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Peace journalism in South Africa: a theoretical discussion

a theoretical discussion

Nathalie Hyde-Clarke
University of Johannesburg
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Peace journalism in South Africa: a theoretical discussion. (2022). Communicare: Journal for Communication Studies in Africa, 31(sed-1), 23-36. https://doi.org/10.36615/jcsa.v31ised-1.1646
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  • Submited: October 15, 2022
  • Published: October 17, 2022

Abstract

This article presents a theoretical exploration of the concept of peace journalism. It assesses
its usefulness for strengthening existing practices in the South African media. Peace journalism
addresses issues around journalistic practices in relation to story selection and presentation with
the aim of facilitating non-violent responses to real and potential conflict. There is no doubt that
commercial media coverage often relies on sensational and inflammatory discourse to attract
consumers (audience), and that, even during times of peace, political communication frequently
incorporates conflict or war terminology. Given the potential for individual and intergroup violence
(actual or latent) due to the diverse nature of the population and South Africa’s historical legacies,
there is a need to address peace-communication concerns on a continuous basis. This article is
based on a review of seminal literature in the field and also on the discussion and findings of a
round table conducted at the University of Johannesburg on 27 and 28 October 2011 with a number
of South African academics and representatives of national media-monitoring organisations.

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How to Cite
Peace journalism in South Africa: a theoretical discussion. (2022). Communicare: Journal for Communication Studies in Africa, 31(sed-1), 23-36. https://doi.org/10.36615/jcsa.v31ised-1.1646

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