Media power economic justice 1 Media Power and

Media power, economic justice 1

Media Power and Economic Justice Guy Berger, Rhodes University South Africa, 3 August, Caux 2

Economic justice For much of the world, it means poverty. So, what’s the relevance here in Europe? – There is some poverty here; – There a host of economic relationships with places where people are poor – from investment, banking, migration. – There is a “fair trade” agenda. – There is bird flu… etc. There is human solidarity, not just materialism. 3

Economic justice • What’s bad about poverty? – People are “less” - cashless, foodless, homeless, landless, illness, powerless. – Bad to have Aids, worse: poor + Aids • Many indirect effects: – Poverty doesn’t cause crime, terror or Aids, but it does contribute. 4

A rights issue – it’s political “Poverty is the cause and the effect of the denial of human rights. • Systematic violation of these rights degenerates rapidly into poverty. • The most acute moral question of the new century is to understand how such massive and systematic violations, day in, day out, do not trouble the conscience. ” - Pierre Sane, Unesco 5

Words of Kunda Dixit (Nepal) “Poverty reflects deep structural problems. Media isn’t a solution, but perhaps the way it is practiced is a part of the problem? ” “ The media can’t end poverty. But if we in journalism don’t cover it intelligently (with attachment and outrage), media will be an obstacle in alleviation. ” 6

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Problems in journalism Poverty does not have to be covered. Poverty needs enterprise reporting – Few press releases! Few lobby actions. We fixate on elite success and celebs … – And European-centric stories. Solutions-oriented journalism is atypical. Events easier to cover than processes. 8

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Blindspots and absences Often: Implicit, rather than explicit Often: Should be there, but isn’t. • • • Cold snap coverage – what of the poor? Unrest – no poverty info on background. Very little on how “development” relates. Poor scrutiny of investment statistics. No debate about nature, extent, causes, remedies. 10

“Poverty” has many faces: • The term is a generalisation: – Hunger shelter health-care schooling illiteracy unemployment fear crisis death loss water powerlessness (World Bank). – You get singular stories: manifestations (eg. streetkids) or a broad concept (eg. poverty resolutions), and no linkage. 11

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Critique of the Charity angle • Agency by the poor is under-played. • Their status is projected as being objects to be pitied and uplifted by others. • The poor are seen from a consumption, and not a production, point of view. • Paradigm of poor as “in deficit”: Survival achievement & potential unrecognised. 13

Critique of demons & angels • A political football – President or G 8 promises relief – Opposition accuses President of neglect. – Little independent media follow-up. • Glorification of the correspondent – Sympathy is created with the journalist, not poor people. • Absence of voices of the poor themselves. 14

Critique of disengendering • Disaggregation not common – eg. Unemployment statistics. • In SA, only 6% of articles had an explicit gender angle, or linked gender & poverty. • In another 12% of stories, there should have been a gender angle - eg. stories on pension queues; jobless youth; land restitution. 15

The matter of agency Causes: Backwardness Bad luck Cruel nature, or: Slavery/Colonial/Apartheid/IMF legacies (Affects the kind of remedy suggested) Solutions: Who is primarily responsible for addressing the problems? 16

Whose “responsibility” is it? : Solutions – “Delivery mindset”: • § § § Government (nanny state) By default: Civil society organs (churches, NGOs) Non-poor individuals via charity First World Let off the hook: § the rich, business people § global system § the poor. 17

Who should address poverty? Solving poverty is seldom painted as concern of all stakeholders: • poor people; • civil society (ngo's, churches, etc. ), • employers/business • government; educational institutions, • individuals, … and media. 18

Appeal to journalism: • Journalism ≠ social marketing, but a conscious and pro-active approach can enrich poverty-related news and its impact on policy and people. • “We’re not asking journalists to become activists and start waving the flag, but they shouldn’t just be passive observers anymore to the misery and deprivation around them. ” Kunda Dixit 19

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One day, perhaps, we will not have this economic justice problem to report anymore. Thank you 21