guy berger, rhodes university, convergence south africa conference, 19-20 october, 2005, indaba...
TRANSCRIPT
Guy Berger, Rhodes University, Convergence South Africa Conference,
19-20 October, 2005, Indaba Hotel,
Johannesburg
Media missing the Media missing the Convergence BillConvergence Bill
Coming up:
1. How media have reported the Bill
2. Media as a policy factor
3. Media in convergence
4. Device convergence
5. Money and mergers
6. Conclusion
1. HOW MEDIA REPORTED
1. How media have reported the Bill?◄
2. Media as a policy factor
3. Media in convergence
4. Conclusion
Bill: What Bill?
Articles mainly in IT & business press
Gerbert Vandenberghe study
45 articles online
18 in Business Day, 12 in the Star, 5 in the Sowetan, 4 in This Day, 3 in Citizen, one each in City Press, Daily Dispatch & Cape Argus.
Covered high hopes
Had our weaknesses
60% did not define convergence 65% gave no background Most articles superficial – single aspect Focus was on policy decisions, not on
options or impact. Language: economistic and legal, But technical issues explained.
Showed excitement
But gaps abound
Almost 60% did not link articles to consumer issues – unless written by non-journalists
Almost zero on government objectives like universal service and BEE
GB: Just a couple of issues singled out – reactively.
Sourcing problems
Interviews: some reporters say sources ok, others crit DoC
Many reports from press releases & official sources
80% didn’t question/crit their sources Only 40% had more than one source
Kinds of sources
Legal
Other
Authorities
Companies
NGO0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
Lack of independence
Gave the opinion of industry, rather than own view
Criticism comes from industry sources.
Journalists don’t question those who are negative. Reduced to black & white
Tone towards government:
Positive 11%
Neutral 56%
Negative33%
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Positive
Neutral
Negative
Comm. 2000: 30% 49% 21%
Events-focus, not issues
Second Bill Impression of far
less coverage Circa 14 since
hearings began
DA’s Dene Smuts very active!
So where are the journalists?
Many concerns reflected
Scepticism conveyed
Diverse nuances recorded
Both bills: where coverage fell
Little grasp of issues or their interlinkage
Repeated jargon “tech neutral”, licences
Exaggerated threat of website licences
Ignored Ministerial powers increase.
Flowing up-hill
Underplayed Icasa issues
Ignored significant market power debate
Weakest on the problematic process & “managed liberalisation”
Under-reporting on stakeholder responses
■ There is lack of critical analysis. ■ Reports have no follow-up. ■ The voice of the people
is absent. ■ Rural issues are absent ■ There is silence on ICT policy & WSIS.
Egypt Morocco Cameroon Rwanda Ethiopia Malawi Mozambique Senegal Ghana
Echoes study: Afr media & ICT
done by Roland Stanbridge & Maria Ljunggren
Why the weaknesses?
Editors are uninformed on implications of information society developments.
Journalists also lack knowledge. Newsrooms lack connectivity. There is poor (NGO) media liaison. There are too few women in ICT
journalism.
2. MEDIA AS POLICY FACTOR
1. How media have reported the Bill
2. Media as a policy factor ◄
3. Media in convergence
4. Conclusion
Findings 6 African countries
Kenya Mozambique DRC Nigeria Ethiopia Senegal
by Highway Africa, sponsored by Catia
Little sign of deepening a democratic role to be a vital link in public policy processes w.r.t. the African Information Society.
“
”
Yet, I.S. policies impact back on media, but the two hands (media & policy) aren’t feed-ing into each other.
Media help democracy …but
FINDING:
The media is silent in terms of: relevant policy agenda-setting policy debate and formulation, implementation, monitoring, and review.
“
”
1. Liberal democratic model
MEDIA COVERAGE
PUBLIC + OPINION
GOVTRESPONDS
i.e. The public is the active source of public opinion
eg. Aids activists win coverage, affect govt
1
2
3
2. Muckraker model
PUBLIC + OPINION
MEDIA COVERAGE
GOVTRESPONDS
i.e. Media coverage is active source of public opinion
eg. Exposure of child abuse
1
2
3
3. Bypassing Civil Society
GOVTRESPONDS
MEDIA COVERAGE
= “PUBLIC OPINION”
i.e. Media impacts on govt, irrespective of real public opinion
eg. Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky
1
2
4. Manipulation model
MEDIA COVERAGE
GOVTINITIATES
PUBLIC +OPINION
i.e. Government is the originator of public opinion
eg. Iraq war in US, Info scandal, discredit leader’s rivals
1
2
3
5. Propaganda picture
MEDIA COVERAGE
i.e. Government is the originator, circuit incomplete
eg. media coverage pleases govt, but ignored by public
GOVTINITIATES
1
2
Five models
1. Liberal dem – people-driven
2. Muckraker model – media-driven
3. Bypassing civil society – media<->govt
4. Manipulation model – govt-driven
5. Propaganda picture – govt-driven
1. Lib dem – people-driven: • elitist-agendas
2. Muck-raker– media-driven: • pro-media policy
3. Bypass – media<->govt: • licensing 4 pals
4. Manipulation – govt-driven: • privatising telco
5. Propaganda – govt-driven: • sunshine imagery
Models for Info Society policy:
SA journos on power
Can influence policy by promoting support or pressure.
