Assignment (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Since 2003 various incidents of plagiarism in the South African media were reported. The South African copyright law does not define plagiarism, only copyright infringement. The issue of plagiarism is a complex one, due to the conflicting views within professional, intellectual, social, moral and legal contexts. The advent of the Internet era saw the eradication of the boundaries guarding copyright ownership. Also, the Internet offers infinite access to information which makes it tempting for any journalist to “borrow” quotes, facts, stories and articles freely and under the auspices of a post-modernist approach to knowledge and copyright ownership. Most media companies have ethical codes which cover plagiarism, but there is no working document that can empower media managers and journalists to combat the problem effectively. This document should define the boundary between negligence and plagiarism and offer suggestions on how to approach cases of plagiarism. This study investigates different theories on plagiarism, specifically with regard to the cases of Darrel Bristow-Bovey, Cynthia Vongai and Willem Pretorius. It will also study the ethical codes of media companies and will try to formulate a document which can address the problem of plagiarism. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Talle voorvalle van plagiaat in die Suid-Afrikaanse drukmedia het sedert 2003 plaasgevind. Die Suid-Afrikaanse wet omskryf nie plagiaat nie, slegs outeursregskending en met die talle teenstrydige opvattings oor plagiaat binne professionele, intellektuele, sosiale, morele en regskringe, word plagiaat moeilik gedefinieer. Met die toeganklikheid van inligting danksy die koms van onder meer die Internet, het die grense van eienaarskap van geskrewe werke begin vervaag. Veral die Internet bied ’n magdom inligting aan. Dit word al hoe makliker vir joernaliste om met gemak aanhalings, feite, stories en artikels te “leen” sonder die nodige erkenning. Die meeste media-instellings beskik oor etiese kodes wat plagiaat dek, maar daar is nie werksdokumente wat bestuurders en joernaliste kan bemagtig om plagiaat te bekamp nie. Die werksdokument of handleiding behoort die grense tussen nalatigheid en plagiaat te definieer, en om voorstelle te bied oor hoe gevalle van plagiaat hanteer kan word nie. Hierdie studie ondersoek verskillende teorieë oor plagiaat, bespreek die plagiaatgevalle van Darrel Bristow-Bovey, Cynthia Vongai en Willem Pretorius, bestudeer die etiese kodes van media-instellings en poog om ’n werksdokument saam te stel wat plagiaat kan bekamp.

This study aims to draw on some of the ethical guidelines enshrined in the South African Press Code (SAPC 2007:10). This SAPC states that “the press shall be obliged to report news truthfully, accurately, fairly and in a balanced manner, without any intentional or negligent departure from the facts”. This insight is used in order to analyse the way in which the 2008 xenophobic attacks were reported in South Africa by the Sowetan and Daily Sun newspapers. Overall, the findings show that the two newspapers adhered to the South African Press Code (2007), and were ethical in their 2008 news reports. This specifically contradicts the dominant perception of most mainstream newspaper readers, who thought that, the Daily Sun is just a tabloid newspaper which “represents the lowest standard of journalism” (Wasserman 2012:1), because of its sensational crime and sex stories. / Communication Science / M.A. (Communication)

This study aims to draw on some of the ethical guidelines enshrined in the South African Press Code (SAPC 2007:10). This SAPC states that “the press shall be obliged to report news truthfully, accurately, fairly and in a balanced manner, without any intentional or negligent departure from the facts”. This insight is used in order to analyse the way in which the 2008 xenophobic attacks were reported in South Africa by the Sowetan and Daily Sun newspapers. Overall, the findings show that the two newspapers adhered to the South African Press Code (2007), and were ethical in their 2008 news reports. This specifically contradicts the dominant perception of most mainstream newspaper readers, who thought that, the Daily Sun is just a tabloid newspaper which “represents the lowest standard of journalism” (Wasserman 2012:1), because of its sensational crime and sex stories. / Communication Science / M.A. (Communication)