RACE

1
RACE

• Grocott's Editorial Policy

2
Presentation Structure

• Race definitions
• SA Media history
• Grocotts context
• Aims and objectives
• Methodology
• Findings

3
Presentation Structure cont...

• Problems
• Policy
• Implementation and monitoring
• Summary

4
Theoretical definitions

• Du Bois(1999) Race is not scientific or
  biological but is a socio-historical concept.
• Appiah (199213) there is no such thing as
  race,... race biologises culture

5
Theoretical definitions cont.

• The concept of human biological races is based
  on false assumption that anatomical traits such
  as skin color and specific facial characteristics
  clutter together in single distinct groups of
  people(ONeil, 2003)

6
Expert Opinion

• I got my definition of race from forms (Rod
  Amner, Journalism lecturer)
• Social conditioning lets us believe in race (Dr
  Rose Boswell, Anthropology lecturer)
• Race is one of many identities (Thabisi Hoeane,
  Politics lecturer)
• Race is not biologically based, yet it it has a
  lot of social relevance (Prof Fred Hendricks,
  Sociology lecturer)

7
Expert Opinion cont.

• The most relevant definition in this country is
  on the basis of ethnicity, however in old
  government ways I am white (Sally Hunt,
  linguistics lecturer)

8
Community Perspectives

• The Apartheid government defined me as Cape
  colored (colored man)
• You look at people and you can see what race
  they are (black man)
• A group of people with similar appearances
  (European man)

9
SA MEDIA HISTORY

• Pre-1994 Media allies with government and media
  restricted by government
• Post-1994 New Aims Democracy, equality,
  representatives
• Media as watchdog

10
GROCOTTS

• Grocotts Role in the community
• Grocotts readership and history
• New Visions

11
Grocotts role in the Community

• Community newspaper
• Reports mainly on local news and events

12
Grocotts readership and statistics

• Printout 1 300 and Returns 200

13
Vision for the future

• Economic needs shouldnt overshadow editorial
  needs
• Inclusion of relevant information that would be
  useful to all members of household
• Social service advertisement to enhance welfare
  of the community members
• Public watchdog
• Interactive aspect with community by increasing
  contact with readers.

14
Grahamstown Population statistics

• Total Grahamstown population 124 758
• G-town east 97 210
• Education none-13.7, Grade 5-22.3, Grade 6-8
  -26, Grade 9-12 -26.9, Matric 6.1, Other-5
• Average monthly income- R594

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Grahamstown Population statistics cont...

• Employment 16-full-time and part-time
• Casual work6
• School 40
• Pensioners9
• Unemployed29

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AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

• Of Research
• Of Policy

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Research Objectives

• To establish how Grahamstown residents feel about
  representation of race in Grocotts.
• To find out Grocotts previous actions regarding
  race issues were to decide what can be done in
  the future.

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Policy Objectives

• To develop a policy that is functional,
  economical and easy to maintain
• To develop a policy that is which steers
  Grocotts away from racist commentary.
• To develop policies which take into account the
  newspaper's history, while giving it room to grow
  in the future.

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METHODOLOGIES

• Discourse Analysis
• Qualitative research

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Discourse Analysis

• Analyses of Grocotts issues in two time-periods
• Letters from the community
• Issues of race

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January to April 1985

• Evidence of race inequality highlighted in the
  language used.
• Examples Four Dead in Township fighting, Black
  townships, A man Another Black High time
  says MP to all race, people of colour African
  businessmen unemployed blacks. Wouldnt it be
  better if blacks who were served by balck
  businessmen who have common backgrounds with them
  and kow their customers needs

22
January to June 1985 cont...

• Wouldnt it be better if blacks who were served
  by black businessmen who have common backgrounds
  with them and know their customers needs
  Color-coded guide for festival

23
4th July to 19th August 2003

• The great goat Debate Ritual Slaughter
  civilizing societies have moved away from
  inhumane practices in the name of tradition and
  religion cruel customs morally unacceptable
• Variously based cultural beliefs Some cultural
  groups or subgroups are closer to their primal
  identities and barbaric roots than others

24
Qualitative Research

• Structured interviews
• Questionnaires
• Observation
• Academic literature

25
FINDINGS

• Discourse Analysis evidence of race
• Qualitative research definition of race

26
PROBLEMS

• Language problems
• No set definition for race
• Business owners come from a diversity of
  backgrounds so it made it to reach a consensus
• The tendency to be politically correct and not
  entirely honest about views on race

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POLICY

• Content
• Approach to content

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Content

• Ensure diversity of sources and sensitivity to
  many perspectives and opinions
• Targeting G-town communities and servicing their
  needs Diversity of the media is a sign of the
  countrys democracy.(MDDA, 2001)
• The editor is responsible for the maintenance of
  the policy

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Approach to content

• Journalists must understand their community.
• Trained in research
• Realize relevance and consequence mentioning race
• Avoid cultural and racial stereotypes

30
Approach to content cont...

• The language must be free of codes
• Consult

31
IMPLEMENTATION AND MONITORING

• Training in language sensitivity
• Ethics and style guide to include to include dos
  and donts of racial reporting
• Editorial meetings to discuss racially
  problematic issues
• Reaching and keeping in contact with the community

32
IMPLEMENTATION AND MONITORING cont...

• Publication of policy and alert community as to
  what to expect
• Policy should be checked by an external media
  association such as PDU
• Twice a year public forum where community members
  are invited to give feedback
• Grocotts to alert the public through adequate,
  in-advance advertising of the event

33
IMPLEMENTATION AND MONITORING cont...

• How is Grocotts doing? surveys
• Toll-free number and public opinion boxes that
  are collected on a regular basis

34
SUMMARY

• Race exists in our society and is perpetuated by
  media
• Although there is no biological basis for the
  differences, people have the inherent tendency to
  classify themselves in terms of phenotype

35
SUMMARY cont...

• In order to combat this, Grocotts needs to be
  sensitive and open-minded to the diversity of the
  community that they cater for.

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THE END

• Roxanne Dingwall-Fordyce, Badumile Duma,
  Constance Mokgoantle, Tashne Singh, Asha
  Speckman, Ivana Vasic, Vanya Zlateva