
His research focuses on the intersection of violence, media and ethics, including conflict reporting, humanitarian communication and war journalism.
His published work includes studies on conflict journalism, famine reporting and ethical challenges faced by reporters in war zones.
