A research report submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of the University of Witwatersrand’s Masters by Coursework and Research Report in Journalism studies, Johannesburg, February 2017 / Journalists are often presented with leaked information from whistleblowers. Having the information and writing the story, as well as handling a source that may or may not want to be anonymous, gives rise to ethical dilemmas on the part of the journalist. This was certainly true for journalists reporting on the political violence in South Africa during the late 1980s and the early 1990s. Journalists operate under codes of practice that are set by various media organisations and must ensure that in using whistleblower information to write their stories, “they must avoid breaches of ethics, fairness, factual accuracy and contextual accuracy” (Houston, B. et al., 2002: 538). And most importantly, journalists are ethically bound to protect their sources. This research looks at the interaction between journalists and their sources of information in two major stories that involved the use of whistleblowers. It discusses and compares the issue of “source handling”, in the following two South African stories which used information leaked by whistleblowers: a. the 1991 “Inkathagate” story, which was broken by the Weekly Mail newspaper; b. “Vlakplaas” hit squad story, initially involving the Weekly Mail (20 October 1989) and then Vrye Weekblad (November 1989). This study also brings into focus the issue of strengthening journalistic ethics in the South African context. It contends that the “Inkathagate” and “Vlakplaas” stories were dependent on the verification of the information, as well as the ethical handling of the whistleblowers. This study raises questions about the motivations of the whistleblowers, their relationships with the journalists, as well as the critical role of the public’s “right to know”, or “public interest”. / XL2018

Text in Afrikaans / Die navorsingsonderwerp van hierdie proefskrif is ondersoekende joernalistiek en die moontlike of waarskynlike invloed wat die spesifieke joernalistieke praktyk op die proses van sosiale verandering kan uitoefen. Daar word van die aanname uitgegaan dat koerantberigte weens ondersoekende joernalistiek in sommige gevalle kan lei tot die bewusmaking van ongeregtighede en/of onregmatige dade in die samelewing en dat die joernalistieke praktyk 'n bydraende faktor of soms 'n katalisator tot optredes van owerhede en uiteindelik sosiale verandering kan wees. Om die aanname toe te lig, word eerstens gekyk na die betekenis van sosiale verandering. Antwoorde word onder meer gesoek op vrae soos: (i) Wat is sosiale verandering? en (ii) Wat is die invloed van die media op sosiale verandering? Tweedens word daar gekyk na wat ondersoekende joernalistiek behels en hoe dit verskil van veral die konvensionele joernalistieke praktyk. Derdens word 'n profiel van Vrye Weekblad gegee ten einde die koerant as gevallestudie te regverdig. Vierdens word 'n model vir die kwalitatiewe inhoudsontleding van voorbeelde van ondersoekende joernalistiek geformuleer. Vyfdens word die model empiries getoets op ondersoeke wat deur Vrye Weekblad gedoen is. Laastens word gepoog om die teoretiese perspektiewe oor sosiale verandering en die invloed van die media te versoen met die empiriese ontledings van die voorbeelde van ondersoekende joernalistiek in Vrye Weekblad. / The research topic of this thesis is investigative journalism and the possible or probable influence that this specific journalistic practice may have on the process of social change. The study proceeds from the assumption that investigative newspaper reports can in some instances lead to an awareness of injustices and/or illegal actions in society. This form of journalistic practice could therefore be a contributing factor, and in some cases, a catalyst for government action and ultimately social change. To elaborate on this assumption, attention is firstly given to the meaning of social change. In this respect answers to the following questions are sought: (i) What is social change? and (ii) What is the influence of the media on social change? Secondly, attention is given to the characteristics of investigative journalism and how this practice differs from conventional journalism. Thirdly a profile of Vrye Weekblad is offered in order to justify the case study. Fourthly a model for the qualitative content analysis of instances of investigative journalism is formulated. Fifthly this model is tested empirically on investigations undertaken by Vrye Weekblad. Finally an attempt is made to reconcile the theoretical perspectives on social change and the influence of the media with the empirical analyses of investigative journalism in Vrye Weekblad. / Communication Science / D. Litt et Phil. (Kommunikasiekunde)