Sometimes, but industry also plays a role. Coverage can stimulate lobbying – and govt
action. Reciprocal relationship between public
opinion and policy. Media can influence, alongside lobby groups. Some said they actively tried to influence
public opinion.
“
”
Steep climb to relevance
In ‘Catia’ countries studied, there is little evidence of any model at work.
Contrary to models, media is NOT (yet) a factor there.
BUT SA shows some life – Supports our participatory
policy tradition
3. MEDIA IN CONVERGENCE
1. How media have reported the Bill
2. Media as a policy factor
3. Media in convergence ◄
4. Media in convergence
5. Conclusion
Lobbyists on the Bill
Etv, SABC, MultiChoice, Print Media SA, OPA, NAB, Primedia.
Not much common cause made with telcos, NGOs, IT companies, other stakeholders.
Yet, convergence is slowly happening, to media - despite the dot-com bomb.
History: Computing + media
When PCs met media, went into accounting:
Spread to: Newsgathering Editing Management Output platform Enterprise &
Content Managment
Once upon a time
telcom s I T m edia
Computers infiltrate
telcom s I T m edia
Internet is born:
telcom s
I T= I CT
m edia
I nternet
What was designed as a voice network also carries data between computers
And media joins in …
telcom s
I CT
m edia
1 to 1 comms
1 to many comms
internet
Specifically new media
telcom s
I CT
m edia
new m edia: W W W
Online papers & stations
telcom s
I CT
W W W
broadcast
Other new media exploited
telcom s
I CT
broadcast
W W W ,em ail-new s-letters,PDAs,phones,billboards.
Print & broadcast blur
telcom s
I CT
new m edia
broadcast
Quest for a dot.com King:
content, community, commerce, channel (portal), cybercity, carrier, community-created
content?
Lord of the C-ings:
None of these “C’s” Too web-Centric! Royal Person not online! = Set-back & unbundling Reinforced divergence!
But Governing Principle:
Convergence rules across all media The lesser “C’s” are part of the royal
family … Can be found across all platforms Eg. Newspapers – content, community,
commerce, channel, city, carrier, ccc Now: all media incl web need to link up!
Rules of the reign:
Convergence requires co-operation among all the dukes, barons, princes …. and even the princesses!
We will see the cross-media empire start to !
Qtn: In the whole converged media pack, what platform is top flyer?
Summing up:
Telcoms and IT industry create Internet. Media industry joins the party, mainly with
Internet, but also other new ICTs. Lines within the media industry itself start
to blur. But the media hasn’t quite grasped it!
WHY?
Answer: Very complex topic!
Culture
Finance
Policy
Production+distrib
Devices
Media sector
ICT sector
Technology
Eg. changing revenue models
At present, SABC pays Sentech to deliver its broadcast.
In future, Sentech may pay SABC for the content it seeks to deliver.
At present, Johncom pays Telkom for bandwidth to deliver Internet content to customers.
In future, Telkom’s rival may seek to pay Johncom for the content.
Implix for the media
Value chain is changing New revenue streams emerging More platforms More producers, incl audience P2P More competition
6. CONCLUSION
1. How media have reported the Bill
2. Media as a policy factor
3. Media in convergence
4. Conclusion ◄
Summing up
Reporting the bill – scores 55% Policy role for press – unrealised SA a bit better than rest of Africa SA media did lobby But lagging in actual convergence Need to grasp complexities of it all
Take away thoughts:
Media’s business is not just to report change, but to ride it as well.
Stand-alone media will not make it. Convergence starts with co-operation.
However …
It all hinges on reporting convergence better!
- putting it on agendas of the public, policy-makers, and
media owners
Step forward: HANA
+ Centre for Learning ICTS - Clict
CLICT
Think Pieces News ResearchCommunityResources
Education
A content portal for ICT journalists: • Knowledge• Networking• Certified qualification building• HANA feed
Thank you
http://journ.ru.ac.za/staff/guy/
www.mg.co.za/converse
www.highwayafrica.org.za
