Why media freedom is always worth fighting for

On Monday, many around the globe celebrated World Press Freedom Day. In a panel discussion hosted by Amnesty International Africa on Monday, Committee To Protect Journalists (CPJ) Sub-Saharan Africa representative Muthoki Mumo said they were asked every year what they were celebrating and if they should even be celebrating.

“Yes, we should be celebrating individual journalists and we should be celebrating individual human rights defenders who work in extremely hard conditions to bring the public the news and, particularly in the year of the pandemic, to keep people informed about what’s going on and to provide life-saving information,” she said.

President Cyril Ramaphosa, in his weekly newsletter, agreed, saying “media freedom has deteriorated under the Covid-19 pandemic, with the various restrictions put in place having seemingly been used to curtail media activity in several places”.

He also referred to the 2021 World Press Freedom Index, a barometer of the state of media freedom across the globe, in which SA ranked 32nd out of 180 countries.

The index describes the state of media freedom in SA as “guaranteed but fragile” and notes an increase during 2020 in the intimidation of journalists — especially female — on social media.

“Such intimidation is totally unacceptable, but is particularly harmful when it is directed at female journalists, and is occasionally accompanied by threats of sexual violence.

“This is a matter of great concern and cannot be allowed,” Ramaphosa wrote.

As much as the media and government have a role in protecting media freedom, so too does every single member of the public.

And it starts with something as simple as refraining from attacks — physically or online — on our media and thinking twice before forwarding that WhatsApp you have just received without verifying its content.

Not only do these messages often cause panic but it also means resources — already stretched in understaffed newsrooms — are wasted chasing fake news when journalists should be telling you what is really happening around you.

After all, a free media is a cornerstone of our hardfought-for democracy.