Text in Afrikaans / Die navorsingsonderwerp van hierdie proefskrif is ondersoekende joernalistiek en die moontlike of waarskynlike invloed wat die spesifieke joernalistieke praktyk op die proses van sosiale verandering kan uitoefen. Daar word van die aanname uitgegaan dat koerantberigte weens ondersoekende joernalistiek in sommige gevalle kan lei tot die bewusmaking van ongeregtighede en/of onregmatige dade in die samelewing en dat die joernalistieke praktyk 'n bydraende faktor of soms 'n katalisator tot optredes van owerhede en uiteindelik sosiale verandering kan wees. Om die aanname toe te lig, word eerstens gekyk na die betekenis van sosiale verandering. Antwoorde word onder meer gesoek op vrae soos: (i) Wat is sosiale verandering? en (ii) Wat is die invloed van die media op sosiale verandering? Tweedens word daar gekyk na wat ondersoekende joernalistiek behels en hoe dit verskil van veral die konvensionele joernalistieke praktyk. Derdens word 'n profiel van Vrye Weekblad gegee ten einde die koerant as gevallestudie te regverdig. Vierdens word 'n model vir die kwalitatiewe inhoudsontleding van voorbeelde van ondersoekende joernalistiek geformuleer. Vyfdens word die model empiries getoets op ondersoeke wat deur Vrye Weekblad gedoen is. Laastens word gepoog om die teoretiese perspektiewe oor sosiale verandering en die invloed van die media te versoen met die empiriese ontledings van die voorbeelde van ondersoekende joernalistiek in Vrye Weekblad. / The research topic of this thesis is investigative journalism and the possible or probable influence that this specific journalistic practice may have on the process of social change. The study proceeds from the assumption that investigative newspaper reports can in some instances lead to an awareness of injustices and/or illegal actions in society. This form of journalistic practice could therefore be a contributing factor, and in some cases, a catalyst for government action and ultimately social change. To elaborate on this assumption, attention is firstly given to the meaning of social change. In this respect answers to the following questions are sought: (i) What is social change? and (ii) What is the influence of the media on social change? Secondly, attention is given to the characteristics of investigative journalism and how this practice differs from conventional journalism. Thirdly a profile of Vrye Weekblad is offered in order to justify the case study. Fourthly a model for the qualitative content analysis of instances of investigative journalism is formulated. Fifthly this model is tested empirically on investigations undertaken by Vrye Weekblad. Finally an attempt is made to reconcile the theoretical perspectives on social change and the influence of the media with the empirical analyses of investigative journalism in Vrye Weekblad. / Communication Science / D. Litt et Phil. (Kommunikasiekunde)

This thesis explores the origins, purposes, journalistic practices and outcomes of two award-winning projects namely Broken Homes and Slumlords done by Daily Dispatch's Gcina Ntsaluba in 2009. The projects were described by the paper as investigative journalism but interestingly the original idea came from grassroots driven strategies and they were done by adopting alternative news gathering strategies and immersion in the ordinary people, inspired by public journalism. This thesis follows Christians et al's (2009) normative theoretical framework of press roles summarised as the monitorial, facilitative, collaborative and radical roles. It provides normative prescriptions of public and investigative journalism, development and radical journalism. It then draws on sociological theoretical critiques in order to provide an analytical overview of the complex matrix of political, economic and media contexts which influenced the origins, purposes, journalistic practices and outcomes of the two projects. Drawing on a critical realist case study design, the thesis goes on to provide a narrative account of the two projects based on the in-depth interviews exploring the editorial staffs ideas on the origins, purposes, journalistic practices and outcomes of the projects and a qualitative content/thematic analysis of the journalistic texts related to the projects. This primary data is then critically evaluated against normative theories of press performance, especially Nip's (2008) key practices and Haas's (2007) 'public philosophy' of public journalism. It is also evaluated against a normative framework of what constitutes "good investigative journalism" based on Ettema and Glasser (1998), Waisbord (2000) among others. Protess et al 1991's classic mobilisation model is used to interrogate the projects' outcomes. The thesis established that there was a close connection of the monitorial (investigative journalism), facilitative (public journalism) and radical (tabloid journalism) roles at the paper which shows that the roles are not mutually exclusive. The two projects however fell short of the collaborative role (development journalism) which can, partly, be attributed to the adversarial nature of the relationship between the state and the media. The Daily Dispatch also failed to activate a platform for deliberation and public problem solving. There might thus be more scope in adopting a 'facilitative monitorial role' which would not only expose those who violate other people's human rights, corrupt people and institutions that are not performing well. Instead it will also activate civic life and facilitate 'collaboration' between government and the publics in problem solving.

