While media hammers ANC, it is unclear if voters will be persuaded to switch loyalties, writes Hajra Omarjee
“In this election there is uncertainty over the swing vote,” Friedman says.
To add to the ANC’s woes, a recent Media Tenor survey found that the SABC’s coverage of Zuma was negative. At face value this does not bode well for the party, as the public broadcaster is the primary source of news for most people.
NVDL: Fascinating article.
“Politics is about people ... I think they (journalists) are too used to talking to each other and not used to listening to citizens enough. The media are not good at working out what the voters’ concerns are. It’s more about the media’s concerns,” Steven Friedman, a political analyst at the University of Johannesburg, says.
“Most journalists don’t even know how the president and premiers are elected. Only when you understand the system can you explain it,” Bird says.
Both Bird and Friedman believe that the news agenda of mainstream media at any given time is also what is reflected on vernacular radio stations and in community newspapers. “Lower-income people are very aware of the national debate, and are therefore pretty informed. This election is about whether you think Zuma is a hero or a villain,” Friedman says. He believes that the media will not have a major effect on the electorate.
|
No comments:
Post a Comment