Media: Stop flirting with populism
The media must stop flirting with populism. It is a dangerous game that will end in tears. Although we in the media self-righteously insist on a clear distinction between ourselves and platforms of propaganda and fake news, our own obsession with upheaval and polarity has us twisting words and creating unnecessary drama.
This week the National Assembly voted for the establishment of a special committee to inquire into the competence of the public protector, Busisiwe Mkhwebane. This follows a finding by an independent panel that there is enough prima facie evidence of incompetence and misconduct against her. But if you read the headlines and reportage, you’d swear that the MPS voted on a Democratic Alliance motion to impeach Mkhwebane. It is true that the DA tabled the motion calling for the inquiry in 2020. But the vote this week was essentially to address one question only: does parliament accept or reject the panel’s report? There was no vote on a DA motion.
Another distortion by senior journalists plays right into the populist imagery and race baiting that have become weapons in day to day political battles and debates. We expect the Economic Freedom Fighters to charge that the ANC voted with the DA, thereby upholding one of the most common characteristics of populism: creating the idea of betrayal. But for news headlines to scream “ANC votes with the DA” or “ANC supports DA motion” is outrageous. Most parties voted to proceed with the inquiry. It is worth noting that the EFF has itself voted with the DA on occasions too frequent to mention.
How is this headline: “Busisiwe Mkhwebane: first round goes to Ramaphosa” (Business Day)? Creating protagonists as if they are in some sort of bar brawl plays directly into the unproven accusations, articulated without restraint by Mkhwebane’s supporters, that she is being “targeted” because she dared go after powerful people, including the president.
It actually doesn’t matter what the rest of the story says. The headline already legitimises the populist accusation that she is under attack by the president. It ignores the court rulings against her, which formed the basis of the panel’s report.
This is bigger than Ramaphosa. This is about our nationhood and the public’s access to recourse. It is about ensuring that the office specifically designed to protect the public from abuse and ensure accountability, performs its duties with integrity and professionalism.
This is not some game that the media can play without dire consequences. Words matter. They can build or terminate trust in our public institutions and processes. They can lead to a numbness where, in the public’s mind, the truth is indistinguishable from the lies. Populist reportage is an attack on the very edifice of democracy.