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this assignment is to examine two investigative journalism programmes in South Africa, namely Carte Blanche and SpecialAssignment in order to ascertain whether two South African policing organisations have been subjected to racist stereotyping on these two programmes. Both these programmes are held in high esteem within South African and international media circles. Carte Blanche has won many awards, such as the prestigious eNN African Journalist of the Year Award in 2002. Special Assignment won the equivalent award in 2001. The approaches and styles in revealing the truth by using investigative forms of journalism are however slightly different. Both Carte Blanche and Special Assignment have produced stories from August 2003 to September 2004 that have exposed corruption within the South African policing organisations. Many of the perpetrators within the police force were identified as people of colour. This assignment therefore aims to discover whether racist stereotyping exists in this niche of investigative journalism television programmes. This opens up the possibility for these portrayals to be seen as stereotypical, since the dominant press codes in South Africa stipulates that reference to 'race' in news reporting should only be done where it will contribute significantly to understanding the subject matter or if the reference to the race of the person is particularly applicable. This assignment aims to discover whether racist stereotyping exists in this niche of investigative journalism television programmes. The research method comprised analysing programmes on Carte Blanche and Special Assignment that dealt with the South African policing organisations from August 2003 to September 2004. The original transcripts of the programmes were retrieved from the relevant websites of Carte Blanche and Special Assignment and have also been studied. Sources on media ethics as well as newspaper and magazine articles dealing with the South African policing organisations, crime and corruption were scrutinized in order to provide background information for the study. The analyses of the programmes was complemented by interviews conducted with the investigative journalists at the helm of the two programmes, namely, Ruda Landman from Carte Blanche and Jessica Pitchford from Special Assignment. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie is om twee ondersoekende joernalistiekprogramme in Suid-Afrika, naamlik Carte Blanche en Special Assignment, te ondersoek ten einde vas te stelof die Suid- Afrikaanse polisiëringsorganisasies in dié twee programme aan rassestereotipering onderhewig is. Albei dié programme word hoog geag in Suid-Afrikaanse en internasionale mediakringe. Carte Blanche het reeds verskeie toekennings gewen, soos die toonaangewende eNN Afrikajoernalis van die Jaar Toekenning in 2002. Special Assignment het hierdie toekenning in 2001 gewen. Die benaderings en styl wat tydens die bekendmaking van die waarheid gevolg word deur die toepassing van ondersoekende vorme van joernalistiek verskil egter effe. Sowel Carte Blanche as Special Assignment het van Augustus 2003 tot September 2004 stories opgelewer wat korrupsie in die Suid-Afrikaanse polisiëringsorganisasies aan die kaak gestel het. Baie van die skuldiges in die polisiemag is geïdentifiseer as gekleurde mense. Hierdie studie beoog dus om vas te stel of daar rassestereotipering in hierdie afdeling van televisieprogramme met betrekking tot ondersoekende joernalistiek bestaan. Ondersoekende joernalistiek is ongetwyfeld een van die stimulerendste afdelings van die joernalistiek. Dit is 'n uitgesproke vorm van joernalistiek wat die vermoë het om die samelewing te beïnvloed. Ondersoekende joernalistiek maak gewoonlik misdrywe aan die publiek bekend. Die konsekwente uitbeelding van gekleurde mense op 'n negatiewe wyse sou kon lei tot die inboet van etiese waardes en dus tot rassestereotipering. Die navorsingsmetode het behels dat daar van Augustus 2003 tot September 2004 na programme oor die Suid-Afrikaanse polisiëringsorganisasies op Carte Blanche en Special Assignment gekyk is en dat dit op band opgeneem is. Die oorspronklike transkripsies van die programme is van Carte Blanche en Special Assignment se onderskeie webtuistes verkry en word as bylaes by hierdie studie aangeheg. Bronne oor media-etiek asook koerant- en tydskrifartikels wat oor die Suid-Afrikaanse polisiëringsorganisasies, misdaad en korrupsie handel, is noukeurig nagegaan. 'n Persoonlike onderhoud is met Ruda Landman van Carte Blanche gevoer, en met Jessica Pitchford van Special Assignment is 'n onderhoud per e-pos gevoer. Landman en Pitchford was albei betrokke by die samestelling van die betrokke