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
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/50257 |
| Date | 04 1900 |
| Creators | Gerbi, Giovanna Maria |
| Contributors | Wasserman, H., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Journalism. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 1 v. (various pagings) : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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